Deleting a message

[ceptimus]

Sometimes I post something stupid (like I just did in the 'sign tag' thread) and decide to delete it. When I hover my mouse over the 'Edit' button, the hovertext says I can Edit or Delete the message, but I can't seem to find the delete option. Is there one? If so, please tell me where. If not, the hovertext ought to be changed.

[JoeP]

The ol' hovertext ought to be changed. I'll leave the admins to explain why they deleted the delete option.

[Ensign Steve]

Sometimes I post something stupid (like I just did in the 'sign tag' thread) and decide to delete it. When I hover my mouse over the 'Edit' button, the hovertext says I can Edit or Delete the message, but I can't seem to find the delete option. Is there one? If so, please tell me where. If not, the hovertext ought to be changed.

What's wrong with what you posted in the sign tag thread? I learned a new trick, thanks! :)

[livius drusus]

We decided to disable post deletes in order to preserve the integrity of a thread. I like phpBB's system of allowing deletes until someone posts after you, but there's no equivalent option that we know of in vB, and it can really fuck with the sense of the thread when someone removes all evidence of a post mid-thread.

We could enable soft deletes, which leaves a "this post deleted by" message and also allows a deleted post to be restored in case of need, but I don't think that's what you're looking for.

Alternatively, we could look for an allow deletes until someone posts after you hack, or we could enable post deletes for a short window like 10 minutes or something.

Thoughts? Ideas?

[Ensign Steve]

I like the phpbb option of allowing deletes until somebody replies, if you could work out that hack. The 10-minute window wouldn't help the thread integrity issue in a particularly fast, heated thread (where it is probably the most necessary, don't you think?). "This post deleted by..." has the same effect as the user editing the post to read "nevermind." But the latter is less work for y'all. ;)

[ceptimus]

Leave things as they are, but change the hovertext.

It'll teach me to think twice before hitting the 'Submit Reply' button.

[livius drusus]

VM's done changed the hovertext. Thank you, cep. :)

[democracy]

I just made two accidental posts in a row. The first was when I hit the Submit button unintentionally as I was about to Preview a message. The second one was when I hit the Alert to report the post so liv or vm could delete it. I also sent a PM to liv because she was online. Then I don't know what I did but I was excited and somehow posted the PM as a message. So now we've got two stupid posts in the "Mob" thread! And I look dumb! I can't change it.

[livius drusus]

I deleted them 5 minutes ago, demo. :fixed:

[Watser?]

I just made two accidental posts in a row. The first was when I hit the Submit button unintentionally as I was about to Preview a message. The second one was when I hit the Alert to report the post so liv or vm could delete it. I also sent a PM to liv because she was online. Then I don't know what I did but I was excited and somehow posted the PM as a message. So now we've got two stupid posts in the "Mob" thread! And I look dumb! I can't change it.

Don't worry, you looked dumb before :giggle:

[godfry n. glad]

And here, all along, I thought that "NM" (ostensibly meaning 'never mind'?) was the appropriate mechanism to deal with these things. 'Course, I still like the ol' "..." edit; it's easier.

[SharonDee]

I like this guy: :dddp:

[quiet bear]

post deleted by quiet bear

[pescifish]

I like it the way it is: users can't delete and we can indicate a double post with text or the handy smilie. Or if we change our mind and decide to edit content, then we say "nevermind" or some other such thing.

But since you asked for thoughts and ideas, here's some:

We could enable soft deletes, which leaves a "this post deleted by" message and also allows a deleted post to be restored in case of need, but I don't think that's what you're looking for. This is being used on another board and I find it annoying. Mostly because I always wonder if the person deleted it because it was an accidental double post or a "nevermind" sort of situation. I kinda like that a user who decides to delete has to leave something behind.

Alternatively, we could look for an allow deletes until someone posts after you hack,...That sounds like it would be ok, but I'd still suggest a time limit of some sort.
... or we could enable post deletes for a short window like 10 minutes or something.As mentioned earlier, I think 10 minutes would be too short a period of time in a very active thread. And it would be in that actual situation where allowing a delete would be most frustrating. Someone could easily be drafting a response within that time frame and then find that the subject post had been deleted. The discussion would probably have moved on while they wasted time preparing that response. Even if the user could delete the content from the first post, at least there would still be some evidence left in the thread that it existed.

Plus... if you allowed that, I would so totally abuse it. :sadcheer:

I already have a bad habit of doing self-edits after hitting 'Submit.' I've been better about this since I work hard on restraining myself from hitting 'Submit' prematurely, but I know the fact that I have to leave something in the post is a real deterrent.

[livius drusus]

Thank you, pesci. I agree on all points. In the couple of years since this thread began, there hasn't been much of a need to delete posts. We've deleted duplicates as they've come up and empty posts at user request (as in democracy's posts earlier today), but all in all, it seems members do fine without deletion options.

[pescifish]

In the couple of years since this thread began, ...Oh for goofsakes, I didn't realize this was a zombie thread.

Color me :embarrassed:

[MonCapitan2002]

If it makes you feel better, I didn't either.