is someone deleteing large threads?

[Alexandra 55]

I see your point, too, StrawatS. And I completely agree about LBT and its environment. But threads aren't blogs, they're conversations. To my mind, they stop being the sole property of the starter the second someone replies. We have journals that actually are more like blogs and those are and should remain the property of the person who starts them. I think it's great that we have both elements here.

On that note I have to say goodnight. Talk to you tomorrow!

[Alexandra 55]

Once again we were posting at the same time. But I think we're on the same page, now.

sleep tight!!

[StrawartS 2]

Oh my, I didn't realize we kept you up so late, Alex! I won't be here at the ass crack of dawn tomorrow when you usually get on, so good night, and thanks for a great debate.

[the best me 6]

--obviously because this sort of thing has never happened. Literally scores of threads were just deleted by one person, and I'm not at all happy that that's possible.

Don't worry, it HAS happened before...lots! Kelly has done it a couple of times now, and DeLarla did it with Hurricane Katrina threads that got alot of traffic. She has a reputation for deleting stuff, hence, "doing a DeLarla", which is deleting posts and threads. We tease her cuz we love her so much and she HAS been totally STELLAR with holding back on hitting the delete key lately. Last year there was a mass exodus surrounding lots of drama and several people deleted threads and posts all over the board. Tons of stuff was gone.

I totally respect the right for any person to make themself dissappear, and everyone else's posts with it, including quotes. It's the right thing.

Posters on other people's threads need to know it's a risk. If you don't like the possibility that a thread might get deleted, start your own thread. Then YOU get to decide if it stays.

I say leave it like it is.

I spent lots of time posting on DeLarla's Katrina threads. It was an emotional and passionate subject for many. I was mad when it got missing. But I learned a lesson, too...be careful where you post. AND I learned that the world did NOT end when my hard work went to the recycle bin, or Cyber Hell, whatever. Like I said, if it's an important link, or has lots of great info, save a copy in your LBT journal or on your hard drive.

I think I fall into a category of agreement with StrawartS, Photonut, and a few others. Leave it be. I'm a big girl and know how to learn.

[the best me 6]

Wow, you two have been busy while I was typing!

StrawartS, is that YOU in your avatar pic?! (Doh!) LOVERLY!!!! Great pic.

So did you two decide to leave it alone?!!! Yay!!!! I can delete my post now! Just Kidding.

[StrawartS 2]

Yeah, it's me, but I cheated. That was me at my goal weight about 5 years ago. 37 pounds to go! Thanks for noticing.

I think Alex and I settled our debate like gentlemen smoking cigars and sipping cognac. But I'm glad you chimed in.

[the best me 6]

But maybe I'm just too independent. The idea of asking someone for permission to delete a thread upsets me...

but it just doesn't feel right to me to be policed like that.

YES!

I think I've gotten too spoiled with LBT. I've started going to other boards, and the rules are outragous! One board requires you to earn points before you're allowed to have a signature or avatar!

Huh?!

I like that this board is mature enough to give everyone the freedom to post as he or she pleases.

YES!

My motivations for wanting to do so should be irrelevant. And if your comment is so groundbreaking, start your own thread.

YES, and YES again! Can I get an amen?! :amen:

I just had to go back and quote these comments. I agree heartily!

[StrawartS 2]

Kathy, what are you doing quoting me?! Now when I go on my next deleting streak you will have saved my ramblings for eternity!

[PhotoNut 7]

You know, I agree. If you take away my right to delete a thread I started, then take away everyone else's right to quote me! Otherwise the solution of just delete my own posts is no solution at all.

Strawarts - Your pic is beautiful, girl. Earlier today I was thinking about starting a "What did you look like when" thread. What did you look like the last time you were happy with your appearance. I will be looking through my High School photos to find one I can scan! hehe

[StrawartS 2]

Susan, thank you for the kind words. I think your thread idea is great. I have LOTS of those pictures and not so many of the nows.

BTW, I love your photo-shopped breasts in the other thread.

[the best me 6]

Earlier today I was thinking about starting a "What did you look like when" thread. What did you look like the last time you were happy with your appearance.

I have a pic or two...I'll post if you'll promise not to delete the thread! LOL

I guess if someone quotes you, you are at their mercy and need to ask that person to delete the post, or at least the quote part of it, or ask a moderator to do so?

StrawartS, what's interesting was I was able to edit AND type within your quote, so I could quote you, retype anything you said, and post it as if I quoted you. hmmmmm, not that I WOULD, but who would be the wiser if you deleted your own quote? There'd be nothing to compare it to.

[StrawartS 2]

Ooh, Kathy, I never thought of editing someone's quote. The quote feature is really just a fancy copy and paste. You can use the quote code at the beginning and end of ANY text, and it will show up in that blue box.

Ok, let's start a new LBT moral panic - misquotation. And while I'm complaining, here's another one. I had a disagreement with a certain member in one thread, and she subsequently quoted my comments and moved them to another thread that she thought was more "appropriate." This move resulted in me not being notified of her post, as I wasn't subscribed to the new thread, and it resulted in an out of context cross-posting that made me look like an ass. And then I REALLY couldn't reply, because it would be obvious that I was just stalking this person around waiting for her reply.

Your quotation editing brings up another issue - quotations taken out of context. Like when someone cuts up your quote and uses elipses. If we're going to use the quote feature, we should quote the whole post. But I'm not a fan of quoting at all. I think we should just address the poster by name, because sometimes quoting is used passive-aggressively or sarcastically to point out flaws in a post.

Also, if I were to change my user name, my old name would still show up in quotes.

Anyone else mad about the quoting?

[StrawartS 2]

Check out this fake quote. I love StrawartS!

Creepy, isn't it?

[Alexandra 55]

The Best Me, I was here when all the deleting frenzy was going on last year, of course I remember. The difference was that at the time those threads were indeed a bit, um, dramatic (as I recall) and it wasn't all that surprising that things got pulled.

What I don't like is the idea that perfectly benign threads can be pulled just because someone wants to take their toys (as it were) and go home. There's no reason for that and it can be incredibly disruptive.

I also think a certain amount of responsibility should be encouraged in posting. Most sites I've been on don't allow any editing of posts after some given amount of time has passed. We seem to be different in that respect, and that's fine. But I now think we allow a little too much freedom.

Oh, and if I were going to try to find a pic that showed me happy with the way I looked, I'd have to dig out my mother's baby book.

[K@t 38]

Just some extra change from my 2 cents - most other forums don't allow users to delete threads, and most people here on LBT probably aren't even aware of the feature until now, and like Alex said, once more people are aware we may see many many more threads disappearing and that could be very disruptive to the board itself.

And again.. I will reiterate that nothing is ever REALLY deleted. You guys can go about deleting all the post you want, but the moderators can still see them on their side of the forum, and any one with a bit of internet savy can look up the cached files on google. Deleting it from here does nothing to remove it from the public eye. When you post on line no matter what you post you should remember that the internet is public and a million people could be reading what you post. You should always post assuming that a million people ARE reading it.