# The new \[del\] function - WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 29, 2005, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355 "2005-06-29T13:36:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/21 "2005-06-29T16:41:22Z")
Cool! We can use strikeouts now! I’ve been wondering when the [del]lazy slacker[/del] webmaster who runs this board would enable this feature 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![elfbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b782af/32.png) [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/22 "2005-06-29T16:57:16Z")
Agh! I just ran into one of the very few situations where I want to use this yesterday, when talking about Canadian politics and the [del]Monster Raving Loony[/del] Conservative party. I’m usually not big on strikeouts, so I probably won’t want to use it again for months. Hmpfh. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/23 "2005-06-29T17:20:31Z")
I’ve been using it to write the first several drafts of my posts. Then, when I have the final draft, I simply removand ovicular time delaywhat mains is a perfectly fpost. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/24 "2005-06-29T17:37:31Z")
> [@Uvula Donor](#): > > I agree. The only tag I think I’d hate more would be [blink]. You must have missed the “fun” of [Annoying Tag] on the temp board. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/25 "2005-06-29T17:40:31Z")
I think it is stupid and I will never use it. I will automatically think less of any person who uses it regardless of who s/he is, when s/he joined or what his/her post count is. Furthermore, I will think that person is a communist-loving, soft-on-terror bastard and will seriously consider putting s/he on my ignore list. In fact, I may learn to code just so that I can create a super-duper ignore list and populate with the morons who use the del tag. I will then print the list, burn it, get my two year old to urniate on the ashes and then bury the ashes in a cursed Indian burial ground. Suffice it to say, I don’t think to highly of it. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/26 "2005-06-29T17:43:06Z")
So… You don’t like it then? 😉 But really, **elfbabe** gave a good example of a good use of it. I think that makes it worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/27 "2005-06-29T17:46:52Z")
> [@UrbanChic](#): > > I think it is stupid and I will never use it. I will automatically think less of any person who uses it regardless of who s/he is, when s/he joined or what his/her post count is. Yeah, what UrbanChic said. I don’t have a two-year-old, though, so I might have to do the urine thing myself. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/28 "2005-06-29T18:29:02Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > I’ve been using it to write the first several drafts of my posts. Then, when I have the final draft, I simply removand ovicular time delaywhat mains is a perfectly fpost. I wish I could write “a perfectly fpost” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/29 "2005-06-29T18:43:01Z")
> [@Troy McClure SF](#): > > Is this really the best thing you can think up to bitch about?! > > This place _has_ gone soft. Geez, what crawled up your ass and died? I was just asking a question. I don’t see any usefullness in this function. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/30 "2005-06-29T18:49:04Z")
> [@FordPrefect](#): > > I wish I could write “a perfectly fpost” You could if you woyou justus would just use thatth the delf unction ni the manner I demonscribed. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/31 "2005-06-29T18:59:48Z")
> [@Troy McClure SF](#): > > Is this really the best thing you can think up to bitch about?! > > This place _has_ gone soft. Is _THIS_ the best thing _YOU_ can think up to bitch about? I think the only thing going soft is your head. :wally ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/32 "2005-06-29T20:27:56Z")
I’ve got to [del]do[/del] try this. What exactly is the problem? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/33 "2005-06-29T20:42:47Z")
> [@js\_africanus](#): > > I’ve got to [del]do[/del] try this. > > What exactly is the problem? It’s not a problem, really, but it’s pointless. Either say what you want to say, or don’t. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/34 "2005-06-29T20:51:23Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > It’s not a problem, really, but it’s pointless. Either say what you want to say, or don’t. And what if what you want to say happens to involve using a strikeout? I can see a lot of unimaginative hacks using this as vehicles for their lack of wit, but if we weren’t going to have anything that could be used that way, it’d be time to close down the internet. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/35 "2005-06-29T20:54:02Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > It’s not a problem, really, but it’s pointless. Either say what you want to say, or don’t. ::Cough::has issues::Cough:: Boy, I think I am getting a cold! ::Cough:: ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/36 "2005-06-29T20:57:42Z")
> [@Scott Plaid](#): > > ::Cough::has issues::Cough:: Boy, I think I am getting a cold! > > ::Cough:: See? You did that without using the del function. If you think I “have issues”, you have another think/thing coming. I just think it’s silly. And I understand that I don’t have to use it. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/37 "2005-06-29T20:59:43Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > And what if what you want to say happens to involve using a strikeout? Again, just say what you want. Why would you need a strikeout? > [@](#): > > I can see a lot of unimaginative hacks using this as vehicles for their lack of wit, but if we weren’t going to have anything that could be used that way, it’d be time to close down the internet. This has the potential of becoming another “Hi, Opal”. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/38 "2005-06-29T21:02:16Z")
> [@Scott Plaid](#): > > ::Cough::has issues::Cough:: Boy, I think I am getting a cold! > > ::Cough:: has sixty two characters, while “Mr. Blue Sky [del]has issues[/del] might have something there.” has only 42, and makes much the same point. It is very convenient. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/39 "2005-06-29T21:06:49Z")
> [@Scott Plaid](#): > > has sixty two characters, while “Mr. Blue Sky [del]has issues[/del] might have something there.” has only 42, and makes much the same point. It is very convenient. “I think Mr. Blue Sky has issues” has 31 characters and isn’t that what you really mean? ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/40 "2005-06-29T21:07:48Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > This has the potential of becoming another “Hi, Opal”. Especially if people: 1. Screw up the coding, rendering the posts even less comprehensible 2. Stack it on top of other tired cliches 3. [del]Hi, Opal![/del] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355.md?page=3)