Will threads by nonsubscribing ex-SDMB Members be expunged? I wouldn’t think it be appropriate to keep their threads on the forums, since they would no longer be able to respond? Sort of like shooting fish in a barrel …
I seriously doubt it. Old threads serve as an archive, not as a maintained source for conversation. That an OP of a thread can no-longer reply in it is irrelevant to it’s continuing existence.
Why? Do you see it as some “punishment” for those who -having their own reasons for this - don’t pay for further membership?
If I understand this correctly, you want to be deleted all the valuable/interesting information they might have given to the other members & visiting guests and to all who can use it in the future.
Why?
Salaam. A
That’s extremely unlikely. Threads started by banned members are also kept, and there has never been a way to revoke your posts if you choose to leave.
In most forums the OP is expected to ask a question. So except in cases of trolling there sould be no need for a defense. Pit threads mostly revolve around more or less topical issues, and unless you start one hours before you leave there shouldn’t be a big problem. Other members will be able to see who is “inactive” so if you started a GD thread were you are alone on one side, nobody will expect you to answer.
Responses to threads are almost impossible to remove because the integrity of many (close to all) past threads would be destroyed.
If you mean delete all posts by a given user, then yes, there is. The admin panel fior vBulletin has a feature to allow admins to delete all posts (and threads started by) any specified user. They seem to only use this feature in the event of an egregious troll, though. I doubt they’d do this in the case of lapsed subsribers.
Sorry, I should have made clear that I meant a possibility for the user to remove his own posts/threads. If one thinks that there is a need for the expunging mentioned in the OP then this had been equally necessary.
Ah, gotcha. I can just imagine if you could. The “I’m leaving and I’m taking my posts with me!” threads might be amusing. 
It plays merry hell with the servers, so we don’t use it. When we remove posts, we remove them one at a time. This is a royal PAIN. Generally, we’ll lock any threads started by trolls, and possibly remove them from view.
As for the OP, probably we won’t. We do, on occasion, remove threads from view, and of course threads by non-subscribers will be subject to the same guidelines. For instance, any thread which is simply an advertisement will be removed, and the poster either sternly warned or banned.
Ouch. Bet the Grapist pissed you off royally. He got in, what, 30 or 40 posts before he got tossed?
Sorry to break up this love fest (is that like trolling or hijacking)? I don’t think it is appropriate to keep ex-Dopers threads on the forums. They can’t expound on their opinions, clarify their OP, get the OP back on track, etc. …
It’s not as though they’re being kept from posting. They can pony up the $5 like everyone else, if they really want to do the things you mention.
This is solely my opinion. The Board administration may feel differently.