Why do old topics/posts get deleted??

[Skoot]

Hey brethren's that be...   ... Why is it that older post/any posts get deleted?

[seabob4]

'cause...

[gran398]

Most of the posts which are deleted are in Classifieds. CB runs a good ship there, and am appreciative.

Others get gone...sometimes by themselves. Look no further than the NFL playoff thread...Fern (Blue Agave) asked me what we liked to serve for Super Bowl Sunday....I responded "chili"...then SB posted a killer recipe for Miss Maggie's chili...then poof....eight posts were gone. No record now of our response, or Maggie's chili recipe. Checked the kitchen just because ...not there either.

Look back on that thread...there is a twelve hour blank window after the question from Fernando...so reckon things happen. Am sure it wasn't deleted...our site has always had weird gremlins.

[Skoot]

Nice one bob, sounds like something i would say.

Now, dont get me wrong here.   The thing is "some" of those old posts could be useful, especially in the classified.  Think about, your looking for the one, the beauty, the queen bee. Then someone points out, remember this post with the ...... or here's a good idea, anyone got one of these..... thought this was the one, but could be....     Well you get the idea

Aaaah just a thought anyway

[seabob4]

Interesting thread to start a de-rail on...the importance, or lack thereof, of a particular post.

My post, in response to Scott's question.  5 letters and an apostrophe.  Virtually meaningless in the grand scheme of things, yet, because it addressed a particular question, on a particular thread, and was also posted in, how shall we say, a bit in jest, it was entirely appropriate, and perhaps meaningful, given the situation that the post was made in...

Whoa, I need a beer!  Might find where those posts go when I go out to get one...

[gran398]

Hurry back. Am clueless what happened to the chili posts. A great recipe from your wife...and thanks. Would prefer that it be posted again....particularly for Super Bowl Sunday.

[RickK]

Interesting thread to start a de-rail on...the importance, or lack thereof, of a particular post.

As I look back at almost every topic posted in the last week, each have been derailed (and I won't point out by whom) - wonder why   Is no topic safe?  I thought Chum was where all derails would be  

[fitz73222]

Interesting thread to start a de-rail on...the importance, or lack thereof, of a particular post.

As I look back at almost every topic posted in the last week, each have been derailed (and I won't point out by whom) - wonder why   Is no topic safe?  I thought Chum was where all derails would be  

Amen Rick,

We're all guilty of a derail from time to time; me included. But in all honesty, a portion of these posts belong on a facebook page and wind up clogging up the arteries of the intended value add dialog. I make a point not to derail anymore and really try to stick to the dialog.

[RickK]

Thanks for the support Fitz.
Derailers beware - sweepers are going to fire up a little more diligently.
Do I need to start a derail forum? Just think, there, you guys can derail each other into a non-sensible blabber and thus keep your post counts high for no satisfaction other than your own, and feel good that you wore out your keyboard and didn't add one valuable piece of info to the topic.  
The rest of us can look through real topics and only find posts about the topic.  

[MarshMarlowe196]

Thanks for the support Fitz.
Derailers beware - sweepers are going to fire up a little more diligently.
Do I need to start a derail forum? Just think, there, you guys can derail each other into a non-sensible blabber and thus keep your post counts high for no satisfaction other than your own, and feel good that you wore out your keyboard and didn't add one valuable piece of info to the topic.  
The rest of us can look through real topics and only find posts about the topic.  

 

[gran398]

you guys can derail each other into a non-sensible blabber and thus keep your post counts high for no satisfaction other than your own




Since its time to get serious...lets do just that.

I will be the first to say that I had a serious problem with derailing in the past. Basically because I didn't realize that that was what it was. Lately, I have made a concerted effort to  post on the main forums good, on-topic information. And my apologies to the membership for my past indescretions.

I do not post on the trailer forum. Don't care one way or the other about trailers. If they roll, great. If they don't, take them to the shop.

Same with your favorite forum Fitz, engines. I have nothing to add there, so I don't.

My specialty is chum. Attempting to add a smile to folks faces to brighten their day. Or cooking. I like to cook. That is why I used to weigh 155 pounds and now I'm 210.

So lets get down to this notion of posting "nonsense" to add to a member's thread count. With all due respect Rick, I frankly don't get that...not on our website. And since we're not naming names, lets take a look at a member here who has a very high post count.

Here is a member who gives freely of his time to help his fellow members. 95% of his posts are "How To's" on a specific subject. Diagrams; schematics; photographs; videos; dialog; phone calls; shipping free parts (for free). You can call him anytime. He will stop what he does for a living to help you and give great advice.

This member is the heart and soul of this club, and losing him because 5% of his posts are off-topic would be a damn travesty.

[seabob4]

10%...




This site is unlike any other, boating-wise or otherwise.  A lot of great humor, some good fun, a lot of great knowledge, and most of all, the help available to everyone to answer their questions, get some ideas, bounce some opinions off other members, sort of like a club (as Scott alludes to), and we know what happens when a bunch of club members get together, have a few beers, and start talking.  The subject can change at the drop of a hat.  I guess that's what happens here, most times with absolutely no intention of derailing any particular thread.

Take Wing's trek up to NC to get his Explorer thread.  Quite a few of us are watching it.  With each update, there will be some comments from members, a well as some anecdotes as to how this adventure relates to others who have done the same, as well as some stories told just to pass the time, but the reason mainly is to keep the interest, to let Wing know were behind him, if he needs any help, whatever.

One can look at almost any thread and see what could be considered derailments, where the original premise of the thread is no longer being discussed...by more than one person.  But once the OP chimes back in, the thread usually returns to its intended purpose.  Sometimes the OP becomes part of the derailment.  Just the nature of the beast.  A derailment has to be looked at and the question has to be asked, "Was it intentional or not?"  I doubt you'll ever see any thread on CAS where it is clearly evident that  the thread was derailed intentionally to talk about something else.  If a problem or situation is being discussed that reminds a member of a similar, but different enough, issue that a member has had, I'm sure that member would start another thread to discuss that issue on it's own...

Think about this.  A prop thread can morph into a hull design discussion as pitch and diameter are talked about, how they relate to load, horsepower, bottom shape, weight, any variety of things that relate to what diameter and what pitch should a particular prop on a particular boat be.  So in theory a discussion may be started in the very same thread as to why an Explorer needs a different prop than her sister, the Osprey, when, per the original question asked, may have absolutely nothing to do with what the OP originally asked, i.e. what prop for a 175 Osprey with a 90 Merc?  On the surface, it may look like a derailment, when, in my eyes, it seems simply to be a natural evolution of the discussion...

Just my $.02

[fitz73222]

Easy Scotty,

That person you're talking about isn't going anywhere because he does just what you say he does, virtually limitless expertise and I for one read every one of his posts and have no problem being duked by him on a given topic. There are about 10 guys on this forum that I hold in high regard; you included, when it comes to information. Some younger, some older and with a varied post count. The aggravating thing for me is when that damn "blugillen" starts; the me two, me three, me four, popin, smakin and splashin like on a slice of bread in the pond; that seems to go no where except to add pages to a topic and me being ADD usually pull the nose up and fly off or just not get involved anymore.

[gran398]

Bob, I agree wholeheartedly with what you said, particularly how discussions change in a natural manner. Morph, as the conversation flows.

Brother Fitz, I agree wholeheartedly with you as well. And I see what you mean by the "splashing around" too. And I also agree that it is sometimes annoying.

The good news is that we do a good job among ourselves in maintaining civility here. Everyone remembers that racist post, and how that was immediately addressed. And Rick was at work when it happened.

So, all good! Good thinking...and now....

Did you here the one about the traveling salesman....  

[RickK]

There are topics posted that are quickly addressed with good solid answers and the original poster seems happy with the responses (take T's trailer question) - then he asks a non-trailer question at the end (he derailed himself - I removed that little bit so it didn't start again) that turned the topic into 4 more pages of totally off-topic rants that went off in 4 directions and loops and .... I deleted 4 pages of stuff that had nothing to do with the topic and if it came back on topic later, who would have ever known because they bailed long ago. Now if he posts results (which he owes us), they're there in chronological order.
The drift of this is that there are plenty of threads that are not question specific (wing's trip - which I watched too - remember, CB and I read every post) and can go wherever they will go - it's chum.  It's the question specific posts that need to end when the question is answered, not morph into who knows what.  If it morphs into a topic that is still within the realm of the original question, so be it - if it doesn't ....
SB posts very informative stuff, no doubt and it's appreciated, but honestly, 50% is the good stuff, the rest - morphed into something else, good ole chit chat because that is SB.  I don't think he'll argue that and I doubt he'll leave.
Imagine taking some of these really great rebuild topics, derailing it into a 10 page derail, then it comes back and the people that wanted to follow it have to wade through all the BS to see if it ever started again - not fair to them.
I don't mind the chit chat but there is a place for that and it should be in Scott's specialty, Chum, not in people's question specific topics.
We'll be going through where we can and cleaning up some of these grossly derailed topics so they are informative again.  If anyone wants to help - there is a delete "X" in the bottom right of their posts.