# Deleted threads? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 20, 2001, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleted-threads/73257 "2001-07-20T22:48:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2001, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleted-threads/73257/1 "2001-07-20T22:48:07Z")
This isn’t really a complaint about the board or mods, but it’s not really ATMB material, either. I’ve noticed a trend of late of deleting threads outright. In the past, threads were locked with an explanation, but now I’m seeing more and more threads (and, to a lesser extent, individual posts) outright deleted. Certainly some of them, like how to make cocaine in your bathroom sink, deserve it. But others? For example, **B&B** was obviously someone’s sock puppet, but out of his 13 posts (banned in 13 - well done!), only one remains. But of the two threads he started before he was banned that I read, neither seemed worthy of being deleted. Inane, insensitive, trollish, yes, but what was the element that brought about deletion? I’ve always thought it was a good idea to keep that stuff around for both amusement factor and as a warning/example of what not to do. So what’s the deal? Is it new policy? Are the mods getting delete-happy? Just a phase? Is it a bandwidth issue? Color me curious (and _not_ criticizing)… Esprix ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2001, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleted-threads/73257/2 "2001-07-20T22:49:45Z")
One vote here for not having a problem with it. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2001, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleted-threads/73257/3 "2001-07-20T22:53:15Z")
My guess: why would you want to reward an obvious sock/troll with letting them continue to see their work product when you could simply delete it? This one in particular was such a flash in the pan (timing wise) that it’s likely that not a lot of attention had been garnered. The threads were short, only a couple of posts. And, I’m sure you’ve noticed the lure of locked threads. So, now, in this case the poster cannot even sit and watch w/glee while their work was viewed several dozen times, and then, of course asked about and commented on. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2001, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleted-threads/73257/4 "2001-07-20T23:12:23Z")
Dammit, **wring** beat me to most of the good points again! One that I can add is that I think that it’ll frustrate the hell out of trolls for them to do whatever amount of work they do before a post only to have it vanish on them. Not that I think they’re doing research or anything, but… Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2001, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleted-threads/73257/5 "2001-07-20T23:20:57Z")
This could also be an bonus of additional administrative options available due to a faster board. When the board’s slow, easier to lock; now that it’s cooking along (more often, anyway), more processing-intensive alternatives are available. Just a WAG. ---
**Author:** ![absoul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@absoul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/absoul)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleted-threads/73257/6 "2001-07-21T01:38:47Z")
The poem by cowldfire was interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleted-threads/73257/7 "2001-07-21T01:57:53Z")
Deletion certainly seems like a bucket of cold water on the egos of the Puppet Masters. I chanced onto an eruption of puppeteering just as it started, and while it was fun to watch, even participate in while it lasted, I don’t miss the threads. They didn’t contribute anything, except perhaps a bad example. Question: If you reply to a thread which gets deleted, does your post count go down? ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleted-threads/73257/8 "2001-07-21T03:35:56Z")
I deleted a couple of em because they were too stupid to live. And because I can. There’s plenty to read here that’s dumb enough to be funny, but those weren’t even funny. - Jill ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleted-threads/73257/9 "2001-07-21T04:47:27Z")
We keep a _very_ light finger on the “delete” key but sometimes it’s gotta be used for boring, masturbatory idiocies: wastes of server capacity and poster patience. Envision if you will (gaaack, I sound like Rod Serling) the worst sterotypical chat room excesses you’ve ever read. Beavis and Butthead played _for real_, without the slightest self parody or awareness. Forget basic coherence, forget content; it’s grindingly STUPID and annoying. I suspect we’re experiencing what journalists call the “silly season”. It’s hot, empty time weighs heavily on some folks and the results are…variable. Veb ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleted-threads/73257/10 "2001-07-21T06:41:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wring \* > \*\*My guess: > > why would you want to reward an obvious sock/troll with letting them continue to see their work product when you could simply delete it? This one in particular was such a flash in the pan (timing wise) that it’s likely that not a lot of attention had been garnered. The threads were short, only a couple of posts. And, I’m sure you’ve noticed the lure of locked threads. So, now, in this case the poster cannot even sit and watch w/glee while their work was viewed several dozen times, and then, of course asked about and commented on. \*\* That’s basically it. Sometimes, too, you’ll come across a locked thread without explanation. Usually, but not always, it’s because the thread was started by a troll, or a troll was heavily involved in it. We don’t want to give the trolls/socks the attention they crave.