Deleting of threads and posts

[Red Baron 47]

Just throwing this out for now. Need comments.

If possible, how about a time limit for editing or deleting. I really need the editing feature. Even though I proofread my posts before sending, sometimes I don't notice inaccuracies until I see it as a post.

Editing is also necessary when embedding URL links etc. All you have to do is mess up a little and you have a message that is two feet wide. You don't see the error until it's posted.

A time limit of, say, an hour would allow you to proofread or "cool down a little" and wouldn't cause the problems that deletion days later for nefarious purposes has caused.

RB

[Andy W]

There is no limit restriction on your ability to edit your posts. You just can't delete them (which could lead to removal of an entire thread). You can delete all of your comments, however!
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[jbourke]

Andy, you should probably read Red Baron's comments again. I think you misunderstood. Look at this thread for context: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=47754

There is an option to do what is being requested here, I think.

Jim

[Don Sims]

Red Baron does have an excellent idea. It would allow members to think and reflect about what they post.

[Andy W]

OK, now having the post a little more carefully, as well as the other thread, I see what you're asking for.

Yes, this is an option we can enable. I'd say 15 minutes is more than enough time, wouldn't you, Jim? So we could now allow users to delete and edit their posts within 15 minutes, but no later.. Unlikely a thread would have much useful info to remove within that time period.

Confirm and I'll activate it.

While I'm there, could I set the cookie timeout to 30 mins? It can take >15 minutes to compile a large thread, or answer the telephone. 30 Minutes would be more appropriate, I feel..

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[Red Baron 47]

Of course moderators will still have the ability to delete and edit posts and threads.

This won't be of any help if they are heavy handed.

RB

[Doc Data]

Hmmmm....

Am I correct in interpretting that someone hot under the collar will have 15 minutes after they post a 'flamer' to cool down and reconsider the impact of their words? Seems like that's too quick, but, of course, I could be wrong (as usual :rolleyes: ).

Consider a large, hot post made. The author does cool down and wants to reword it. He or she feels that the intent of message was too harsh and wants to tone it down rather than delete it. All this (the cool down, the reconsideration and the rewrite) has to take place in 15 minutes? Wow! :eek:

dd.

[leccyflyer]

DD

I think you misunderstood what Andy is proposing. The poster has always been able to edit their posts at any time. It is the capability to delete their posts which is being discussed as being time limited, not the capability to edit them.

I assume that posters are still able to edit their own posts? I personally have no problem with posters being able to edit their own posts, and in the case of inflammatory or insulting posts, I would rather they did it than the moderator have to do it.

The problem with posters being able to delete their posts is where this would result in the deletion of the entire thread. If we think about this, there is little that could be more irritating to those who take the trouble to post a reply to a question, than their input and opinions being deleted because the thread originator has

a. got the answer they want and feel like "tidying up a little" - which sounds great, but is rather irritating when exactly the same question crops up a week later

or b. has not got the answer that they want, don't like the fact that there may be alternative viewpoints and decide to delete the entire thread.

In either case removing the entire thread by deleting the first post is disrespectful of the effort and input of the other posters on the thread.

Brian

[jbourke]

Andy, hold off on making changes until we think this through.

Consider, everyone, that any user that can edit his post can also delete his post simply by editing it to remove all text.

Jim

[Red Baron 47]

True. Please reference the thread that Jim linked to in his earlier post on this thread. That's one of the ones that started the problem.

A vendor has coerced a customer into deleting his negative but true posts in exchange for a "special deal."

The ability to delete/edit posts days after posting causes many threads and references to them to become meaningless.

RB

[jbourke]

Andy,

I changed the cookie timeout value. Lets see how that works for us.

What about setting the time limit for editing posts to something like 1440? That would be 24 hours. My thought is that 15 minutes is far too short.

I'm still not convinced, though. We might have more complaints that way than the way it is now. Its never really come up before.

Jim

[Andy W]

The only reason someone would need to edit or delete a post is to correct spelling/grammer, delete multiple posts, or delete a post in the wrong forum/topic. That can be addressed in 15 minutes or so. If they haven't seen it by then, they aren't going to, and a moderator will come clean it up.. However, if someone posts a thread and doesn't like the responses - which could be a great many in 24 hrs. - they should not be able to delete the thread.

Just my opinion.
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