New Forum Settings

[CafeDave]

This is to inform everyone who uses this forum that there have been some changes to the forum settings affecting posting options.  Apparently when the change was made to the SMF forum software, the default settings were very liberal, allowing posters to edit their own posts, delete their own replies as well as to delete and lock entire topics started by them.  This ability, while it may be convenient for making changes to posts, is far beyond what most forums allow to maintain posting history and integrity and is also subject to abuse if misused for the wrong reasons.

Therefore, I have decided to disable these "features" at this time and posters will no longer be able to lock threads, delete threads or to delete their own replies.  Members of deity level or above may edit their own replies as a privilege of reaching this milestone.  These changes are permanent subject to review at a later date.  I know this may be inconvenient for some who want to modify a post to correct mistakes, but I think it is the best way to ensure that all posts and threads are maintained to read in a logical manner with no "gaps" due to edited replies.   You can always post a correction in a further post, further increasing your post count at the same time.   

I suggest that you make good use of the 'Preview' feature when posting as this is always a good idea anyway to make sure your message is posted in the way you intended.  In extreme cases where you feel a post needs to be deleted or modified, you can always PM myself or a moderator, or use the Report to Moderator function, but please use it sparingly since we all have lives to lead as well.   

Thanks for your understanding. 

[CafeDave]

I forgot to mention also that I did ADD a new feature for all members to be able to add events to the calendar.  So if you want to post an event, click the calendar icon at the top menu bar and post the message as normal and it will appear in the calendar as well as whichever board you choose.   

[Coconut Kid]

This is to inform everyone who uses this forum that there have been some changes to the forum settings affecting posting options.  Apparently when the change was made to the SMF forum software, the default settings were very liberal, allowing posters to edit their own posts, delete their own replies as well as to delete and lock entire topics started by them.  This ability, while it may be convenient for making changes to posts, is far beyond what most forums allow to maintain posting history and integrity and is also subject to abuse if misused for the wrong reasons.

Therefore, I have decided to disable these "features" at this time and posters will no longer be able to lock threads, delete threads or to delete their own replies.  Members of deity level or above may edit their own replies as a privilege of reaching this milestone.  ...

I'm sorry to point out, Dave, that your history is a bit off. I have to suggest that the ability to delete and modify one's own posts (as reflected by the little icons in the upper right corner) had been availiable for a very long time. The so-called "liberal" change in the defaults that came with the latest change in the software involved only (I believe) the facility to lock or delete the entire thread given to the "orginator" (first poster) of the thread. That facility appeared as two icons at the end of the thread on the left side.

It seems that I am the only poster who has made extensive use of these facilities. I am unsure why using these facilities seems to have upset the old-timers on the forum. I respectfully suggest that the cry of confusion is quite a bit of an exaggeration. Perhaps it is better described as simply failing to pay attention by some people sometimes.

But of course, my observations really don't make any real difference in the operations of the site. Few folks used the withdrawn facilites, so things will go on without much change.

 

[Railnut]

I think I remember not being able to delete my own posts in the very earliest days of the Railroad Cafe forum, where this forum was a small part. I have no way to check on that as the old RR Cafe Forum is gone. Yes, the ability to edit your own posts was available. I always assumed it was meant only as a means to correct grammar and typos, not for wholesale deleteion of things one wished they hadn't posted or as an angry 'I don't want to talk about it anymore" kind of response.
The only other member I know of who made use of the delete button on a large scale was Timmy the Tyrant. At some point, long after the fact, he went back and deleted dozens if not hundreds of his own one word posts that he regretted having made in his race with Junta Joe to emperor status. Even then, most of the ones he deleted had no bearing on the threads. For example, he deleted his one word at a time posting of the Declaration of Independence. And I may be wrong but I think that was in the What?!? thread where posts coming and going might not add to the confusion.
And the reports of confusion are not an exageration if one doesn't call it a "cry." One perfect example is the Where r u from and where do you currently live? thread. When CK posted the original reply #8 listing the many places he had lived skeebercat followed with the question, "Good lord, do you ever unpack?" Then the original reply #10 apparently explained more about it and skeeber again replied saying it made more sense with the added info. In it's new revisionist form, the thread makes no sense because skeeber's posts appear to be in response to Coffeebean saying she has lived in the same place for twenty-odd years. And there is no further explanation before skeeber's second reply.
If that isn't confusing enough the way I paraphrased it, hit the link and give the thread a read. Then decide if confusion exists. And don't try to tell me I'm confused because I wasn't paying attention!

[Rich ¥Weeds¥ Nagel]

I always assumed it was meant only as a means to correct grammar and typos, not for wholesale deleteion of things one wished they hadn't posted or as an angry 'I don't want to talk about it anymore" kind of response.

You are correct. The purpose of an edit feature on any message board is to allow one to correct spelling as well as grammar, *not* for the type of abuse that we've seen here in the Cafe Tropico forums.

Many message boards allow for an option of being able to edit one's posts during a reasonable amount of time (such as 15 minutes), and then after that one cannot edit that specific post. Alas, the Cafe's board software "SimpleMachinesForum" doesn't allow for this option, hence all editing has been disabled.

As far as one being able to delete *entire* threads (which more than likely *also* includes messages from other members), this is *not* the "norm" as far as Internet message boards go. Call it alleged "censorship" or whichever term that you may prefer, but allowing members to delete threads that contain numerous messages posted by *other* users is the ultimate form of censorship at it's worse. Hence, that feature was disabled as well.

And the reports of confusion... -----snip----- Then decide if confusion exists.

That's exactly the entire reason for deisabling the afore mentioned board options.


Lastly (refering to so-called "censorship"), bear in mind... just like almost ALL message boards on the Internet:

Membership at the <insert_forum_name_here> is a privilege, not a right... this isn't a democracy (which is governed as such to maintain some sort of organization to an already confusuing mess that we like to call the <insert_forum_name_here>).

[Railnut]

The skydiving forum that I visit only allows editting until a reply is made. If someone is quick enough, they can post a "Ha ha you spelled that wrong and now you can't fix it." Not that that's happened...


yet.

[Coconut Kid]

I forgot to mention also that I did ADD a new feature for all members to be able to add events to the calendar.  So if you want to post an event, click the calendar icon at the top menu bar and post the message as normal and it will appear in the calendar as well as whichever board you choose.

I'm sorry. I don't understand. What about the link that appears at the lower left of some threads about the "calendar?"

Also, what does the "Calendar" do?

 

[CafeDave]

The Calendar is mainly a calendar of member's birthdays, but it does have other uses such as personal events etc.  Most likely it's fairly useless here, but fwiw, I thought it may be useful to someone.

The 'Link to Calendar' button that appears at the bottom of topics (not sure if this is enabled for everyone) allows you to link a normal topic to a calendar event.  Why?  I have no idea, but an example might be if someone posted a topic for a Cafe Summit 2006 and fixed a date, then the topic could be linked to a date on the calendar.

[Coconut Kid]

I think there may be a possibility, albeit small, that having two threads with titles different by only one letter causes confusion.

• New Forum Settings
• News Forum Settings

Perhaps someone with editing power could make a clearer difference.