Freedom To Delete Own Posts

[Gene Steinberg]

I think members should have all options, not necessarily just the ones you select.

Besides, it seems to me you are deleting the posts not for any reason related to content, but because you can. Does that make sense here? We're not just playing role games.

It also seems to me that few really care, and you are the one and only person to ever raise the issue. So if you feel content to simply open threads, and then delete them, indulge yourself. We all need ways to occupy our time, although I rather think there are better ways to be productive.

 

[TClaeys]

oh, sorry I see what's going on now. I responded to a comment that was out of place in another thread. I thought this was on accident. Turns out it was on purpose, ... but then the comment got deleted, .. which in turn makes my comment look out of place. Confusing huh??


If you start a thread and nobody comments or even cares, .... big deal. It doesn't get read or looked at. Why worry enough about it to have to delete it?? In fact why do we need to go back and delete posts anyway long after the fact?? You said what you wanted to at the time. Whether you feel differently later, ... respectfully, who cares?? This is a paranormal forum. We talk all kinds of crazy stuff. Going back and selectively deleting posts makes the continuity of the thread confusing and fragmented.

I guess I don't see why this is important enough to clog other threads with sporatic irrelevant comments. And only to delete them later. I don't get it. But for me in like 4 years I've never had a need to go back and delete previous comments I've made. It doesn't seem like a big deal.

 

[Randall]

I couldn't agree with Gene more that there are more productive things to do ... but right now I'm still trying to figure out what "woo-woo land" is.

j.r.

 

[mike]

Personally i think its a decision for the forum owners, not the users.
The feature can be useful, and it can be abused, so really its up to the owners to decide if its being used in a useful or non useful manner, and to decide for themselves

 

[Angel of Ioren]

Looking back on a few threads after being away most of the weekend, the deletion of posts ruins the flow of the conversation. What's the point of posting if you're just going to delete it after a few people have answered you.
I have deleted a few posts after making a mistake, but only right after I posted it and if no one answered. If everyone started deleting their posts, what would be the point of a forum?
Also, recommending one thread in the middle of other ones is pretty annoying and kinda/sorta trolling.
It's Gene's forum and he can decide what's best for his forum. I usually agree with him. If I didn't, I would not post here as often as I do and I would not be a mod.

Let's not screw around with a good thing.

A

 

[The Pair of Cats]

Somebody please correct me if i am wrong, but if i quote someone else's post in my post and then they delete it after, does their quote disappear from my post? I know that sounds awkward but if their quote remains then it makes the theory of deleting your post because you simply don't like some of your material hanging around on a forum for too long, or whatever other strange reason, a bit irrelevant.
From now on when i reply to any of ufology's posts i will quote them in my own.

---------- Post added at 11:48 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:37 AM ----------

Looking back on a few threads after being away most of the weekend, the deletion of posts ruins the flow of the conversation. What's the point of posting if you're just going to delete it after a few people have answered you.
I have deleted a few posts after making a mistake, but only right after I posted it and if no one answered. If everyone started deleting their posts, what would be the point of a forum?
Also, recommending one thread in the middle of other ones is pretty annoying and kinda/sorta trolling.
It's Gene's forum and he can decide what's best for his forum. I usually agree with him. If I didn't, I would not post here as often as I do and I would not be a mod.
Let's not screw around with a good thing.
A

I agree. Every thread i went to yesterday had the same thing by ufology. Apart from wasting my time (as i had already seen it in this thread) it was annoying as hell. If you had some complaint, ufology, maybe you could have spoken to Gene via PM and got it resolved that way.
I have gone back to old threads to reread where someone has deleted a post and it is confusing and frustrating especially if they have made a good point or added info that is relevant. Trying to decipher the responses and then having to guess what that post might have been about is a big turn off.
As Angelo said, it's Gene's site and he can set the rules as he wishes. It doesn't appear that this poll is going to change anybody's mind.

 

[Gene Steinberg]

I also like to think that people post here to share information, or make a comment. If they post simply to demonstrate that they can remove those posts whenever they want, it defeats the purpose. I also suppose that members who don't like reading posts that are there to test the ability to delete a post can just ignore those messages and be done with it.

 

[Terjarv]

Ufology, I like your idea but I feel it would make the forum chaotic. I like reading through old threads as I have not been a member for long, and allowing members to delete this content takes away from the entire experience, IMO.

 

[Randall]

The issue of our freedom to revoke our own content has been derailed, the poll has been tampered with, and I've been accused of "complaining" when in fact I did no such thing.

So to set the record straight ( again ). All I did was mention in one of my posts that I had deleted some of my old posts before they became permanent fixtures. Then Gene started waving the red flag. Prior to that nobody noticed or said anything. So I responded by doing what I believed was right, which was to alert other forum members that they may lose the freedom to delete their own posts, and I started a poll. Apparently that irritated some people and to them I say deal with it. People on the forum deserved to know.

Anyway ... Gene, if you are still following this, can you please clue me in on what you meant by "woo-woo land" ... it is a euphemism for what exactly? Are we there yet?

j.r.

 

[The Pair of Cats]

The issue of our freedom to revoke our own content has been derailed, the poll has been tampered with, and I've been accused of "complaining" when in fact I did no such thing.

So to set the record straight ( again ). All I did was mention in one of my posts that I had deleted some of my old posts before they became permanent fixtures. Then Gene started waving the red flag. Prior to that nobody noticed or said anything. So I responded by doing what I believed was right, which was to alert other forum members that they may lose the freedom to delete their own posts, and I started a poll. Apparently that irritated some people and to them I say deal with it. People on the forum deserved to know.

Anyway ... Gene, if you are still following this, can you please clue me in on what you meant by "woo-woo land" ... it is a euphemism for what exactly? Are we there yet?

j.r.

Why would your old posts becoming permanent fixtures be of any worry to you?

 

[Anaximander]

Why would your old posts becoming permanent fixtures be of any worry to you?

I'm sure you can think of a few reasons.

For many of us, it is important that the things we say when we are discussing these crazy and outlandish topics do not become associated with who we actually are. It can affect one's ability to earn, believe it or not.

 

[Randall]

I found this definition for "woo-woo":

Woo-woo’s an adjective, defined as New Agey & having to do with the metaphysical/spiritual.

From the examples I found, it's usually used mockingly by skeptics as a euphemism for someone who is out of touch with reality ( or at least reality as the skeptics see it ). I suppose the usage in this case would be out of touch with another sort of reality, or perhaps beyond our comprehension to fully understand or control.

I have to admit that these threads can evolve a life of their own and conjure up all kinds of perspectives. From the perspective of those in the forum I must seem to be in "woo-woo land", because my view ( that we should retain our freedom to choose what we publish and allow to remain published ) is shared by so few others, yet I had thought it would be a given. Therefore my assumed view of the reality of the situation was much different than the actual reality ... hence "woo-woo land" But why exactly?

I forget that I am basically anti-authoritarian and favor the spontaneous order of free individuals, and that just because this forum has topics I find interesting, I shouldn't assume that we all think the same way. There are still control freaks, and moderates ( like Gene ), and those who don't get it, and those who don't care. It's always that way.

So To Gene ...

To put things back into perspective, in a lot of ways we are lucky to have you Gene. A moderate is a whole lot better than a control freak. Plus I just keep gaining respect for your past experience. Your newsletter story about Richard Hall was engaging. So out of respect, I'll be a little more discrete regarding what I post and what I remove, but I will also keep excercising my freedom to delete anything that I don't want to become a permanent fixture on this forum. How does that sound? Are we cool?

j.r.

 

[The Pair of Cats]

I'm sure you can think of a few reasons.

For many of us, it is important that the things we say when we are discussing these crazy and outlandish topics do not become associated with who we actually are. It can affect one's ability to earn, believe it or not.

With all due respect, Anaximander, if by posting on this forum endangers you ability to earn then perhaps not posting at all would be a better option. If people are monitoring you here then unless you take the post off as soon as posted then they are probably going to see it. It doesn't matter if it stays on the forums long or not.

The issue of our freedom to revoke our own content has been derailed, the poll has been tampered with, and I've been accused of "complaining" when in fact I did no such thing.

What are these quotes then if they are not complaints.

Half the time when I post something new it never appears in the "New Posts" notifications. By posting a few notices in the new threads, attention will be drawn to the poll, then pricesly as you suggest, in a few days, I'll pull the noticies off by deleting them. No harm is done, no threads are "screwed up", and everything is cool.




When I first posted the poll, it didn't show up in the "Recent Posts" page, and as explained above, half the time when I post something new in the UFO section, it doesn't comes up in the recent posts page either.

Well you were complaining. Otherwise this thread would not exist. A complaint disguised as a question to the forums.

I agree with having the ability to delete posts but not to the point that it makes threads confusing and/or alters the perspective or meaning of that thread. If you don't want people to see your stuff, then don't post it.

 

[boomerang]

I think this horse is almost dead and we are nearing woo-woo land. There are thoughtful points of view here. IMO, the ability to totally delete one's own posts is a forum privilege that should be used sparingly.

 

[trainedobserver]

Any feature is only as useful as the capacity for its misuse allows.

I personally do not see the usefulness of the delete feature beyond removing duplicate postings.

Anyone posting anything to anywhere on the Internet should be aware that it lives forever. The expectation that you can post and delete is an incredibly unrealistic one.

 

[Anaximander]

With all due respect, Anaximander, if by posting on this forum endangers you ability to earn then perhaps not posting at all would be a better option. If people are monitoring you here then unless you take the post off as soon as posted then they are probably going to see it. It doesn't matter if it stays on the forums long or not.

Shouldn't you be using 'one' instead of 'you'?

Anyhow, it makes sense to have control over these things so one can remove posts that they think might affect their real life. Deal with it babe.

 

[The Pair of Cats]

Shouldn't you be using 'one' instead of 'you'?

Anyhow, it makes sense to have control over these things so one can remove posts that they think might affect their real life. Deal with it babe.

I don't know mate, you as in any or all posters not particularly Anaximander.
As TO said in a previous post....

"Anyone posting anything to anywhere on the Internet should be aware that it lives forever. The expectation that you can post and delete is an incredibly unrealistic one."

Somewhere somebody has just seen your post, Anaximander and sent off an email to someone else that you don't want seeing it and they have subsequently dispatched an elite MIB team (hopefully not the Men In Beige) to your house for tea and scones.
If you wish to delete your thread posts at a later date, then knock yourself out. But if you think that somehow keeps you safe in the "real" world then good luck with that.

 

[Randall]

I think this horse is almost dead and we are nearing woo-woo land. There are thoughtful points of view here. IMO, the ability to totally delete one's own posts is a forum privilege that should be used sparingly.

Again, the ones who should feel privileged are the forum owners who are benefiting from the people who take time out of their day to provide free content for their forum. Therefore the ability to delete that free content should be a freedom enjoyed by those who provide that content, but the switch is in the hands of the people who control the software. However the real power is in the hands of people who care enough about maintaining that freedom to do something about it.

It's been been a micro-exercise in democracy and preserving the right of individual freedom of choice over the control imposed by authority and power. The results have been intriguing, and mirror facets of big politics all the way from informed participation ( and the reverse ), to apathy, to manipulating the poll. But now it's over. And boomer is right about one thing ... it's pretty much a dead horse. It's time to get on with more useful discussions.

J.R. Murphy
USI Calgary
www.ufopages.com

 

[Angel of Ioren]

Again, the ones who should feel privileged are the forum owners who are benefiting from the people who take time out of their day to provide free content for their forum. Therefore the ability to delete that free content should be a freedom enjoyed by those who provide that content, but the switch is in the hands of the people who control the software. The power however is in the hands of people who care enough about maintaining that freedom to do something about it.

Now I can say I've tried. I've done my part. I've thanked everyone on this thread who have taken the time to respond, whether they have agreed or not, and unless anyone has something new to add, boomer is right about one thing ... it's pretty much a dead horse now and it's time to get on with more useful discussions.

J.R. Murphy
USI Calgary
www.ufopages.com

One thing ufology. You don't find that deleting posts that people have responded to creates issues with the way threads flow?

 

[Randall]

One thing ufology. You don't find that deleting posts that people have responded to creates issues with the way threads flow?

I haven't experienced that issue myself, however even if I did, I wouldn't take away the posters right to do it. I might notify other posters around the missing content ( if it were noticed ) that they may want to ammend their old posts or do whatever they as individuals feel would be preferable. If I were really interested in what the missing posts had to say I'd look for clues in quoted content and in my email notifications and contact the original poster directly. I personally don't see the preservation of this freedom as any problem. And again, to cite actual proof, I had deleted about 70 of my old posts without anyone noticing or saying a word. Only when I had mentioned it in a post did the red flag go up and the admins started complaining. I prefer to have more faith in the people and less in the machine. Some say that is a weakness. Others consider it a strength.

j.r.

And did they get you to trade
Your heros for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?