Why Delete Your Account?

[muskrat89]

Over the years, we have had several users, upon feeling that they have been wronged - ask for their account to be deleted. Why? To me it reeks of a teenage tantrum. Do folks simply not have the willpower to stop logging in to a site that is run counter to their beliefs? If you are one of the rare ones that might be able to be identified via your profile, and thus - associated with Army.ca - why not simply edit your profile and display name, log off and never come back? Inquiring minds want to know...

It really cuts us to the core when someone asks to be "deleted"....    :crybaby:

 

[Kat Stevens]

I guess some look at it the same way as a divorce.  Why go through all the hassle of a divorce when you can just PUFO (translation provided on request).  It's a sort of "we're through, heres your stuff back, never call me again" type of thing, I suppose.

 

[Mike Bobbitt]

Thanks muskrat, I often feel the same, though there are sometimes valid enough reasons to delete your account. Most of the time it's a knee-jerk reaction to something however, and a day's distance is often enough to allow a more reasonable approach.

The correct process for having your account deleted is to PM myself or one of the other staff. (Though it is faster to PM me directly.) The process is that I will try to talk you out of it, but if you are certain, I will remove the account. The issue is that when an account goes, often a good chunk of information here on the forums goes along with it. In order to help preserve that history, we try to avoid deleting accounts, as often there are better ways (E.G. changing your account name, hiding personal info, removing specific unwanted posts, etc.)

One more admin note: Once an account is deleted, it is gone for good, and cannot be recovered. Furthermore, future registrations, even under a different nom de guerre, will not work, so please... don't take the decision lightly, make sure it's what you really want. We've already had a number of people change their minds after the sun has risen on their original decision to leave.

 

[muskrat89]

To clarify what Mike said (and I neglected to add) we have had legitimate account deletions that were totally understandable. That being said, even in the case of work or PERSEC issues, usually Mike can fix you up so you can stay in relative safety, or at least come back some day.

Kat - I've been divorced more than once. never thought to simply have them "deleted" ... Hmmm......   

 

[PMedMoe]

Kat - I've been divorced more than once. never thought to simply have them "deleted" ... Hmmm......   

Have you ever read Stephen King's "Word Processor of the Gods" ?

 

[3rd Herd]

Kat - I've been divorced more than once. never thought to simply have them "deleted" ... Hmmm......     

you could always revert back to the old practice of handing over the rope. And then hopefully they will find a suitble sturdy limbed tree.  ;D

As to the topic at hand it is like firing the final shot as your ship rolls over and sinks. 

 

[kratz]

[quote author=3rd Herd]As to the topic at hand it is like firing the final shot as your ship rolls over and sinks.  [/quote]

In those days, that final shot was respect for the foe and one a final volley.

If a person is to end their participation in an online forum, as most have stated, stop posting. The only people that would weight (aka meaning) are those that have contributed to the forum for a long time or as an active member. WRT Army.ca, many of those members are either well respected, and/or DS.

To fire the final volley (delete me) is the easiest way out these days IMO.

 

[Neill McKay]

Over the years, we have had several users, upon feeling that they have been wronged - ask for their account to be deleted. Why? To me it reeks of a teenage tantrum. Do folks simply not have the willpower to stop logging in to a site that is run counter to their beliefs?

In some cases it could be just a matter of privacy.  There's no need to have your name attached to an Internet account out "in the wild" if you like.  Who's to say it won't be used in some improper way a year or five down the road?  For comparison, if you wanted to stop banking somewhere you'd almost certainly take the trouble to close your account, as opposed to just withdrawing all the money and throwing your Interac card in the garbage.

 

[peaches]

Why would it matter if someone wanted their account deleted.  If they ask delete it.  Myself, I do not see it as a big deal.  Myself, I do not come on too much anymore, or post much....  Nice to read stuff once in  awhile though...

 

[George Wallace]

The "Will Power" to not come back should be enough.  You are not always deleted completely, especially if someone has 'quoted' you. 

Then again we have some who want their accounts deleted so that they may try to come back again and carry on like they did before with a fresh new account.  Mike has just pointed out that that will not be possible, in most cases.  I am still suspect when a member who has been causing us grief decides to ask for their account to be deleted.  Could it be they have decided to move and want to recreate themselves in their new location as another like-minded pain in the butt?........Just me being suspicious. 

 

[muskrat89]

I am getting the analogies, but I think to equate Army.ca to a marriage, or even an online bank account - is umm... odd.

Anyway, was just curious

 

[3rd Herd]

In those days, that final shot was respect for the foe and one a final volley.

If a person is to end their participation in an online forum, as most have stated, stop posting. The only people that would weight (aka meaning) are those that have contributed to the forum for a long time or as an active member. WRT Army.ca, many of those members are either well respected, and/or DS.

To fire the final volley (delete me) is the easiest way out these days IMO.

Kratz,
No disrespect intended.

 

[Neill McKay]

Is it not possible to delete one's own account?

 

[Mike Bobbitt]

No, though as pointed out, any deletion requests will be honoured. I typically try to recommend a 24 hour waiting period to see if the request still makes sense, but if the person is insistent, the account will be removed.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Why not implement a policy of a 3 day grace period where the person wanting the account to be deleted asks 3 times, that way he/she has plenty of opportunity to change their minds.

 

[Mike Bobbitt]

Sort of like "I divorce thee" three times? No, I don't want to make it difficult for users to remove their accounts, especially if there is a legitimate or urgent need to do so. The point is just to be sure that they really really mean it, because it's irreversible.

 

[HItorMiss]

If someones postion of job changed could they ask you to delete the current "well" known account but still have an account for access to the site that would be more covert per se?

 

[Mike Bobbitt]

Yes, we try to accommodate situations like that. The only thing we try to avoid is when a user wants to pull a fast one and come back with a new account to try to bury their past mistakes here.

 

[Sgt.Fitzpatrick]

How do you end your account?

 

[geo]

you can just stop using the forum

what has been posted - has been posted.  The decision on posting anything else, is up to you