Feature request: deleting your own post

[ctrlbrk]

Right now, UKBF users can edit their own posts within a certain time limit, but they cannot delete them.
If I post something and immediately realise I've made a mistake (e.g. wrong forum, changed my mind, etc.) I cannot delete my own post.

So I have to

1. edit my post
2. change the message to something like "please delete" and then
3. report my own posts to the mods so that they can delete it for me

I think all this is unnecessary and in most forum software packages this is an option that can be switched on with a time limit - much like the ability to edit your own post.


I mentioned this to @Ozzy, probably over a year ago now. He said this was probably going to be implemented with the revamped version of the site, but that hasn't happened.


Any chance that this may be added to the list?

 

[Ethan39]

Right now, UKBF users can edit their own posts within a certain time limit, but they cannot delete them.
If I post something and immediately realise I've made a mistake (e.g. wrong forum, changed my mind, etc.) I cannot delete my own post.

So I have to

1. edit my post
2. change the message to something like "please delete" and then
3. report my own posts to the mods so that they can delete it for me

I think all this is unnecessary and in most forum software packages this is an option that can be switched on with a time limit - much like the ability to edit your own post.


I mentioned this to @Ozzy, probably over a year ago now. He said this was probably going to be implemented with the revamped version of the site, but that hasn't happened.


Any chance that this may be added to the list?

This is an intentional choice.

I'm afraid that we have no plans to allow members to delete their own posts.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

No No No No
I have talked some crap on here over the years but I stand by every word I said

I got 2per cent of the big calls right! ......100 per cent of the time!

Nobody should be allowed to delete posts as it would make the other inmates on here look a bit stupid replying to threads that don't exists

 

[ctrlbrk]

This is an intentional choice.

I'm afraid that we have no plans to allow members to delete their own posts.

What's the reason, if you can disclose it?

 

[Ethan39]

What's the reason, if you can disclose it?

We frequently get requests from members to delete their threads after they get their answers, which we decline to do. At our current scale this is asked of our support teams every week or every other week.

Experience has taught us that if we allowed members to delete their own posts/threads, at least some percentage of them would delete their contribution after they had been given their answer.

This would mean that any useful advice in that thread would either lose context or be removed completely. Thus devaluing the site for future users.

Stack Overflow has the same problem and they have also resolved it by preventing deletion by their own members.

 

[ctrlbrk]

We frequently get requests from members to delete their threads after they get their answers, which we decline to do. At our current scale this is asked of our support teams every week or every other week.

We're talking about different things here.

In the OP I said

Right now, UKBF users can edit their own posts within a certain time limit, but they cannot delete them.

I am not at all suggesting that users have unlimted time ability to delete their own content - that would be stupid.

There is a current time limit of editing your own posts - what is it, 5 mins?

I am merely suggesting to add the option to delete a post within a similar time limit, after which - like edits - it is crystallised.

Most forums allow this option for users - once again - on a time-limited basis.

Maybe I should have posted in the title "within a time limit", so it was clearer!

 

[fisicx]

I’ve done this in the past. Written a post and within minutes realised it’s complete tosh so wanted to expunge.

I understand the request but also the difficulty in implementation. On a hot topic there can be multiple replies almost immediately.

 

[MOIC]

Follow the woodworking principle of measuring twice, cut once.

Read your Opening Post twice, click once.

 

[Newchodge]

We're talking about different things here.

In the OP I said



I am not at all suggesting that users have unlimted time ability to delete their own content - that would be stupid.

There is a current time limit of editing your own posts - what is it, 5 mins?

I am merely suggesting to add the option to delete a post within a similar time limit, after which - like edits - it is crystallised.

Most forums allow this option for users - once again - on a time-limited basis.

Maybe I should have posted in the title "within a time limit", so it was clearer!

You can edit the post to say 'whoops. deleted' and nothing else.

 

[Ian J]

I've used a large number of forums in the past and I don't think that any of them has allowed people to delete their own posts

 

[WaveJumper]

will have to test this again later ....... but yes I too have started to write something, thought better of it, just deleted txt, come out of the thread leaving the 'box" empty. When I've gone back to that thread nothing is there?

 

[Newchodge]

will have to test this again later ....... but yes I too have started to write something, thought better of it, just deleted txt, come out of the thread leaving the 'box" empty. When I've gone back to that thread nothing is there?

Is that before you have posted your reply?

 

[ctrlbrk]

I’ve done this in the past. Written a post and within minutes realised it’s complete tosh so wanted to expunge.

I understand the request but also the difficulty in implementation. On a hot topic there can be multiple replies almost immediately.

Again, I think the current time limit imposed on edits is about 5 mins. That's not unreasonable to apply a similar one (or even shorter) to deletes, surely?

 

[ctrlbrk]

I've used a large number of forums in the past and I don't think that any of them has allowed people to delete their own posts

Clearly you and I frequent different forums ?

 

[ctrlbrk]

You can edit the post to say 'whoops. deleted' and nothing else.

That's whay I do currently - then report the post and ask it to be deleted.

Not great for user experience. Both for the author of the post and for who has to read these botched entries.

 

[WaveJumper]

Is that before you have posted your reply?

yep ........always best to count to ten before pressing that button ?

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

You people need some sort of decision making training or counselling ,maybe you are just unsure of yourselves

I just type what's in my head at the time and press post reply and I never worry

 

[Newchodge]

I just type what's in my head at the time and press post reply and I never worry

But sometimes that makes us worry about you.

 

[Ethan39]

Again, I think the current time limit imposed on edits is about 5 mins. That's not unreasonable to apply a similar one (or even shorter) to deletes, surely?

The platform does not currently allow us to have a "deletion window" in the same way that we have an "edit window".

This is a nice-to-have feature. Whilst it would be a small QoL update for us to add this functionality, we have a long list of other updates (including QoL changes) which would take precedence over a feature like this.

I'll add it to our feature list, but I wouldn't expect it anytime soon.

Thank you for flagging anyway, it is always appreciated.

 

[ctrlbrk]

I'll add it to our feature list, but I wouldn't expect it anytime soon.

Fair enough, thanks anyway!

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

But sometimes that makes us worry about you.

Ha Ha We are always smiling down here laughing and joking but work hard and take business seriously when required

If my mental health is effected in anyway by the madness of a lifetime in this game then its only in a positive way

 

[paulears]

It tends to be quite normal on forums where history is important - if you post something and end up editingit to say content deleted, sorry - quickly before the lock, then a passing mod might just zap it, but the sink down the list rapidly and they soon vanish, and then are forgotten. Many forums won't remove content once the lock clicks - but many of them do break their own rule when what was posted clearly is dertrimental, inaccurate or litigious. That makes sense too. Joining forums is a choice. Few read them before posting, having arrived their via google. They then try to get the rules changed. Quite funny really.