Deleted Double-Posts

July 14, 2005 12:47 PM

After a double post is deleted, how about adding a link in the original thread pointing to the deleted thread? [more inside]
posted by brain_drain to Feature Requests at 12:47 PM (8 comments total)

The recent series of RoveFilter posts got me thinking about this. Sometimes a double-post lasts a long time before it is deleted and includes a lot of worthwhile discussion. When the post is deleted, that discussion is for the most part lost. So, how about adding links in the original, active threads pointing to the deleted threads? This would preserve the "offshoot" discussions while keeping intact the goal of consolidating each topic in a single thread.
posted by brain_drain at 12:48 PM on July 14, 2005

You can still link to posts in deleted threads from the discussion itself, better that than an automatic-ish pointer to the whole double post thread.
posted by Space Coyote at 1:05 PM on July 14, 2005

What if the doubled post is really old and archived?
posted by smackfu at 1:06 PM on July 14, 2005

Deletions are always iffy things. Someone's bound to get angry, and simply putting a link from one to the other (for double-post based deletions) gets confusing. This is extra true if there are numerous (more than just 2) threads with useful commentary, as was the case with the million RoveFilter links of which at least 3 were good.

Right now, I'm still trying to find out why MeTa 9808hovered between page 1 & 2 without showing up on either for 25 minutes. (it does now) Matt, get on it!
posted by ハッカー at 1:06 PM on July 14, 2005

A Modest Proposal:

1. If the new post has no useful commentary, skewer it in the pits of hell (delete).
2. If it has meaningful discussion and the older one is still active, close/delete the old one, and in the closed/deleted comment section put a link to the new thread.
3. If it has meaningful discussion and the older one is already closed/deleted/archived normally, simply leave it be entirely.
4. In the case of 2 or 3, let users link back if they want to continue that discussion (so that people just jumping in will be able to know what they're saying).
posted by ハッカー at 1:14 PM on July 14, 2005

5. else fuck it!
posted by quonsar at 1:38 PM on July 14, 2005

6. endif
posted by quonsar at 1:38 PM on July 14, 2005

6. endif

6. GOTO 5

That said, Space Coyote nails it, anyone is welcome to link to posts in a deleted thread. When I remove double posts, I try to put a backwards-link in the reason for deletion so that people who had bookmarked the deleted thread can comment in the old one. It's a pretty rare occurrence that a double post thread which is a double of an old archived thread will be deleted if it has any discussion going on in it.
posted by jessamyn at 2:27 PM on July 14, 2005