The Mythical Private Forum

I hope that deleting a post is a LOT harder than the hack to add replies beyond the ~7 reply limit.

If somebody other than a moderator is deleting posts then that is a serious matter indeed.

I read most of the deleted posts in that thread before they were deleted. Although there was some rather juvenile behavior on the part of a couple of people I cannot imagine what motivated somebody to delete them. Moderator or not I think that he/she stepped a bit over the line.

I don't think it serves anything constructive to delete the posts. All that it does is upset the people who have spent their time trying to resolve the issue, and seeing their good effort wiped out.
Steve

most of the posts deleted were only there to roil the waters.

The only one(s) who should be upset are those who lost out in his attempt to continue dissention.

I agree that the posts in question were mostly obnoxious drivel and there is no particular merit in preserving them. Last I heard, though, the moderators were not deleting posts merely because they contain obnoxious drivel.

Although most of the posts were a total waste of time, there was one extended 'exchange' involving an allegation of fact (and a denial thereof) that should be at least partially falsifiable. Specifically there was a reference to an alleged forum ... Knowing who in that dialog was coming closest to describing the truth might have been useful for future reference.

I never quite trust the veracity of 'people' I encounter only in an online setting, but it is still useful to acquire information about who is more likely to be 'posing' or 'role playing' as background for future dialogs/encounters. I have my own suspicion regarding which version of the truth is more likely to be accurate, but of course I don't know if I'm correct.

Dr. Bill,

I DO appreciate your perspective.

As most note, I did not post in that thread.

However, since I started a forum with the same company that said "private forum(s)" (pf) was/were started with, and since I participated in said forum(s), I have a rather unique perspective on this whole business.

That said, I don't wish to get into a long discussion as to who knows what and who may be right or wrong.

I've learned long ago that not matter what one says here, there are those who will argue with you till the proverbial cows come home. They may even leave the impression on the majority of members that THEY are right and those less capable of putting forth argument are wrong and liars.

Many times, I suspect, NOTHING could be further from the truth.

I know from having been, or currently being in, more than one "circle" here in SE, that the common perception is oft times not only wrong, but damaging and destructive to the well being of some of the members.

Tim

..

I'm sure Lee would already have lots of email in his inbox... Jive does keep track of who deletes posts but only Lee can see it (just like Twister).

Speaking only as a member. The opinions expressed are my own.

I'm in favor of the whole thing being pulled once the thread goes south. It serves no useful purpose since there was nothing much other than traded insults, barbs, and a general erosion of civilities after DK's initial post. Certainly nothing memorable that needs to be preserved that could not be addressed in a new thread. The only reason to keep is would be if someone is wanting to link to it in the future to bash others with what was perceived to be their infantile conduct.

My only possible objection would be to letting some of the other nonsense still stand. For example, Blake clearly told J. Vega his Al Capone theory was wrong, yet Blake's refutation was pulled, but the incorrect "theory" was not.

By now everyone has gotten a flavor for the others and they are likely entrenched in their relative viewpoints of who acts in what way and how mature/infantile/worthy/irrelevant their comments are. Those thoughts were no doubt formed long before the new forums went up and people only waited for the inevitable to happen for folks to show their prior behavior.

If you stop to think about it. when anyone hits a mod alert, what on earth does anyone expect a mod to do, particularly with the current software, if not delete something? They don't have the Email addies of many of the people, and they can't "counsel" them in that case (or even let them know why a post was pulled). People complain when they are told to knock-it-off in public, but that only leaves deletion, since gentle-to-moderate hints to change the course of subjects clearly have not worked until now.

Hi, Dr. Bill

As far as I know, only Mods can delete posts, unless someone has managed to acquire one of our username/password combos.
-- Dave K. (borrowed computer this week, so won't have my usual sig for a bit).

assuming that is the case, Steve, I believe this forum could be in a lot of trouble.

Sort of like a rogue elephant.

david williams

There must be some way that a moderator can leave a request without any further posts being allowed.
I.M.O any comments made were unnecessary.
The person responsible should have read the notification and stopped doing it - end of story.

The only posts that don't get a reply in SE are jokes. That thread appeared to be dead and dropping down the list but came back to life again and then all the "fun" began.

We have no way to lock a thread but I believe it is on the mod wishlist.

Speaking only as a member. The opinions expressed are my own.