Deleting a Post

[John]

How, with the new software???

[Peter Gariepy]

deleting posts are disabled.

you can still edit them, or simply post at at the end the item has sold, or whatever.

[GraniteBayBob]

Peter, sounds like your so proud of all the lack of functionality, there must be some benefits to the new software. Maybe saved some $? Hope it is all worth it.

[Daves1940Buick56S]

As a former software developer, I can attest that software does, indeed, have a shelf life. The environment it is used in changes, for example. Spammers become more adept and the previously built-in workarounds become useless. You can patch and upgrade, but eventually any SW company stops supporting the old products.  Servers and operating systems change and the apps become stale. 

 

That is basically what happened here, and a change must be made. I am sure Peter and the good people at AACA did all the due diligence to find a replacement that would meet basic requirements of the old SW.  I know his was not a trivial effort, and it had to be done eventually.  From what I have seen so far the functionality seems overall improved.  Sure, there will be some small tweaks here and there and some things won't work the same but that's always the case.

 

Cheers, Dave

[Peter Gariepy]

Peter, sounds like your so proud of all the lack of functionality, there must be some benefits to the new software. Maybe saved some $? Hope it is all worth it.

 

GraniteBayBob,

 

Sarcasm yes?

 

Not being able to delete is not a lack of features but a decision not to allow people to delete posts. Steve Moskowitz is reviewing my reasons why I chose to disable delete.  We'll see what he decides.

 

Peter

[Guest my3buicks]

I like most of the new upgrades and things seem to be working well - I really don't care for the not able to delete things.  Could you give us some good reasons to help us understand this change?

[Guest Imperial62]

Count me in as one who is a serial deleter and really likes this feature. It should be reinstated. Here are my reasons for deleting.  And I understand a post can be modified to remove all of the content but deletion is deletion.

 

1. Cars for sale. You can indicate all day long that a CAR IS SOLD and someone doing an internet search years from now will still find that car in a google search, sign on as a "member" and ask - 7 years later - "Do you still have the car for sale?"  Not a big deal but a long buried matter is brought to the top for no good reason.  Sell something? Delete it and then all is well.

 

2. I am an agitator and sometimes come to regret my involvement in a thread and wish to delete my content entirely. Sometimes a thread goes off on a tangent and I want to remove my comments, now I can't.  Right now, I wouldn't mind going in and removing about 300 of my posts because the threads have run their course.

 

3. I post(ed) a lot of CL ad "finds" which I thought were helpful to interested members and in fact I have located well over 250 cars that have successfully changed hands to forum members BUT in the mean time, I have many old ads out there that again - end up in some guys google search and I somehow get a call or email asking if my (fill in the blank) car is still for sale? of course I never had it, so then I go back and delete some of these posts and now I can not.

 

4. Some of my posts are questions which I get answered and they solve a matter then I simply want to delete them. Yes, they might be helpful to someone else down the line but I doubt it and with the ability of google or You Tube a person can find most anything.

 

These are just some of my reasons for liking the ability to modify my record of what I am on the AACA forums. Sort of - keep it under control and not let it get out of hand so to speak. I don't know what your reasons are for disabling DELETION but I know you are far smarter then I, so I may be over-ruled. All a guy can do is try.

[Peter Gariepy]

1. you can simply edit the post and say "SOLD" and remove the contact info.  Also, if you post an ad in HMN, its their forever. Its part of the historical record and can be valuable to see the photos and prices of cars in the past.  Don't tell me you don't find reading old HMN interesting?

 

2. mMaybe it'll discipline you knowing you can't delete it?

 

3. See #1

 

4. The whole point of the forum is for questions to get asked and answered.  Deleting it defeats the purpose. People might "google" the question and find us! Thats a good thing!

 

---

 

My reason:  

 

Deleting posts can disable the value of a thread.  

 

Example1:  Person 1 asks a question or makes a statement.  Person 2 responds.  Person 1 responds with thanks or a retort, etc. Person 2 doesn't like the thread for whatever reason so they delete their response.  The thread makes person 1 look like they are talking to themselves.   

 

Example 2:  Person 1 posts, person 2 responds: person 1 deletes their original post, leaving the response from person 1 dangling.

 

Example 3:  Someone becomes disgruntled with the forum, or a club, etc. and simply starts mass deleting ALL their posts, leaving all the threads, answers and questions in limbo.

[Bleach]

 

Deleting posts can disable the value of a thread.  

 

Example1:  Person 1 asks a question or makes a statement.  Person 2 responds.  Person 1 responds with thanks or a retort, etc. Person 2 doesn't like the thread for whatever reason so they delete their response.  The thread makes person 1 look like they are talking to themselves.   

 

Example 2:  Person 1 posts, person 2 responds: person 1 deletes their original post, leaving the response from person 1 dangling.

 

Example 3:  Someone becomes disgruntled with the forum, or a club, etc. and simply starts mass deleting ALL their posts, leaving all the threads, answers and questions in limbo.

 

 

So what about moderators deleting threads that end up doing exactly what you're trying keep from happening.

I know that's happened to posts I've made.

[Daves1940Buick56S]

Peter makes a very good case for not deleting. I don't think I have have ever deleted one of my posts, but I have edited a few!

 

I know that they are working on something akin to the old dropdowns for the ads (FS, WTB). Maybe adding one saying SOLD would make it easier.

 

Cheers, Dave

[Bhigdog]

I've often deleted posts that I've regretted sending in a moment of pique. Will the inability to delete them stop me from posting them in the future? Rather unlikely. They will just remain to further aggravate the moderators. Now I'm worried I will get bad boy points. I would delete this post if only I could.........Bob

Edited May 27, 2015 by Bhigdog (see edit history)

[Ronnie]

Assuming this new software works like most other forum software... When a member deletes his own post it isn't actually permanently deleted. It is only hidden from the members. A moderator can still read it, and then delete it or restore it as he sees fit. Beware! Big brother is watching.

[30DodgePanel]

I recall deleting Buy/Sell threads or the "what is it" section threads. Once an item is sold or once I got my answer I thought I was doing a good thing removing the thread for storage space so the site can run better?
Shows what I know about computers...  
 

[cahartley]

deleting posts are disabled.

you can still edit them, or simply post at at the end the item has sold, or whatever.

 

I don't care about deleting posts.

NOT being able to delete is probably an asset......makes people think twice if they can't delete their posts.

I do mind not having a small window of opportunity to EDIT a new post without the post being marked as edited.

Many times I think of something more right after posting and edit my post.......usually immediately or within 5-10 minutes.

[Guest Flyer1]

http://forums.aaca.org/topic/256756-deleting-a-post/#entry1372566

 

sheesh...what went wrong there? something went missing?.....see how it works.

Edited June 27, 2015 by Flyer1 (see edit history)