Forums > Social Discussion > Should people have a right to close their threads?

Posted: 22nd May 2004
Would you be talking of [Old link] par chance?



I asked for it to be closed, regrettebly and in haste, as I was particularly angry at what was going on at the time, or more particularly at a few of the personal comments being thrown around. Sorry for the short wording but I guess I got a little emotional and didn't have time to think of a nicer way to put it. I just wanted it to be discussion as the title said. It was looked at and I had a reply from mods saying that it wasn't overly personal and wouldn't be closed, just monitored (basically as per Josh's post) This made me happy that it would carry on as I then regretted asking for it to be closed so I'm now as surprised as you that it has been.



For clarification, When I said "I started this thread and I'm asking for it to be closed" I meant it only that the vain in which it was started, by me, had been completely lost, making the thread pointless as well as it becoming offensive and completely off track to which it never returned. I don't feel I have a right to "own" a thread it is the actual property of Malcolm and perhaps intelectual property of all the posters within it, no-one else. It was open earlier this morning as I had a look and was gonna continue it but got distrcated.



Of course if you're speaking of a different thread then I guess I'm just talking bolox!

Let's relight this forum

Posted: 22nd May 2004
Personally, any request made to me for thread closure is not automatically carried out. I'll review the thread and ask why they want it closed if I have doubts. However it often seems to be the only way to stop the worthless petty bickering and insult throwing that some threads degenerate into.

In the past it has annoyed people when a user has deleted a thread other people have contributed to. By closing a thread, not deleting, it's still there as a record.

For HoP Malcolm has set guidelines and rules and he has a personal vision of what he would like this community to be. Myself and the other mods try to make decisions that we feel uphold this vision and part of that is letting people have control over thier threads.

Not everybody likes all the decisions we make, but then we don't expect people to as we try to keep the peace.

Thanks,
Dom

Posted: 22nd May 2004
First of all, in the past and how things have been done for years, it gets closed and then there is conversation about the situation so that no further disruptions can happen while the issue is being handled.
Closing a thread is not permanent. They can be reopened. If the person then decided they wanted the thread re-opened, it can be done.
If you want it open again Custom Bug, then we can do it. All you have to do is ask.

This however helps to avoid compounding issues if there is one.

I realize that people have put time and thought into these things, and sometimes it is very relevant that they would be closed. It also helps if people stop hijacking threads, which tends to cause alot of hard feelings and disheartenment for the person who is the original poster, especially in the Social Discussion section.
I also want to add that sometimes when an apology is made for things said in thread, through PM doesn't help the situation because the hurt was caused in public. My suggestion, get into details in private but make the apology public to help avoid further problems from outside parties.

Pele

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK

Posted: 22nd May 2004
I feel that once a thread is opened it should only be closed if the posters seriously break the rules of HOP in it.

Remember, you can edit your own posts after you post them.

Any other course of action is (IMHO) a mis-distribution of power.

Josh

--
Help! My personality got stuck in this signature machine and I cant get it out!

Posted: 22nd May 2004

Quote:

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Should people have a right to close their threads?

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I'd like to see more respect given to thread starters for the following reasons: -



1. it would remove the need for them to close threads

2. thread starters often put a lot of effort into wording their opening post carefully in an effort to ensure that they don't stray off topic, or, in the case of controversial topics, turn into flame zones

3. anyone who disagrees with what the thread starter considers on/off topic can easily start off their own thread and cover the issues they want to cover



We have to face up to the fact that there are a wide variety of people using HOP, each with their own ideas about how tight to the topic posts should stay; I would propose the following guidelines which, hopefully, would allow everyone to participate and express themselves, whilst respecting the wishes of thread starters: -



1. ALWAYS read the first post of recently started threads before posting on them, rather than just looking at the latest reply and responding to it. Many of us are now getting into the habit of making requests in the first posts of the threads we initiate concerning where we want the discussion to go; please respect that.



2. If you burn to respond in a way that is, according to the thread starter, not on topic, then simply start your own thread.



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That's my opinion, I'm sure there's lots of others with opinions on this and I hope they contribute them.



Obviously there is an issue here, and, if not dealt with it will possibly end up being dealt with in the same way as the recent split of the social forum into 'chat' and 'discussion'.



Not that I see that split as bad, I'm certainly happy with it, but, with a little discussion here perhaps we can come to some solutions acceptable to everyone and save the hard working admin and mod team from having to rearrange HOP once again.



At the end of the day we're talking about basic respect here- please read the first post of threads because someone has put work into them.



-------



So, in answer to: -



'Should people have a right to close their threads?'



I'd say, if I have to choose 'yes' or 'no', then I'll have to go for 'yes'; but, if we all make a bit of an effort, I'm sure it needn't come to that.

"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."

--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32


Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!

Posted: 22nd May 2004
Are you talking about outright deleting the first topic and thus the whole thread, or just getting the topic locked to where you can read but not post?

Posted: 13th Apr 2007
Well yeah, this kind of runs through my mind for quite a while, since I read statements like:

"Hey sorry, my post gained length and it might appear like I hijacked this thread."

Who owns a thread (besides HoP)?

my 2ct: Sure, I do have some attachment to "my babies" - but by the time it out in this (cyber)world, I need to let go of it - maybe some guidance here and there, but it's PUBLIC - not PERSONAL. Everybody is inclined to their own opinion, even if this sparks controversy.

When it falls into a tit-for-tat trap, then things get ugly - but it should then be up to the maturity of everybody involved to "edit" their posts, in order to "save the thread"...

Which brings me to the other topic, running through my head:

The use of the "Mark as edited" box...

the best smiles are the ones you lead to

Posted: 13th Apr 2007

 Written by: FireTom

The use of the "Mark as edited" box...

haha, i normally only edit posts when i notice spelling mistakes, then i dont mark it as edited otherwise everyone would know what a shocking speller i am that said, i dont think i've been in a position where i've needed to edit a post i've made.

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley

Posted: 14th Apr 2007
well that's good for you, maybe you're a careful personality maybe you're always "pc" and "PG"... and maybe your thought patterns are not (as) controversial (as mine)

the best smiles are the ones you lead to

Posted: 14th Apr 2007
nup. different genreations, i'm to apathetic

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley

Posted: 14th Apr 2007
In a word..NO

I see them as being akin to real babies, once you've given birth to it, there it is. no killing allowed because your baby didn't turn out as planned.

If Hop wants it dead and gone, that's different and although it irks me when it happens, is their website, I did sign on saying I'll follow their rules and I understand why they wouldn't want threads around that could be described as "too flameish"

Come to think of it, I've only ever started one thread, in four years, curious.

I'm really not on with deleting threads because they went off topic, I figure it's up to the OP to try and bring a derailed thread back on topic, either that or just let it go. Make your own way in the world...son, I'm disappointed that you turned out to be an evangelical Christian rather than the gothic emo that I hoped you'd be, but we respect your lifestyle choice.

As much as I liked the UK hippy boards ( they're pretty slow, so I only go there once a month ) their habit of locking derailed threads was enough to stop me from registering.

The other board I use tends to be self policing when it comes to going off topic. Moreso in certain sections than others ( like chat and discussion ) . Someone may make a post that's off topic, only to have it followed by another user posting something like ' how is that relevant to this discussion ? "

When it comes to editing, I'm not a big fan of the mark as edited option. I rarely edit and only when I've noticed spelling mistakes that the spell checker had missed ( like the word fir, when I meant for ) I'd never edit a post to remove something I regretted saying, I prefer to apologise for it instead, or at least retract it. Occasionally I might edit to reword something, but only if I'm confident that not to many people have read it already ( like weekends )

I will delete my own posts if I find them to be completely irrelevant to the OP. If I read a thread about fruit, and start talking about mangos, only to find later on that the OP really wanted to discuss durian, well then. yes...goodbye mangos post.

I often find it beneficial to leave a post at the preview stage, sometimes for hours, while I think about if that's really what I want to say, I find this helps to avoid backpedalling or regrets.

Mr. Majestic..if you're running IE, then get the Google toolbar, it has a spellchecker in it. and a nifty pop up blocker too.

Posted: 15th Apr 2007
i dont think they should be locked, as in reality most discussions never stay completely on topic indefinitely, so its unreasonable to expect they should in bulletin boards. if i were on a board where they continuously locked off topic threads i would get very irritated and probably leave.

 Written by: Stout


Mr. Majestic..if you're running IE, then get the Google toolbar, it has a spellchecker in it. and a nifty pop up blocker too.

i run firefox, but my spelling isnt really that bad. its normally only in a long post and i do spell check and edit and reread up to 5 times before i make what i hit submit.

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley

Posted: 15th Apr 2007
In my words: no either.

Stout, you are very right and I thank you for putting it in words I couldn't find. Far from fluttering you on this one :rolleyes:

I your methaphore - no compliment, okay?

I think - in addition - that the "mark as edited" button is there for a reason. Honouring your (worded) attitude, we're strolling "off" - I do use the button. Because it's there.

Mr.M [i run firefox, but my spelling isnt really that bad. its normally only in a long post and i do spell check and edit and reread up to 5 times before i make what i hit submit.] - that certainly makes you a very careful "postwhore" (btw, why is that expression not appearing as "post"?)

But guys, I'm out of here - have a nice one *bows out*

the best smiles are the ones you lead to

Posted: 15th Apr 2007

 Written by: Mr Majestik


.....and reread up to 5 times before i make what i hit submit.

i didnt reread that post 5 times

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley