Rules governing post deletion?

[Uncle Michael]

There appears to be some distinction among Board participants that determines who is allowed to delete (their own) posts and who isn't. Limited data suggests that new users do not initially have the ability, but it is not clear 1) why that is, and 2) what determines when that ability is granted.

As a practical matter, it is probably more likely that a new member of the board will make an errant post that they'd like to delete than those with more experience, so the existence of such a distinction is puzzling on its face.

Can anyone provide any clarification?

[Pete]

Looks to be maybe a user "topic moderation" option that is enabled after a few posts?

I am not on many forums these days and do see the option enabled on the forums that I am on.

Mark or Rich might know?

[rmasonjr]

I would check with macromark

[macromark]

I would check with macromark

When a user first signs up for the board, he is added to the "registered users" group and his first post is moderated (usually by Rupp, sometimes by me). After the first post is approved, the user is automatically promoted to the "approved users" group. This usually happens within an hour of the first post being approved. Approved users (all of them) are able to delete their posts as long as they within a topic. HOWEVER, approved users are not allowed to delete their own topic-creating posts since doing so would also delete other user posts within the topic they created.

[Uncle Michael]

When a user first signs up for the board, he is added to the "registered users" group and his first post is moderated (usually by Rupp, sometimes by me). After the first post is approved, the user is automatically promoted to the "approved users" group. This usually happens within an hour of the first post being approved. Approved users (all of them) are able to delete their posts as long as they within a topic. HOWEVER, approved users are not allowed to delete their own topic-creating posts since doing so would also delete other user posts within the topic they created.

Mark,
Thanks for the clarification, but

1. The approval process to become an "approved user" seems to take more time that I would have guessed. See this thread, for example: https://forums.homeseer.com/forum/ho...-re-hs-speaker
2. A common reason to delete a post is because it starts a thread that the OP didn't intend. It's a post that basically ends up saying something like ["I can't figure out how to delete this" / "ignore this post" / "delete me"] or some other variant. The thread - at that point - doesn't have any other posts. However, as soon as anyone responds with instructions or a link to instructions for deleting the post, it does have another post. Was this rule written by Joseph Heller?

Is there any way for someone (including a relatively new user) to delete the first post of a thread they've just mistakenly created?

[macromark]

[/LIST]Is there any way for someone (including a relatively new user) to delete the first post of a thread they've just mistakenly created?

Just send a note to Rupp and he'll be able to do it for you.

[JKaplan]

I'm the "instigator" here ... IMO the policy of not letting a relatively junior member delete their own topics if it includes comments by others makes sense. But it would be better if that member could delete their posts UNTIL another member posts a comment.

I think this is a common case: you post something stupid (happens to me regularly) - then figure out the problem a few minutes later, and want to return to delete the post in part not to waste other member's time replying or even having to read the unwanted post.

[Uncle Michael]

Just send a note to Rupp and he'll be able to do it for you.

And a new user would know to do this because. . .

[macromark]

And a new user would know to do this because. . .

... because you'd probably reach out to a board admin if you needed help with a message board?

[macromark]

But it would be better if that member could delete their posts UNTIL another member posts a comment.

Agreed but there is no such setting.

[JKaplan]

While I'm complaining ...

Perhaps I'm just missing something, but even in Advanced Search i can't seem to get conjunction of search terms, or even compound search terms. For example, I just tried searching on "script examples", and I get anything including "script" (whether or not surrounded by spaces) or including "examples". I believe normal practice is to treat quoted strings as a single search key ... but not here. (script AND examples) doesn't work either.

This not only severely limits the utility of searching, it increases customer support burden because I have to resort to opening tickets when the answer likely exists somewhere in the forums, but I can't find it.

Jerry

[joegr]

While I'm complaining ...

Perhaps I'm just missing something, but even in Advanced Search i can't seem to get conjunction of search terms, or even compound search terms. For example, I just tried searching on "script examples", and I get anything including "script" (whether or not surrounded by spaces) or including "examples". I believe normal practice is to treat quoted strings as a single search key ... but not here. (script AND examples) doesn't work either.

This not only severely limits the utility of searching, it increases customer support burden because I have to resort to opening tickets when the answer likely exists somewhere in the forums, but I can't find it.

Jerry

Use Google Advanced site search. It's not perfect, but it is useful compared to the native search here and on just about every other forum on the net.

[jon00]

Use Google:

"script examples" site:forums.homeseer.com

[JKaplan]

will do, thanks!