Delete Button: Why Was It Removed from PF?

[Ryan_m_b]

There are two big reasons why we don't allow homework questions to be deleted:

1) To stop members from cheating. Every now and then someone posts a problem that they know they're not allowed to in an attempt to get the answer. Then they try to delete it when they realize they will get caught. We're not a site that does homework for people. We'll help them learn but not cheat, and definitely not cover up cheating.

2) To stop members taking away something that can help others. Also every now and then we get people posting a question, getting help on it and then trying to delete it because they don't want their classmates to see. Their logic is that for some reason it would be cheating for their classmates to also get help. That's not our goal at all. Above all this is a forum and a big part of forums is legacy. There have been thousands upon thousands of questions asked on this site that don't just help the member asking them, it helps all the people who type a question into google and find this site because of it. Trying to delete a thread or post after you've got an answer is selfish and takes away from people who might read it in future.

 

[Raghav Gupta]

There are two big reasons why we don't allow homework questions to be deleted:

1) To stop members from cheating. Every now and then someone posts a problem that they know they're not allowed to in an attempt to get the answer. Then they try to delete it when they realize they will get caught. We're not a site that does homework for people. We'll help them learn but not cheat, and definitely not cover up cheating.

2) To stop members taking away something that can help others. Also every now and then we get people posting a question, getting help on it and then trying to delete it because they don't want their classmates to see. Their logic is that for some reason it would be cheating for their classmates to also get help. That's not our goal at all. Above all this is a forum and a big part of forums is legacy. There have been thousands upon thousands of questions asked on this site that don't just help the member asking them, it helps all the people who type a question into google and find this site because of it. Trying to delete a thread or post after you've got an answer is selfish and takes away from people who might read it in future.

I am getting your point but I have some counter- arguments.
And I think I was discussing it with Drakkith and that is why I was calling it a debate.
You are saying that some students in order to not show their work to classmates earlier deleted their work,
but now also they can do by making some edits( by edit option - some loopy message that is not rude)?

 

[Ryan_m_b]

I am getting your point but I have some counter- arguments.
And I think I was discussing it with Drakkith and that is why I was calling it a debate.
You are saying that some students in order to not show their work to classmates earlier deleted their work,
but now also they can do by making some edits( by edit option - some loopy message that is not rude)?

They've always been able to edit posts, like Greg said this is to fix typos or add more information they've just remembered. But there is a window, after 3 hours 20 mins they will not longer be allowed to edit. This time window has been changed a few times as we figure out the best way. It's long enough that allows people to notice and fix typos and have enough time to add relevant information they may think of but at the same time it is short enough so that most people will not have had their question fully answered before the window is over.

 

[Raghav Gupta]

Earlier Greg sir was admitting that delete option has no time window
But in later posts he was saying that delete window also has 3 hours 20 minutes time constraint, same like edit button.
So in a hurry if someone has put a wrong post like this ( see post 53)
Application of Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle
It's better I think if there is a delete button?

You might say that I could have used edit button,
but in edit button we then cannot quote as a pop up for edit window comes.

 

[Drakkith]

You are saying that some students in order to not show their work to classmates earlier deleted their work,
but now also they can do by making some edits( by edit option - some loopy message that is not rude)?

Which can easily be reported by any member and reverted by a mentor, unlike a deleted post, which must be caught by the mentors themselves since members can't see deleted posts. The fact is that the delete option simply causes more trouble than it's worth in the homework forums.

 

[Raghav Gupta]

But why would one delete his message as then he would not get replies from advisors and his query would not be solved?

Post Script:
So can mentors see deleted messages, in which it asks give a reason for deletion?
Is it not bizarre, so many persons deleting posts in other forums would create database problem for mentors, if they can see it?

 

[Drakkith]

But why would one delete his message as then he would not get replies from advisors and his query would not be solved?

They usually don't delete their posts until after their question has been answered.

So can mentors see deleted messages, in which it asks give a reason for deletion?

We can see deleted threads and posts, but unless someone puts in a reason for deletion, then there's no explanation.

Is it not bizarre, so many persons deleting posts in other forums would create database problem for mentors, if they can see it?

I'm not sure. I don't know what kind of database problems you're talking about.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

Earlier Greg sir

Overall your English is good but just to let you know if you're referring to someone as "sir" you don't say their name (unless they've been knighted in the UK, if Greg had he'd be "Sir Greg"). You can say "Mr" followed by their surname i.e. Mr Bernhardt, but Greg is a cool guy and you can just call him by his name,

was admitting that delete option has no time window
But in later posts he was saying that delete window also has 3 hours 20 minutes time constraint, same like edit button.

The first part is in error. In the normal forums I believe the delete window has an error of 3 hours 20, like the edit. In homework there is no delete function.

So in a hurry if someone has put a wrong post like this ( see post 53)
Application of Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle
It's better I think if there is a delete button?

You might say that I could have used edit button,
but in edit button we then cannot quote as a pop up for edit window comes.

I don't know what you mean by not being able to quote. Editing would have been the right thing to do.

But why would one delete his message as then he would not get replies from advisors and his query would not be solved?

Have you read my post above in 31? It gives you the reasons people want to delete their posts.

Post Script:
So can mentors see deleted messages, in which it asks give a reason for deletion?
Is it not bizarre, so many persons deleting posts in other forums would create database problem for mentors, if they can see it?

Yes we see deleted posts but they don't look like normal posts so there is no confusion. If a post has been deleted then we see a little banner saying "post deleted by" and if we click on it we can see what it is. No confusion.

 

[Raghav Gupta]

Like the way of you mentors being transparent.
Mr. Ryan I was saying that when we press edit button a window appears and we can no longer press the reply button to someone's post that quotes him.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

You can just call me Ryan too. I'm still not really understanding youre point, when you edit your post you've already quoted that person surely. For example in my post at 38 I quoted you. If I click on it now I see this:

I can then edit my post as necessary. If I were to split your post in some way I can just copy and past the "QUOTE=XXX" section also as necessary.

 

[Raghav Gupta]

I'm still not really understanding youre point, when you edit your post you've already quoted that person surely.

Suppose we have not quoted that person at the time of editing, then what?
That's my point.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

Suppose we have not quoted that person at the time of editing, then what?
That's my point.

Ok, I'll show you how (bear with my because I'm going to post, then edit my post and show the whole thing with pictures). At the moment, 12:15, this message quotes no one, by 12:19 it will.STEP zero: this is the message with no quote, I want to edit to add your quote. (see "No quote" attachment)

STEP one: I hit reply on your message and the quote appears in the post box. I then highlight this and copy it. (see "Highlight reply" attachment)

STEP two: I hit edit on my post and paste the copied message where I want it (see "Paste in reply" attachment)

STEP three: I click save and then go back through adding these pictures. Make sense?

 

[Raghav Gupta]

Ok, I'll show you how (bear with my because I'm going to post, then edit my post and show the whole thing with pictures). At the moment, 12:15, this message quotes no one, by 12:19 it will.STEP Zero: this is the message with no quote, I want to edit to add your quote.

https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/82481

STEP one: I hit reply on your message and the quote appears in the post box. I then highlight this and copy it.

https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/82482

STEP two: I hit edit on my post and paste the copied message where I want it

https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/82483

STEP three: I click save and then go back through adding these pictures. Make sense?

Don't know why but errors are coming in viewing attachments.
It is saying you have not permissions to view this.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

Don't know why but errors are coming in viewing attachments.
It is saying you have not permissions to view this.

I don't know why either, look again I've changed it by just adding attachments.

 

[Raghav Gupta]

I don't know why either, look again I've changed it by just adding attachments.

Yeah got it. It completely makes sense.
It was a problem for me for a while.
Thanks Ryan.