Why are threads edited and/or deleted?

[gabriel-kemeny]

All threads are subject to moderation. The criteria for moderation are not subject to debate. The forum exists to inform the community about Aptera. The forum software is such that searches and finding of the information depends on short, easily searchable threads. Off topic (and unrelated to Aptera) and excess posts/threads are subject to removal at any time. New threads/posts discussing topics/issues already covered in existing threads may be merged with the existing thread.

[george-hughes]

Jesus folks; moderating a message board is a real task. I know I ran an extremely active one for about 13 years; even won some awards.

The moderation I see mentioned seems aimed more at clarity than obstruction.

The primary moderation I’ve seen usually circles around politics. I know that was a tough area for me to moderate and typically I turned it over to my ‘deputy’s’ – literally. (The self-image of the community was that this town is ‘like Maaaybury’ of Opie and Sheriff Taylor fame. So we has Sheriff Andy and deputies that included Barney Fife, Aunt Bea, Gomer, Otis, Floyd … all of them but those were simply moderation identities, I didn’t actually have that many moderators. Instead the three or four folks who were actively moderating would simply choose an identity that was currently unused. Several had their favorites. )

What most folks don’t grasp is that in the best of times, running a message board is a task in herding cats.

Perfection eludes us all – not some of us – all of us all the time and that includes message boards and message board moderators.

I used to be the first curated draft of history came from the newspaper, the writing for which goes through a process to assure its customary credibility.

I’d have to brush up on the jargon surrounding the legal powers of online content aggregators and collectors, but forums have not only the ability but the responsibility to moderate the community through section 201c of the … I can’t remember the rest of the spiel … which is the federal law allowing forums to moderate however they wish and providing them protection from slanders and other problems that may sneak through their moderation.

It is a thankless job and you’re never going to please everyone.

Hell, I’ve probably been moderated more than anyone else – I’m still wondering where the posting of Bob Dylan’s “times they are a changing” went. It seemed so Aptera to me at the time 🙂 – but trust me, this is my first peep about the missing song and moderation.

I’ve been around the medium since Compuserve (pre-internet) and let me tell you, you can tell when the natives are restless. I saw one board go from an active ‘auction associated site’ to literal oblivion in two days due to ignorance and ego. The new owner thought his paying money meant that he could tell 4-500 independent people what to do. Like I said, that man was disabused of the notion he had any power over any of the people on ‘his board’ only to discover that the only power he had was to run them off.

IMO, these folks are doing a great job.

[curtis-cibinel]

Merging of threads seems to have side effects with posts displayed out of order or page navigation not working correctly. I understand the moderators goals but would advise them to use as minimal approach as possible.

Perhaps consider locking dupe threads and linking the primary instead (the dupe will decay in the list order over 1-2 days to be outside page 1). Being unable to find conversations you are involved in with emails alerts to threads that no longer exists sucks.