Attention Change to Forum Operation

Discussion in 'General Chat' started by D Louth 77, Jan 11, 2009.

  1. D Louth 77

    D Louth 77

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    Hi Guys

    It has just been brought to my attention that a fairly major operational change has been made to how the Forum works. I wanted to change a post I made a week ago by adding pictures to it. I was unable to do this. I contacted ZG via Mark this morning to be told that a change was made to our ability to edit OUR work/thoughts. We can now only do this for 24 hours or by asking for permission to do this.

    Now this raises an interesting question once we place material on ZG or any Forum, do we loose ownership and control of that material, this is a different issue to copyright, I think.

    Now I have to confess that this(change) is as a result of me beginning to withdraw from ZG, a few weeks ago. I was very unhappy about the way certain people (one in particular) was using my name here on ZG and I did not want to be associated with a certain debate. I have decided to stay(after my name was removed)and after all Why should I allow one person's activity (all in the eye of the beholder, namely me to be both wrong and offensive) to force me away, if that was the intention?

    This change I am told is to preserve thread continuity. But is it right, that our contributions, if we change our minds or want to make additions etc should be held slave by this ?

    Anyway I am sorry that our user rights have been restricted, as a result of me. However the issue to discuss is as follows-----

    Are you all happy with this new restriction ?

    Should ZG have allowed us a say on this change ?

    How do we feel about access to our work now being restricted outside of 24 hours ?

    Discuss

    Regards D Louth 77 :(
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 11, 2009
    D Louth 77, Jan 11, 2009
    #1
  2. D Louth 77

    DavidF

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    I don't feel affected by the changes you mention.

    I hope you continue to contribute to the forum.
     
    DavidF, Jan 11, 2009
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  3. D Louth 77

    The Devil IHTFP

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    Look, I know you took a bit of a mauling in the creationism debate, but rest assured it wasn't meant personally.
     
    The Devil, Jan 11, 2009
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  4. D Louth 77

    spica

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    am part of a few other forums, and do remember having changed/updated my posts on occasion, only edited the written closely after posting - misspelling etc though added pic's or links (if changed) sometime after. Sure..don't really see the need for the restriction but then..it does irritate when rarely a post has been edited or wiped into worthlessness,of course..taking into consideration the poster of the words whom may have written at a bad time, regretted later or felt aggrieved in some way, been taken out of context etc etc,unless a reason is given,who knows but them.
    Really, the final word is for to the sites admin... if not liked......... :)
     
    spica, Jan 11, 2009
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  5. D Louth 77

    Arlequen Vinyl Addict

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    Me too!
    But the author of a thread or a post always "must" have the possibility to edit his work on a Forum
    I'm the admin of one of most eminent wristwatches lovers
    forum all over the world and the N° in Europe and on my forum everyone can edit its post/thread everytime he wants .. obviously the edit (day/month/year and time) appears at the end
     
    Arlequen, Jan 11, 2009
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  6. D Louth 77

    lbr monkey boy

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    Ditto
     
    lbr, Jan 11, 2009
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  7. D Louth 77

    spica

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    Arlequen...not affected though there "must" be the possibility that you are ? :)

    EDIT !..or did you just mean the continued contribution :)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 11, 2009
    spica, Jan 11, 2009
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  8. D Louth 77

    Dev Moderator

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    Even if the original poster does a complete u turn on an argument or denies ever saying something that others know he/she did? like misquoting prices/deals etc.?

    P.S. It is still possible for the poster to edit their posts, just just need to contact the moderators.
     
    Dev, Jan 11, 2009
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  9. D Louth 77

    TonyL Club Krautrock Plinque

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    This is common throughout internet discussion, you will find it everywhere, e.g. the newspaper forums, BBC etc - once something is posted, it is posted. Allowing users to edit posts for all eternity means the thread continuity can be ruined for all future viewers, plus it means a user can later revise a post to a polar opposite position and therefore troll up an argument and later back away from the blame etc. Bottom line is once you've said it you have said it! 24 hours is actually very generous, most bigger forums (such as news media etc) are 30 minutes at most, i.e. enough time to correct spelling / grammatical errors etc, but not enough time to back-out of an opinion and damage thread continuity.

    Tony.
     
    TonyL, Jan 11, 2009
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  10. D Louth 77

    Arlequen Vinyl Addict

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    Just an example Spica .. I had a useless French at school (as many Italians aged like me and living in northern Italy) and I learned English only by internet .. at the beginning reading with a dictionary in da hand and after trying to write something but always with an help like http://www.wordreference.com/enit/ as open web page...
    Well .. I have to edit many time my thread or posts because reading I always notice many mis-spells and grammatical errors ...
    This is one good reason to let the Users edit their threads/posts... don't you agree?
     
    Arlequen, Jan 11, 2009
    #10
  11. D Louth 77

    Dev Moderator

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    You still can. Within 24 hours you can do it yourself. After that, contact a moderator.
     
    Dev, Jan 11, 2009
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  12. D Louth 77

    spica

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    Hey-HO.. .

    Am not always living in the U.K, and so it is essential that i spaek in the native tongue in order to be understood, there are many times when after conversations i run through what i have said and *edit* what may have sounded odd or out of place in the hope that the next time i will be better taken. Am sure this applies in any case.

    i do however have much fun when the phone rings with a tele-sales person selling insurance and the like, just this christ-mass i asked the caller if they would be willing to insure a friend of mine, "yes" they replied..until i asked for a quote for Papa Noel and the contents of his sleigh..we laughed, needing no edits. Be Well :)
     
    spica, Jan 11, 2009
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  13. D Louth 77

    DavidF

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    Not the end of the world.....but (possibly) a PITA.

    Sorry, I hadn't caught on to start with, doesn't sound ike a terribly bright idea.

    Well done D.Louth for bringing it to our attention.
     
    DavidF, Jan 11, 2009
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  14. D Louth 77

    Bob McC living the life of Riley

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    Keep it as it is.
    Might make people think a bit more before hitting the keys.
    Anyway D Louth has some strange ideas about 'ownership'.
     
    Bob McC, Jan 11, 2009
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  15. D Louth 77

    auric FOSS

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    On the whole I consider revisionism to be bad idea but editing for a short period to be a good idea just as long as managing the process does not add too much work for the Mods.
     
    auric, Jan 11, 2009
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  16. D Louth 77

    D Louth 77

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    Learning

    This change has certainly (for me) made me think a lot about the value or lack of value in words and the thoughts that they convey. And the (as it would appear)use that can be made of them, and to them on the Net. I thought it was a given that you should have access to them at all times ( I was not aware ) that this had been unusual for Forums in general and a special privilege on this one, intentional or not. I can see how the ability to edit can be misused, not something I think I have done(unless removing posts is such, when you want to end your involvement in total and leave, or add photos later(as I was going to do, when I discovered the change) etc). sure going back and changing your words to mean something else is not good or desirable( and not something I have ever done here). I guess it boils down to me being new to the world of the net, its pluses and minuses. I have only been doing this sort of thing since I joined here and I obviously have a lot to learn. Learning about the various aspects of this has been both rewarding ,frustrating and a source of deep concern. Maybe I take things a bit to seriously( some things however I can't or wont take lightly).

    I am however in saying all that nervous about this change in policy and it would have been nice to have been told of it(all the members) rather than finding the change out after the fact. I feel it is a extra complication that no one needed, and I am very sorry that my actions caused it to happen. So I hope you can forgive me for what has happened.

    I do intend to stay.

    Regards D Louth 77
     
    D Louth 77, Jan 11, 2009
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  17. D Louth 77

    auric FOSS

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    Your words pre and post edit may well be preserved for all eternity by Mr Google and others judging by the various spiders seen stalking the forum as I type.
     
    auric, Jan 11, 2009
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  18. D Louth 77

    D Louth 77

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    Google

    auric "Your words pre and post edit may well be preserved for all eternity by Mr Google and others judging by the various spiders seen stalking the forum as I type." quote

    Hi Auric

    Fair point, the material is as you say kept by the internet, something again I only recently became aware of the significance of this. I guess I knew it, but had not thought about it. Words should be used with care.

    Just Googled my nick name. Not as bad as I thought only a bit of it obvious.

    Regards D Louth 77
     
    D Louth 77, Jan 11, 2009
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  19. D Louth 77

    mr cat Member of the month

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    I never knew that... :)

    but then I've never tried....
     
    mr cat, Jan 11, 2009
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  20. D Louth 77

    stickman

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    Unfortunately, many people in society think that words are transient. The ramifications of what any of us say can last for a long time. If you're not prepared to stand by the words you post, don't post them. Try thinking first.

    That said.....

    DLouth's hissy fit was pathetic.

    TheDevil is a wind-up merchant on any/all fora he graces and should be taken with a pinch of salt.
     
    stickman, Jan 12, 2009
    #20
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