Should users be allowed to delete their own posts?

You can see the archived poll results on the Wayback Machine:

https://web.archive.org/web/20221220093741/https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/72514

Yes,

(Thread starters) but only if they have not yet been responded to. Helps cut down on excessive threads while preventing deletion of subsequent replies, what is not to like?

(Regular posts) but timed, say 20 min. or so after posting, after that there is always the edit button. Vanishing comments is so 1984.

Posts , or threads ?

+1

No to threads and no to post's. The edit option is available for amending posts.

This. Except for replies, editing should be timed too, after say 20 minutes you cannot edit your post anymore.

Original post of TS should always be editable but cannot be deleted. If warranted the TS can ask the moderator for that(for example double post, etc).

A post can be edited. A TS should not be able to delete a thread if content contributed by others is affected. Once somebody responds, the TS does not “own” the thread.

Only if no one else has responded yet, and than a request to the Admin must be made for deletion with a really good reason.

Threads should not be deletable, the edit option should stay (without limitation). Deleting a single post is also OK... it's the same as editing the content to zero. The thread starter can edit even the starting post. That should be enough.

Don't allow deletion of a thread. But last time i did post a pretty sensitive matter asking for help regarding paypal dispute, and i needed to delete it later. And I did tell the guys that i'd be deleting it soon after i get my answers.

should be able to lock your own thread, and edit to say "mod please delete this thread" in order to make it disappear. allowing to delete if no one has responded, and within a short period of time like 1 hour would be good too. just not sure how easy it would be to code

also, i think you should be able to edit your posts as long as you want

+1. I'm okay with posters being able to edit posts, even after extended periods of time because many people come here through Google, read the first post and only skim the rest of the thread. I feel being able to post a quick update to reflect that things have changed is immensely useful. That said, I don't feel too strongly about that point because being able to amend one's text essentially accomplishes the same thing. Still, I think it's nice to have the ability to edit a post.

Being able to remove a whole thread on a whim, on the other hand, is something I find hard to justify. From where I'm sitting, I can only imagine very few instances where one individual's wish to make a thread go poof outweighs everybody else's interest in being able to view said thread.

And then there's the potential for fraud. Sure, you can take screenshots when you buy something and have the image date stamped and cryptographically signed, but it's much easier to point Paypal's people to a thread and say "here, check this out, I bought this stuff, see for yourself", than to explain to them what trusted timestamping and X9.95 even are and why they should care.

How about this? Posts can be edited, except for the one that started the thread (ie. the one that should contain all the details if the thread is of a commercial nature). Threads cannot be deleted once somebody else replied. If there's a real need to get rid of a thread, it's always possible to PM Mr. Admin and ask to have it deleted.

- Once post is edited, time stamp should be added (eg: "Post edited 1 time, Jan 1, 2011 at 03:00 PM)

- Delete unreplied posts (eg: "Man, I posted it in the wrong thread" :bigsmile:

UPDATE: test

Ah, growing pains.

Let the OP PM the mod, and the mod gets to make the decision based on what is best for the forum, not the OP.

'Nuff said.

i say yes but if people have contributed data then it should be saved , put into another thread

yes vs no cover to large a swath of posts , think we need to define maybe

I agree 100%

The original poster shouldn't be allowed to whimsically delete an entire thread which may contain posts from other members which includes their effort,time ,thoughts ,graphs,information,etc .imagine not having a back up of a huge amount of work relating to a battery or a light including graphs and specs and someone deletes the entire thread because they are in a bad mood or mad at someone,

Lets look at Langcjl's thread of "What did you get today "..With over 1100 posts included in the thread ...Can he logically stand up and claim it's HIS thread and flush it down the toilet ?

or Tido's thread on drivers

funny i'm calling it ..."Tido's thread " Does he have a right to destroy 1000's of hours of peoples ideas because he wants to have a childish fit and stomp his foot in defiance "I'll show all of you ".??..NO WAY ..He is given credit for the thread ..at times credit is given where it really doesn't belong.

An 11year old member who knows nothing about science could start a very involved serious discussion by asking an innocent question that gets taken over by amazingly talented group of engineers who are on the verge of a scientific breakthrough,pouring thousands of hours worth of work effort time and thought into a project (ever sat down and read through "Tido's thread ?) ...Should the 11 year old OP (original poster) be allowed to delete the thread because his feelings got hurt ,because no one will answer his comments about spiderman comics or the new transformer movie ?

I like the freedom...I hate the abuse .

My opinion is once you post it's public domain . The ability to edit is a gracious peice of kindness afforded by BLF to allow people self -moderation.The ability to take ones foot out of ones own mouth after self reflection is very valuable .(for me at least).

The short answer is ....

Posts ...Yes...

[ If it were possible.. I'd say leave the post empty and marked as edited ..So someone reading thru the thread could keep continuity , understanding that something now deleted had previously been said ..thus making sense out of someone elses replies to it . ]

Threads ..No ......"Hell No"

I agree that the question should be about the deletion of THREADS, not posts.

I still would like a list of subjects we're not allowed to discuss in Off-topics.

This. A time stamp for edits is standard in most forums.