
Ask HN: Deleting comments - v0cab
How do I delete my comments?  I can't seem to delete any comment more than a day old.  The 'delete' button does not appear.  Nor does an 'edit' button.
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benologist
You only have I think 2 hours to modify or remove anything. I think it's even
less for submissions.

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v0cab
Well that sucks. I should at least be allowed to anonymise an older comment.

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ColinWright
I'm intrigued - you put a comment on a public forum, and then days later want
to go back and change and/or delete it?

I guess this is simply a time to learn about what happens when you make
comments in public. This, by the way, is why politicians _never_ say anything
interesting. There's no way to go back and change or delete it.

If you regret what you said, then say so. If you've changed your mind, then
say so. the audience here is generally accepting of the fact that people
change their mind. If done appropriately, it's a sign of strength.

Owning up to it even more so.

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v0cab
I just want to keep my identity here separate from my IRL identity. The more
info someone can piece together to me, the more chance they'll find out who I
am. It's not (at the moment) a case of having changed my mind about something
I've said.

I like to go over my Reddit posts regularly to remove (or edit to neutralise)
comments which haven't drawn much interest from Redditors and aren't
particularly important, but which do give an extra titbit of info that could
be used to identify me and isn't available in my other comments.

I enjoy the anonymity that lets me express myself more freely without having
to worry about colleagues' judgements and retribution (for example).

I thought this site might operate like Reddit, where comments can be deleted
and edited.

I remind you that it's not only the HackerNews regulars who can read
HackerNews comments.

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bartonfink
What "self" are you expressing when you say you want to express yourself but
don't want that self identifiable? That's a pretty big contradiction. You
can't eat your cake (post thoughts that refer to experiences that could
identify you) and have it too (not have anyone know who you are).

If you're really worried, create a pseudonym and post under that. Probably a
better option is to take the bull by the horns, post as yourself and use that
as an incentive not to post stupid things.

~~~
v0cab
I am using a pseudonym.

I realise that things I write can be linked back to me, but I want to not make
that too easy.

I haven't posted anything stupid.

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markkat
There is a timeout for those options.

