Why all the missing posts in the DB forums?

[Taylor Livingston]

There are many times on these forums where I read a reply to a post that has been deleted. It appears Ed Fuqua and Ken Smith, and several other less well known people, have deleted hundreds or thousands of posts. Further, there must be many more posts missing that were never quoted or replied to, so we'll never know about them.

Why is this so common around here? It's really unfortunate, since there must be a lot of insightful comments that are lost forever. Is there some backstory to Ed and Ken deleting their posts?

[Jason Sypher]

I don't know about those guys but after posting for years I sometimes go back and find that I totally disagree with something I wrote or even think it is completely stupid sounding and just delete it. I should consider the consequences of such a deletion but i never thought anyone was really missing any pearls of wisdom in the process. I wonder what the others say...?

[James Hart]

pixel faeries ate them.... a bunch raided TB a couple years ago. You should have seen Paul, JT & Chris chasing them around. Luckily the traps caught them and they were safely released to a Fantasy & Scifi virtual pet site.

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Moderators routinely get requests by users leaving the forum to turn the faeries loose on all of their posts and delete them, and moderators routinely turn down these requests. Back when the posts mentioned above were deleted by the pixel faeries, the TB software still allowed users to delete their own posts at any time after they had posted them. During this time, several users with an uncommon amount of stubbornness and determination went through their own catalogue of posts one by one and placed a single pixel faerie egg on each post. After several hours, the eggs hatched and slowly ate the posts, leaving curious and often annoying voids in the conversations here at TB.

After watching the massive devastation caused by these faeries, Paul opted to tweak the software to only allow any user to delete their own posts for a limited amount of time, after which the posts would be editable only by moderators; this made all old posts virtually faerieproof.

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by Jason Sypher

I don't know about those guys but after posting for years I sometimes go back and find that I totally disagree with something I wrote or even think it is completely stupid sounding and just delete it. I should consider the consequences of such a deletion but i never thought anyone was really missing any pearls of wisdom in the process. I wonder what the others say...?

I occasionally stumble across a post of mine that no longer rings true with me. In some contexts it's even embarrassing.

But, they are where I was at the time. Part of the beauty of these conversations, that happen often between many who have been here a long time, is the documentation of the growth of the musician. The change in a person's perspective as time marches on through gigs changes, practice habits change, priorities change, teaches us how our opinions, our "truths" are transient and context driven. There is no "best" or "perfect", just "here's where I'm at today".

To destroy the document of the process robs a reader of the potential identification to where they are in their journey. Regardless of whether the poster has moved on "today" the document of where they have been is still valid.

Truth is that this is publishing when you post. As such like in writing books or newspaper articles you can't take it back once it's out there.

Such obligation makes you responsible for your actions and opinions no matter how offensive or unconventional. By not allowing deletions the moderation panel has wisely held posters responsible for what they write--unless they do so under the veil of anonymity.

...another conversation entirely.

[Jason Sypher]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

I occasionally stumble across a post of mine that no longer rings true with me. In some contexts it's even embarrassing.

But, they are where I was at the time. Part of the beauty of these conversations, that happen often between many who have been here a long time, is the documentation of the growth of the musician. The change in a person's perspective as time marches on through gigs changes, practice habits change, priorities change, teaches us how our opinions, our "truths" are transient and context driven. There is no "best" or "perfect", just "here's where I'm at today".

To destroy the document of the process robs a reader of the potential identification to where they are in their journey. Regardless of whether the poster has moved on "today" the document of where they have been is still valid.

Truth is that this is publishing when you post. As such like in writing books or newspaper articles you can't take it back once it's out there.

Such obligation makes you responsible for your actions and opinions no matter how offensive or unconventional. By not allowing deletions the moderation panel has wisely held posters responsible for what they write--unless they do so under the veil of anonymity.

...another conversation entirely.

Well I have to say that I totally agree with the above. Said episode was one of those web hissy fits (oh I was so much younger then)...kind of like the one we were recently privy to a few days ago. It did (the new policy) make me post more responsibly and to stop posting after drinking a bottle of red wine and feeling just too much love for everyone and everything (at least I'm a happy drunk). It has also kept me from getting into arguments that I really don't want to have (the whole Chris Wood thang). I've stopped encouraging people to read Emerson's essay "Self Reliance" and I think the forum is a better place because of it. LOL

[Kam]

I'm so tired of pixel faeries..I don't even know why the scientists made them in the first place.

[Jason Sypher]

I never even heard of such a thing but I apparently am a recovering pixel faery myself... Disturbing, none of my friends or family had the nerve to tell me....

[jgbass]

I just recently deleted a recent post. Did not make a lot of sense in a day's retrospect, and I was able to do that. No one responded to it either, so I guess it was not that wonderful anyway, haha.

I suppose a few of the things I wrote about in the past are questionable at this point in my bass development, but, so what? Learning bass is a process, this was where I was a month or years ago, others are in their stages of development, so its fine. Maybe it will be helpful to someone else in their stage of their bass development. It made perfect sense at the time, I got some helpful responses. Its all good.

.

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Is there a direct question for me? The last time I tried explaining things which pointed a finger here and there, got me banned!

Someone in some Post (I will not say who or where) thru some insulting remarks my way and did a little more than just question my integrity or experience in this field implying I was not so qualified to cast my opinions.

Due to that incident (which was a big one) I went in and deleted all the Posts I could that he implied I may not be qualified to answer or participate in due to in his opinion of 'my level of experience' in this field.

I did however leave all the major threads with pictures about Old Basses that many people contributed to as well. It was not a spiteful act at all.. or maybe a little.. but, I know that the Posts and Threads I deleted were nothing major. Just daily chit-chat.

If my actions from back then are questioned or answered much further here, it could result in the Mods shutting this thread down as happened back then and possibly imposing Bans like before.

Threads and Posts that were too old to delete were not. Threads of great historical importance were left un-touched.

The Daily Chit Chat in which my integrity was questioned, were deleted. Now maybe we see there was some value there as opposed to one persons very public and uncensored opinion.

That's all I think I can safely say!

Shortly after, I created my own Forum. A few months later, TB and I smoked the Peace Pipe... What was in that Pipe?.. geezz

In the future, I will 'answer' any questions I can within reason about past Bass-type subjects. If you like, revive an old Thread, Post a quote and I will try and fill in the blanks if I can. I assure you that it's all water under the Bride now so lets move on and have some fun.

[Taylor Livingston]

I definitely mean no disrespect, or to point a finger. I have no idea what these incidents were, so I was asking this totally ignorant of the backstory (and still pretty much am). I get the impression this is something I ought not poke around too much, though, so I'll leave it be.

I have the further embarassment of having joined this forum when I was 16, so not only do I get to see things I said that I no longer agree with, I have the dubious honor of getting to read things I said at 16, at a point when I really knew very little about anything, music and bass in particular. Some of my first posts are really painful to read, not just because I didn't know anything, but because I had some very weird ideas that generally baffled anyone who attempted to respond. In a way, this is cool, because I was thinking in an abstract way, which I think is good in music, but either way, it's tough having 4 pages of people telling you you are a whack-job and an idiot.

In any case, I haven't deleted these posts, because... I don't know, maybe I should have, come to think of it. Too late now.

[Jason Sypher]

I am also pointing no fingers. Yesterdays are gone, today is the moment.

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith

In the future, I will 'answer' any questions I can within reason about past Bass-type subjects. If you like, revive an old Thread, Post a quote and I will try and fill in the blanks if I can. I assure you that it's all water under the Bride now so lets move on and have some fun.

Anytime a person who deals in Basses or just repairs them answers a Post with advice, it's a form of soft marketing. It is not direct selling but in a way you are selling yourself in the future as your reputation builds. For that matter, maybe we should all be banned, period. Get your advice from the guy in the shop or store or call someone. The Blind leading the Blind.. Why not!!..

By answering questions here it is not easy to avoid shedding ones knowledge, therefore 'putting a feather in ones own cap'.

I really don't know what to do here. Most of the Posts I have replied to reflects directly on me and can easily help me make a sale down the road because I helped someone or displayed some experience or knowledge. It's a Grey area as far as the TB CUP goes but I prefer to have both feet in the same direction... Whatever..

[Sam Sherry]

Phil --

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

I occasionally stumble across a post of mine that no longer rings true with me. In some contexts it's even embarrassing.

Yeah, that happens to me every time my lips are moving.

To destroy the document of the process robs a reader of the potential identification to where they are in their journey.

Enh. That is said so well that I can almost see the value of leaving my own idiocy intact for the (portion of the) world (which lacks anything better to do) to see. But ultimately, I think that everybody needs to discover their idiocy for themselves so I don't put much value in leaving my idiocy out there "for others to benefit from."

Truth is that this is publishing when you post. As such like in writing books or newspaper articles you can't take it back once it's out there.

Not if you can delete. Of course, even under the current system we can still fill our old posts with gibberish if we really want to.

Such obligation makes you responsible for your actions and opinions no matter how offensive or unconventional. By not allowing deletions the moderation panel has wisely held posters responsible for what they write--unless they do so under the veil of anonymity.

Again, you have said this so well that I am almost convinced. Ultimately, though, I doubt that restricting someone's ability to control their words increases their ability or inclination to be responsible for their words.

But no big. I do respect all you've said here. Gotta work . . .

[Uncletoad]

Well I could just as easily argue the other side of that. The ability to edit and delete the things I post is what sets the internet apart from other media and makes it more in the spirit of "human rights". We should have the right to fix what we screw up or delete things that could cause us embarrassment or personal harm.

Posting under the veil of anonimity allows a writer to reveal more completely without the possibility of repercussion or embarrassment. This could lead to a frank and more in depth conversation than when the potential for embarrassment is in place with identifiable names.

I could go on. I see many valid points on all sides of the issue.

There is no "right" stance here. It's a mess. There are no clear boundaries to the CUP or the unanimity issue or the post deletion issue. Both sides will continue to push and move the lines back and forth.

Ultimately the guy that owns the bandwidth gets the final say either way.

[Taylor Livingston]

I sometimes feel like pulling myself out of an argument because I think it is stupid. In real life, I just stop arguing and it's gone. But online, the argument is still there - forever. I can look back at old arguments, and I am still arguing with people! This is the frustrating thing, for me anyway, and it's the only time I ever really want to delete posts. I think my posts would rarely be missed anyway. But for people who have a lot to teach, like Ken and Ed, this can really leave a hole.

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Please review

[arnoldschnitzer]

Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith

I assure you that it's all water under the Bride now

[Marcus Johnson]

LOL... good catch, Arnold. Nothing like waiting until the last minute to get married...

[Chasarms]

Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith

. . . I assure you that it's all water under the Bride . . .

I saw that too.

I thought maybe it was a reference to a Las Vegas honeymoon suite.