Forum etiquette

[Gizmo]

I was wondering what the general views are on this forum for deleting posts?

I feel quite hard-done-by when I see a post that has been deleted. It seems to me that on a public forum, it is a little unfair to post something for only some to see, then remove it. On top of that, in real life, when you say something, you cannot "unsay" it. I feel that posts should be left as they are, and if the writer feels bad about what they said, then they should have put more thought into their post in the first place. You can always add a post apologising or explaining yourself further, but it is a little unfair to remove what you said alltogether. For some reason, I am really battling to explain myself here... I don't know, maybe I am wrong, but it feels a bit "false" to me to remove things like they never happened.

Am I totally out of kilter? What does everybody else think?

[Nilo]

Gizzie I suppose you'r right but sometimes...... I think it might be better to "delete"!!

But..... I'm always inquisitive about what was said!!!

[matman]

hi Gizmo

Sorry dont agree. When we all used to write letters with a pen - we had that wonderful stuff called white out to undo what we had written.

Surely it is up to each individual to decide whether they want to white out there post

Very often we write something while under some form of emotive state whether it be anger, hate, love, happiness.

Sometimes we write something in haste that could have a very negative impact for that person in the way others may respond or perceive that person.

It should be personal choice of the poster to decide whether To Delete or Not To Delete That Post. Who are we to force somebody to leave a post that each time they see it they feel uncomfortable or are reminded of what they said.

Rgds

matman

[Dedrei]

I have been one of those that have edited one of my posts. Simply because I was too fired up and was going off for no reason. When I sat down and calmed down I saw that my post just doesn't blend in with the thread and seems stupid at best. So I deleted my text.

[Tracy]

Go Gizmo!

The thing is, as has been said so many times before, and yes, I have been guilty of it in the past as well, people put fingers into gear before engaging brain.

I hear what Matman says, but an apology still hasn't been forthcoming out of this latest incident. If you muck up in real life, you would either have to apologise to all who heard you in the first place, or simply slink away quietly into a dark corner.

I'm not intending to carry this on and on, but the deleted post made it look like I was the baddie here; quite a sneaky thing was done in my opinion.

Hopefully a lesson learnt by all.

And white out is "illegal" in schools here....

[Jongman]

And sometimes people just wont quit.

They will continue and continue to post when a topic has clearly stoped!

In my opinion, i actually don't mind when i see that a post has been deleted.

[saffer2]

Go Gizmo!

The thing is, as has been said so many times before, and yes, I have been guilty of it in the past as well, people put fingers into gear before engaging brain.

I hear what Matman says, but an apology still hasn't been forthcoming out of this latest incident. If you muck up in real life, you would either have to apologise to all who heard you in the first place, or simply slink away quietly into a dark corner.

I'm not intending to carry this on and on, but the deleted post made it look like I was the baddie here; quite a sneaky thing was done in my opinion.

Hopefully a lesson learnt by all.

And white out is "illegal" in schools here....

I am not quite sure why this is being turned into such a big deal. I have nothing to apologise for.

The facts are as follows - I wrote a post, I got 2 VERY irate responses within a short space of time, I deleted the post. Not because I don't stand by what I said, but because I clearly was not coming across in a way which was condusive to a constructive debate.

If you don't like what you wrote subsequently, then delete it.

[Gizmo]

I disagree about using white-out. What about things said verbally? In real life, you cannot unsay things.

Being able to delete your post just gives too much opportunity for people to come in, stir trouble, then delete.

We have all made bugger ups in life, put our foot in it and had to live with the embarassment afterwards.

If you delete your post, it is like pretending it didn't happen. Rather, be a big person, stand up and either apologise, or explain yourself better.

Saying something and then deleting it doesn't undo it - some people did read it. It did happen.

I dunno - I think it is all to easy to hit delete and whistle away... I have more respect for people who stand by their convictions, or add another post retracting what they said, apologising or further explaining. But, that is just my opinion, from years and years of spending way too much time chatting in forums...

The only time I will delete my post is if I deeply offend somebody on a personal level and they ask me to remove it. Otherwise, I am quite happy to admit if I am wrong and begin the painful process of removing my foot...

Edited February 18, 2008 by Gizmo

[Gizmo]

I am not quite sure why this is being turned into such a big deal. I have nothing to apologise for.

The facts are as follows - I wrote a post, I got 2 VERY irate responses within a short space of time, I deleted the post. Not because I don't stand by what I said, but because I clearly was not coming across in a way which was condusive to a constructive debate.

If you don't like what you wrote subsequently, then delete it.

Saffer, I didn't start this post to witch hunt you. In truth, I only saw your post and commented on it after I had posted this topic. It is a cooincidence - I am not pointing fingers at you in particular.

The reason why I posted it is that I chat on quite a few forums and I have noticed in the past on this forum, people deleting or editing what they said afterwards, making the thread difficult to follow. On the other forums I chat on, deleting is seen in a very unfavourable light - the idea is that you said it, so you leave it. If you want to make amends or retract or explain, you do it in a separate reply. In fact on most other forums, anybody who writes something sensational, is usually immediately quoted by one of the other chatters to ensure that the post stays and the whole thread does not become warped. This actually has some very good outcomes - mostly, people are forced to think more carefully before they post (just like in real life you think before you open your mouth). And it stops trolls from coming in and causing trouble, then deleting and acting all innocent like nothing happened, thus confusing the whole issue.

Anyway, I just wanted to know if not deleting was forum etiquette here as well, but apparently not.

Edited February 18, 2008 by Gizmo

[Cagiva]

I suppose it comes down to whether you are "brave" enough to stand by what you post?

[Col]

and the best part is we all going to Australia

remember the important stuff!!!

Col

[Jordy]

Ag nee man. I spent an hour typing a reponse here, and clicked the wrong button and lost everything I said.

[MandyC]

Hi Gizmo

I am one of those to blame for a deletion. I punched the ADD REPLY button twice, therefore I had submitted 2 identical posts.

After seeing what I did, I tried to find where I could delete one of them, before anyone thought I was cuckoos. But you okes are so quick with your reading, people were reading both posts. I had no option, but to delete one. Honest mistake. So now its out in the open I feel so much better.

My apologies.

MandyC

[Dugong]

lol @ MandyC....

[Cagiva]

I have done it too Mandy, I have a slow connection at home and I click away like a lab rat on amphetamines.

[alanb]

I disagree about using white-out. What about things said verbally? In real life, you cannot unsay things.

No you cant "unsay" things, as you put it, but only those who were around at the time will have heard it. Is it not the same here when a few people read a post before it is deleted? Typically, if you say something that people dont seem to like, you dont go and repeat it to others. On the board, it equates to deleting what you said so that it is not "repeated" to others.

Being able to delete your post just gives too much opportunity for people to come in, stir trouble, then delete.

I think there are very, very few people who maliciously do what you say. I think those people who delete things do so in good faith. If you find a deleted message (or one you find offensive even) go and have a look at that individuals other posts and you will probably find them to be quite moderate. We all have our days.

Alan

[MandyC]

Glad you are so forgiving, I would love to get broadband, but dont want to sign a 2 year contract, will be another thing to sort out, if and when we leave. So, I will plod on with what I have. Good job I only posted it twice, sometimes the frustration really hits and I am clicking and clicking da mouse thirty to forty times.

Crikey, then I would FEEL THE LOVE from the forum.

MandyC

[Melrie]

I most definitely edit my posts for typos and spelling errors. Can't be bothered to dowload the Spell Check offered on here - other forums do spell check automatically - well those I frequent that is.

Sure, I should probably read it over more carefully before hitting 'Add Reply' but I don't always. However I am a bit anal when it comes to spelling and typos so I can't help myself - I will correct it when I spot it.

In another post I had just added (on cigarettes) I edited typos - in case you are curious

Have not deleted posts though but frankly personally won't be bothered if someone exercised their right to delete what they have posted. Free world and the forum offers the function so people should be free to use it.

[Blossom]

I

Edited February 18, 2008 by Kannidood

[Hendie]

This issue has been debated ad nauseum in the past. The compromise we came to is to allow members to edit (change/delete) what they have said, for up to 24hours. After that a post becomes public property, and cannot be deleted or changed.

[Andre S]

Hi Gizmo & all,

I too have put my foot in it on occasion, most notably when I was under attack from a troll on another forum about six years ago. It was a war of words and I was so angry, I momentarily lost the ability to distinguish between friend and foe and inadvertently blasted a good guy. You could say he was a casualty of friendly fire.

The troll was a real piece of work and attacked me for my rubbish career choice while simultaneously blowing his own trumpet and letting everyone know what a successful property developer he was in the USA. I inadvertently included the good guy in question as a loser that spent too much time on the net and was most embarrassed when he said that his vocation was charity work, Salvation Army I think. Ouch. I apologised sincerely, but I think feelings were hurt. The threads were there for all to see. I didn't know at the time that one could remove them.

The point is, I was quite a bit younger, less experienced and more arrogant. Us okes in Sefefrica sometimes can be very stubborn! I like to think that I have gained a bit of "internet social skills" but it is only human to stick your foot in it sometimes. Also, my raw Afrikaner side shows itself from time to time. The down side of being blunt I guess.

I agree with you about leaving posts and not deleting. I have however also edited typos and spelling errors after seeing the post up on occasion, but that can only be a good thing, right? Basically, my view is that these posts are public record and one should be brave enough to stand by what you say. The idea of a public record is that others can also learn and grow. I think the internet is sometimes too powerful for us plebs and puts us in a similar position to politicians, where what you say becomes public and there are consequences to your actions. Andy Warhol said we should all have our fifteen minutes of fame, right?

Reading between the lines, I don't think Saffer 2 acted with malicious intent, but I'm itching to know what it was about the original post that got people's backs up...The cooler topics are always the most fun!

I hope I won't have to delete this one later...

André S

[Adriaan Stander]

Hi Gizmo

I am one of those to blame for a deletion. I punched the ADD REPLY button twice, therefore I had submitted 2 identical posts.

After seeing what I did, I tried to find where I could delete one of them, before anyone thought I was cuckoos. But you okes are so quick with your reading, people were reading both posts. I had no option, but to delete one. Honest mistake. So now its out in the open I feel so much better.

My apologies.

MandyC

Hi, I've done the same and posted a topic 3 times by mistake. Sorry for asked it here (i'm a total newbie with this) how do i go about deleting it?

[wislon]

Glad you are so forgiving, I would love to get broadband, but dont want to sign a 2 year contract, will be another thing to sort out, if and when we leave. So, I will plod on with what I have. Good job I only posted it twice, sometimes the frustration really hits and I am clicking and clicking da mouse thirty to forty times.

Completely off-topic, but you can get prepaid broadband from www.webafrica.co.za or www.vanilla.co.za (and I think there's a couple of others too). Have you checked out their websites? They offer contracts too, but I hate contracts. Maybe give them a call and just chat to them, they're extremely helpful and polite. I wouldn't go iBurst or Edge/3G/HSDPA, it's terminally expensive for what you get, but nice if you need "internet from anywhere".

I bought an el-cheapo ADSL modem from a computer place, and then got Telkom to "turn on" my ADSL as part of my regular phone service. I have never signed an ADSL contract with them though.

I buy about 2 gigs a month from WebAfrica, it costs me R140, and it carries over until I use it, it doesn't expire like a cellphone airtime voucher. I top it up with my credit card online. I doubt they could make it easier.

And these days the ISPs will get the ADSL turned on for you.

If the webafrica or vanilla guys can't answer your questions (which I seriously doubt!), then feel free to PM me if you need more details...

Then again, if you're leaving in a couple of months, it may not be worth it

Edited March 13, 2008 by wislon