How do I delete my boards account?

Michaelrsh

^^^^ Simple as the title ^^^^

Spear

Michaelrsh wrote: »

^^^^ Simple as the title ^^^^

You don't. Either reset your password to something random, or email hello at boards.ie and request a closing.

Rabies

You log off and walk away.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqGl5Y9DtaA

Spiritoftheseventies

Rabies wrote: »

You log off and walk away.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqGl5Y9DtaA

Curious. Why cant you just delete your account. Any reason?

Tom Dunne

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

Curious. Why cant you just delete your account. Any reason?

I believe the reason is a technical one - if the account was deleted, it would leave "holes" in threads wherever the poster had posted (if you delete the account, you have to delete the associated posts).

Rabies

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

Curious. Why cant you just delete your account. Any reason?

If your posts were deleted along with your account, then it would leave people quoting you... but you'd be gone... not sure if it works like that or what happens.

Do you want your username gone, or name and all posts associated? Just wondering.

Spiritoftheseventies

Rabies wrote: »

If your posts were deleted along with your account, then it would leave people quoting you... but you'd be gone... not sure if it works like that or what happens.

Do you want your username gone, or name and all posts associated? Just wondering.

Yes but dont other people cancel their accounts on other websites. Surely there would be the same problem there

Rabies

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

Yes but dont other people cancel their accounts on other websites. Surely there would be the same problem there

There is a difference between canceling an account and what is pretty much a profile. It leaves trail around the site.

and really... well... Google has you already snapped up. No escaping them.

Are you over Boards, or want to leave and want your history deleted.


ha ha ha... I just read what I typed... Sound like so religious nut

Spiritoftheseventies

Rabies wrote: »

There is a difference between canceling an account and what is pretty much a profile. It leaves trail around the site.

and really... well... Google has you already snapped up. No escaping them.

Are you over Boards, or want to leave and want your history deleted.


ha ha ha... I just read what I typed... Sound like so religious nut

Yeah read the bit about a trail about the site. But that trail disappears in time. Again it shouldn't be that big an issue

Tom Dunne

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

But that trail disappears in time.

How do posts in a thread disappear over time?

Spiritoftheseventies

Tom Dunne wrote: »

How do posts in a thread disappear over time?

I mean posts that are posted six months back are hardly going to crop again as no one replies to them. Debates die and threads die so I dont see it being that big of an issue if that's the reason boards is wary of deleting accounts.

Zaph

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

I mean posts that are posted six months back are hardly going to crop again as no one replies to them. Debates die and threads die so I dont see it being that big of an issue if that's the reason boards is wary of deleting accounts.

Not always. A 7 year old thread was dug up in PI today. In cases like that what generally happens is that someone does a Google search, it comes up with a thread and they post in it without looking at the last post date. It's not as uncommon as you'd imagine.

Spiritoftheseventies

Zaph wrote: »

Not always. A 7 year old thread was dug up in PI today. In cases like that what generally happens is that someone does a Google search, it comes up with a thread and they post in it without looking at the last post date. It's not as uncommon as you'd imagine.

Seven years old? Thats a long time. Btw how many zombie threads are in existence?

Rabies

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

Seven years old? Thats a long time. Btw how many zombie threads are in existence?

technically all exist

WindSock

Zaph wrote: »

Not always. A 7 year old thread was dug up in PI today. In cases like that what generally happens is that someone does a Google search, it comes up with a thread and they post in it without looking at the last post date. It's not as uncommon as you'd imagine.

Yup, happens in Retro alot

My name is URL

I noticed recently that a few people have requested that their accoiunts be closed, and in at least one of those instances the user's tagline was changed to 'Closed Account'.. would it not be possible to rename users who request that their accounts be deleted?.. to something that doesn't have a profile page attached to it, like unregistered guests in certain forums. The posts would remain but there'd be no user profile

Spiritoftheseventies

I think users should be allowed a fresh start with a new account if they request. It needs to be looked at seriously.

Overheal

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

I think users should be allowed a fresh start with a new account if they request. It needs to be looked at seriously.

Its going to be looked at: see Feedforward. http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=65408425&postcount=58

That_Guy

Overheal wrote: »

Its going to be looked at: see Feedforward. http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=65408425&postcount=58

If their current account is deleted and they start a new one will their IP address still be stored?

Spiritoftheseventies

That_Guy wrote: »

If their current account is deleted and they start a new one will their IP address still be stored?

Hard to know.But some posters will go to great lengths to find out the identity of a poster if he starts off with a new account.
But no reason not to give it a go.

therecklessone

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

Hard to know.But some posters will go to great lengths to find out the identity of a poster if he starts off with a new account.
But no reason not to give it a go.

How utterly predictable.

If posters want a new start on boards then they always have the option of disregarding their existing profile (scrambling their password being the easiest way) and registering with a new account, though the effort is often wasted when the new profile is used to have a conversation with the old profile, or the user continues to post in exactly the same batsh1t way giving themselves away in the process.

Spiritoftheseventies

therecklessone wrote: »

How utterly predictable.

If posters want a new start on boards then they always have the option of disregarding their existing profile (scrambling their password being the easiest way) and registering with a new account, though the effort is often wasted when the new profile is used to have a conversation with the old profile, or the user continues to post in exactly the same batsh1t way giving themselves away in the process.

Actually know Recklesstone you are wrong there. You can't just set up a new account. It doesn't work like that.

therecklessone

bayviewclose wrote: »

Actually know Recklesstone you are wrong there. You can't just set up a new account. It doesn't work like that.

Yes you can.

Spiritoftheseventies

therecklessone wrote: »

Yes you can.

Thats news to me. Trust me Recklesstone, its not that simple. Admins have to clear it.

therecklessone

bayviewclose wrote: »

Thats news to me. Trust me Recklesstone, its not that simple. Admins have to clear it.

The Admins don't have to aware of the fact at all, which is pretty easy to ensure if a poster is serious about wanting a new start. Simply changing one's username and continuing to post in the exact same manner, or worse, talking to one self, will tend to bring attention upon oneself.

Multiple accounts are not encouraged.

KevIRL

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

Thats news to me. Trust me Recklesstone, its not that simple. Admins have to clear it.

As long as you dont do something stupid like use a new account to get around an existing forum or site ban its fine on here to set up a new account

_blank_

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

But some posters will go to great lengths to find out the identity of a poster if he starts off with a new account.

Or sometimes it's just bleedin obvious that a new account has the same idiot behind it as an old account

Spud83

I'm gonna take a guess here and say deleting an account is not possible due the constraints or "foreign keys" in the database. Basically every single piece of data relating to that account would have to be deleted. So every post, visitor message, social group, social group post etc would have to be deleted before a user can be. Firstly that would be a massive transaction against the database depending on post count and what not, secondly it would leave massive gaps in threads.

Best thing to do is, turn off notifications, and scramble your password, if you wish to disable your account.

If you wish to start again, get a new account, and don't use both at the same time. Or use the recover password option to have it emailed to you to use old account.

_blank_

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

Admins have to clear any new accounts.

No. They. Don't.

I have no idea why you think that, but they don't.

This is my second account, for instance. I had an old account many years ago that I forgot the password to, it has about ten posts, but one day I opened Boards and wanted to post, tried to sign in with my old account, couldn't, so just started a new one.

Spud83

Here is three Admins opinion for you.

Dav wrote: »

Dav's not an "alt" account, it's my work account. I don't (if possible) log into boards as Dav outside of the office, Ross sometimes does. I think that's worth clarifying. The alternative is we'd have to stop being users of this site as everything we said would be taken as "official" and that'd be quite a drag when you want to slag someone off

It's not an offence to have a second account, but it is to have one with the purpose of circumventing a ban. This has, to my knowledge, always been the case and I don't think we would step in unless someone is acting the plank with another account. The only reason we'd even spot the connection is because we did a check and the only reason we'd do a check is because someone gave a moderator reason to.

Conor wrote: »

99% of the time it's really obvious that the accounts are not the same person.

If none of the accounts sharing the IP cause any trouble, then none of them will come to the attention of any moderators so there'll be no problem.

If one account causes trouble then the other accounts might be called into question, but it's very often obvious that the accounts are belonging to two different people based on the pattern of posting, the content, the language used and so on.

Unless you have the exact same interests as your wife and/or children and "sound" the same and one of ye causes trouble you have nothing to worry about.

Conor wrote: »

...and this is one of the reasons why it's not a hard and fast, instant siteban for duplicate accounts.

If your account(s) don't come to the attention of the mods of a forum then you have nothing to worry about.

sceptre wrote: »

Case by case basis and it'd depend if they appear to be heading down the same road that got them banned the first time. We've had some former troublesome users that in time have been valued members of the community.

As MAJD said up the page, if there's an account that doesn't cause any hassle and doesn't get itself noticed on the radar it probably won't be noticed. If a previously banned user comes back and never gets noticed for any reason they are very unlikely to be checked and hence it won't be an issue. Over time with a clean slate it tends to become a non-issue even if they're found out for whatever reason as long as they haven't misbehaved.

Typically if a former user gets noticed in short time they're just zapped. There's always a reason such a person gets noticed in short time when they do. If they don't get noticed at all, well that's usually a different story by virtue of them not being noticed. It's worth remembering that while spammers are usually permanent prison residents, normal users get unbanned on a regular basis - lots of people get one chance back.

There are however a number of former users who will be zapped on sight. These are the few characters with nothing to do but cause trouble for others from behind their keyboards. In those cases the virtual equivalent of a bag of stones and a river is well deserved.

That's a "what we generally do" kind of statement by the way - it really is pretty much done on a case by case basis.

So basically what the all say is if the second third or fourth account don't cause trouble then there will be need to check them.

If it is noticed then a user will be asked why they have two accounts.

Now they don't want people using two accounts at the same time. You can kill your account now and start again, but start switching between them and it will cause trouble. If other users spot you well then there ain't much they can do to protect you.

Darragh

Michaelrsh wrote: »

^^^^ Simple as the title ^^^^

Hi there, to give you an answer here:

To have your account closed, please email hello@boards.ie from the email address you registered with stating your request and allow us at least two working days to do so.

We will mark your account as closed, scramble your password, delete your subscriptions, turn off your PMs and Visitor Message and do our best to disable your notifications.

We will keep data like your email address and IP address for a while (as per the data protection act) so that if there's any problems with your posts, we can identify you. This is to deter trolling or people registering accounts just to be "naughty" (which could cover a wide range of sins).

We do not delete posts or threads except in extraordinary/required circumstances - this is to preserve the flow of discussion on the site.

Under the Data Protection Act, posts aren't considered "Personal Data".

All this is leading up to "You are responsible for what you post on the internet. If you don't want something said by you, or it to be known that you have said something about someone that they may have a (legal) problem with, then don't say it. You are not anonymous."

I hope that helps.

Thanks

Darragh

Dav

This is the re-opened and sensible older brother of that train-wreck from last night...

Anyway, Darragh's post above is how we do this for people and that's the final word on it for now

Please feel free to expand on this topic only from here on in...

Dav

Spiritoftheseventies

Dav wrote: »

This is the re-opened and sensible older brother of that train-wreck from last night...

Anyway, Darragh's post above is how we do this for people and that's the final word on it for now

Please feel free to expand on this topic only from here on in...

Dav

Okay Dav. Apologies for dragging this off topic a bit last night and it wont happen again.. Can I clarify this. If I were to close an existing account (and don't intend to if at all possible) and opened a new one what are the procedures.
Am I entitled to post under new account without my old account names being dragged up?
In other words if everything was cleared upstairs, am i allowed a fresh start. To all intents and purposes I don't tend giving up my SOTS account because if anything else i quite like the name.
But would like to have the option of making a new start if absolute worse comes to worse and would like to do with minimum fuss.

_blank_

But there is no such thing as "a new start".

If people figure out, by whatever means, who you really are it doesn't really make much difference what moniker you use

Sprirtoftheseventies
Fake Locke
onestepahead

They are all the same person, now I don't know your real name, and I don't want to, but it doesn't matter what pseudonym you choose, it's still the same person behind it. People will associate your past actions with the new account, because you don't get to say "You can't bring up things that other account did/posted because that wasn't me". It was you, it always will be.

Spiritoftheseventies

Des wrote: »

But there is no such thing as "a new start".

If people figure out, by whatever means, who you really are it doesn't really make much difference what moniker you use

Sprirtoftheseventies
Fake Locke
onestepahead

They are all the same person, now I don't know your real name, and I don't want to, but it doesn't matter what pseudonym you choose, it's still the same person behind it. People will associate your past actions with the new account, because you don't get to say "You can't bring up things that other account did/posted because that wasn't me". It was you, it always will be.

I can't help Des if people are that obsessed about it. But sometimes a fresh start should mean exactly that.
Again I'm not going to give up the username lightly as I feel comfortable with it now. But would like that option open to me and to have it done with the minimum of fuss.
Again Im hoping to ride this one out but if worse comes to worse I just want to know that what is the proper procedure.

_blank_

It's not an obsession thing SOTS, it's more like "Oh I recognise that posting style, I wonder if the person posting that with a new account is the same person who operated that other old account". Most of the time it's obvious, and yeah, it can impact on how posts are interpreted. And so it should.

Nevyn

Certain posters have a certain distintic tone of voice, use of language and over all posting style that along with being know for certain opinions will flag the new account to people.

Darragh

Once again you are responsible for what you post on this site, or any site, no matter what username you post under.

Therefore past behaviour and actions will always be taken into account.

Don't cause hassle. Simple as that.

Dav

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

Okay Dav. Apologies for dragging this off topic a bit last night and it wont happen again.. Can I clarify this. If I were to close an existing account (and don't intend to if at all possible) and opened a new one what are the procedures.
Am I entitled to post under new account without my old account names being dragged up?
In other words if everything was cleared upstairs, am i allowed a fresh start. To all intents and purposes I don't tend giving up my SOTS account because if anything else i quite like the name.
But would like to have the option of making a new start if absolute worse comes to worse and would like to do with minimum fuss.

You're entitled to post under your new account, yes, but if other people make the connection between the new and old, that's not really something we can do anything about - and I don't see why we should to be honest. If (and I'm not personalising this to you SotS, this is just an example) you've been a bit of a numpty with an account and you start a new one it doesn't mean you weren't a numpty to begin with but it may mean that you've realised there's more to Boards.ie than having a bit of a laugh and that's no bad thing.

To tout an oft-used phrase by DeV "you own your own words" whether they be posted by your first account or your 50th. If you've decided that you want a new account for whatever reason, that's fine, but if you're going to that trouble and then continue to post in the same style and tone as before then not only are you wasting your own time and effort, but you're wasting ours in accomodating you. However, we wouldn't publicise that somebody's got a new account - I see no reason for that either.

Dav

Nevyn

But there is a section in the public profile which allows for people to input thier previous accounts.

My name is URL

Thaedydal wrote: »

But there is a section in the public profile which allows for people to input thier previous accounts.

I believe that is done automatically when you change your username

juke

My name is URL wrote: »

I believe that is done automatically when you change your username

Is it automatic? I recall looking at a few profiles and some do have previous nic's mentioned, but not all. I assumed it was optional?

My name is URL

juke wrote: »

Is it automatic? I recall looking at a few profiles and some do have previous nic's mentioned, but not all. I assumed it was optional?

I don't know for certain but I changed my username a while back and my previous nic shows up on my profile. I didn't enter it there though, and don't see any option to remove it

bonkey

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

But sometimes a fresh start should mean exactly that.

People often manage a fresh start in real life, without entering some sort of witness protection program. Mostly what it involves is not trying to hide from your past, but rather accepting it and not trying to excuse it.

I don't think it should be part of anyone's job to play some sort of nursemaid role, protecting people from questions they don't like or points they would rather not see, simply because they've decided they want a fresh start.

Ultimately...if an individual wants to turn over a new leaf, its up to them to convince anyone they need to that this is what they've done. Its no-one else's job to force that on others for them.

therecklessone

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

I can't help Des if people are that obsessed about it. But sometimes a fresh start should mean exactly that.
Again I'm not going to give up the username lightly as I feel comfortable with it now. But would like that option open to me and to have it done with the minimum of fuss.

I'll regret getting involved in this again...

Why should people simply forget that you are who you are?

I've already told you the best way to a new start, that is to cast off all aspects of your current personna, and build a new profile. The problem you will encounter is your inability to let things go, not other user's inability to let things go.

That is why you would end up continuing discussions started under the SOTS profile with your new profile, why you would post in exactly the same way, and demand the exact same things. And we will all realise that you are indeed another incarnation of BVC/Fake Lock/SOTS, and treat you accordingly.

You cannot deny your past activities, life does not work that way. You can work to repair your reputation, but constant Feedback/Help Desk threads, social groups to affect change and all the rest that you seem so intent on doing WILL DO NOTHING TO REPAIR YOUR REPUTATION. Posting in a sensibile and constructive manner will do you a lot of good, but be warned: if you post seriously off the wall opinions people will challenge them...that is not bullying, that is the nature of public debate.

Your future is in your own hands, do not blame other users for the outcome of your own actions.

Spiritoftheseventies

therecklessone wrote: »

I'll regret getting involved in this again...

Why should people simply forget that you are who you are?

I've already told you the best way to a new start, that is to cast off all aspects of your current personna, and build a new profile. The problem you will encounter is your inability to let things go, not other user's inability to let things go.

That is why you would end up continuing discussions started under the SOTS profile with your new profile, why you would post in exactly the same way, and demand the exact same things. And we will all realise that you are indeed another incarnation of BVC/Fake Lock/SOTS, and treat you accordingly.

You cannot deny your past activities, life does not work that way. You can work to repair your reputation, but constant Feedback/Help Desk threads, social groups to affect change and all the rest that you seem so intent on doing WILL DO NOTHING TO REPAIR YOUR REPUTATION. Posting in a sensibile and constructive manner will do you a lot of good, but be warned: if you post seriously off the wall opinions people will challenge them...that is not bullying, that is the nature of public debate.

Your future is in your own hands, do not blame other users for the outcome of your own actions.

To be fair the question has been answered on previous page. Maybe I have burned my bridges on one forum but otherwise my rep is in good nick elsewere. Will leave it at that.

Overheal

therecklessone wrote: »

I'll regret getting involved in this again...

Why should people simply forget that you are who you are?

I've already told you the best way to a new start, that is to cast off all aspects of your current personna, and build a new profile. The problem you will encounter is your inability to let things go, not other user's inability to let things go.

That is why you would end up continuing discussions started under the SOTS profile with your new profile, why you would post in exactly the same way, and demand the exact same things. And we will all realise that you are indeed another incarnation of BVC/Fake Lock/SOTS, and treat you accordingly.

You cannot deny your past activities, life does not work that way. You can work to repair your reputation, but constant Feedback/Help Desk threads, social groups to affect change and all the rest that you seem so intent on doing WILL DO NOTHING TO REPAIR YOUR REPUTATION. Posting in a sensibile and constructive manner will do you a lot of good, but be warned: if you post seriously off the wall opinions people will challenge them...that is not bullying, that is the nature of public debate.

Your future is in your own hands, do not blame other users for the outcome of your own actions.

And you know - further to this - I want to say that changing personas in order to run away from things you may have said and the way you may have acted, is an oftentimes cowardly act that says a lot about your character. You'd get more respect by keeping your warts and living with them. Unpopular posters dont stay unpopular forever.

Nevyn

Overheal wrote: »

Unpopular posters dont stay unpopular forever.

Tell that to Boston :P

Overheal

Thaedydal wrote: »

Tell that to Boston :P

There. You see? Case and point: she didn't say Me :pac: Theres hope for everyone

Nevyn

ah Bless, Dude seriously you don't rate that high when it comes to the utter arsetolltards I've seen and had to deal with over the years. Yes there were time you were being a mook
but you started to straighten up and fly right, you may still turn out to be an utter assclown or someone who contributes well to the site, or someone in between, I've reserved judgement :P

KittyeeTrix

Overheal wrote: »

And you know - further to this - I want to say that changing personas in order to run away from things you may have said and the way you may have acted, is an oftentimes cowardly act that says a lot about your character. You'd get more respect by keeping your warts and living with them. Unpopular posters dont stay unpopular forever.

Absolutely correct, don't know what I was thinking!