Website and Forum Help, Feedback & Advice

[Logicintuwisdom]

To err is human, so why is it when you're creating a thread, there doesn't seem to be a way to DELETE it too? There's quite a generous edit period to edit your message I know, but why is it you cannot delete the question you've posted - at least during this edit period? 

I can think of loads of reasons why I might change my mind & want to scrap a question for a thread I'd just created. I understand in it's PRESENT FORM, it would be unfair to people, especially if they had composed a long reply & then it was all lost because the questioner had removed the question after; but why can't it be set up a bit like the way censors on radio talk-shows work, where what is recorded by the studio microphone/s is delayed for a period before it's broadcast live, so some engineer has time to remove any obscenities &/or inappropriate content a caller might say inadvertently or on purpose.

Is there a reason why a similar sort of self censor 'buffer' couldn't be incorporated into the coding software for these forums?

[Whizzer-Hawk]

The reason you can''t delete your thread on most forum sites is because it is kept on record so that anyone with a simular problem can look at that thread, and possibly find the solution without having to take the time to create a new one.

[Logicintuwisdom]

I really do wish people would read questions properly & not just quickly scan-read through them, so they don't get the full sense of what someone's trying to convey.

I very clearly qualified my question with the caveat "at least during the edit period". A far as I'm concerned, It goes without saying why a question should not be deleted because of the reason:-

"it is kept on record so that anyone with a simular problem can look at that thread, & possibly find the solution without having to take the time to create a new one."

What I was asking for & apparently it's necessary to spell it out, was why can't someone creating a thread expect a little more sophistication in the editing process. There is not much point posting a question that an originator is then not happy with or finds errors with the facts or suppositions he/she has used. As I said at the beginning ''to 'err' is human.

It seems similar with email addresses - that once created, you can't seem to change or delete them easily, why?

[Logicintuwisdom]

(cont.)

The editing time should be longer or maybe even a time-setting introduced, which you can preset between a minimum and a maximum minute allocation that you can define by the minute in the settings menu.

Also, the possibilty within that edit-time parameter, where you can completely delete your thread (possibly again as an on/off setting within the settings menu), so you can recreate your thread at a later time when you have more time, more accurate data to work from or possibly just scrap the whole idea altogether.

I really don't like this attitude that seems to be prevalent on the internet, that once you've published something, it's like a prehistoric insect mummified in amber!

Indeed, what is really daft in my opinion, is that if you go back and delete what you've posted, before the edit period has expired, it just puts up a blank post with your ID and avatar taking up what I would have thought is valuable data space.

[GraphiteGB]

It won't be done, Its an extra load script that's not needed.

If a Post /thread needs deletion, You just PM a Mod no matter the time frame.

If its still with in the time frame for editing, you replace the title with "Delete please" and remove the content of the post. 

1 simple system. Simple, that's worked for Years..Across many forums.

Edit : Unlimited editing leads to abuse and manlipuation of the house rules.

Were users only obey house rules when they know a Mod is watching. They edit out there spam, adverts, and Same old topic repeated again and again that they post.

With editing locked these losers will get rejected from the site with a ban.

[Whizzer-Hawk]

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Logicintuwisdom wrote:

I really do wish people would read questions properly & not just quickly scan-read through them, so they don't get the full sense of what someone's trying to convey.

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Don't you think it's unfair to say that I've skimmed your post, when you've had to create 2 more posts to specify your issue before someone else posts? I should not have posted at all.