Maybe CaptMoto can help out?

Dear all in regards to Pepsi he's fine and dandy, but here below is why you won't see him on line anymore.

This might sound strange to you as it did to me, but I got a message from him on Friday night, titled time to move on, saying he's bought a different bike and decided that whilst he loved the time he spent here, and appreciated all the friends he made and praised me and the other admins for the hard work he said he wanted a clean cut, and before I could even suggest that he didn't need to leave on account of having a few bike he specifically requested me to remove all his posts 975 of them which its a pain in the ass as I can only delete them in batches of 25 at a time.

So, now I am halfway through that but then he asked that his whole membership to be deleted including email address and ip address, I told him that would have been pointless but he insisted he wanted a complete digital deletion and I told him ok fine.

So that's why Pepsi for the time being is username Who? until I remove all his f*ing posts. More work for me, aye?

Note to all, this I won't do again to any other who wish to leave. the door is your off button and your old digital footprint in this forum will only be buried under new messages and in a few years time, no one will ever read them.
Next person asks me this incredible request will get a short reply composed or two words.

bigwink

Thanks Desert Racer for providing the link and to everyone else for checking this out.

Main thing is, he's still alive and kicking... just on a new bike.

As you say Pleiades, at least his OK, & thanks for the explanation Capt'n. Hell of a strange though.
Oh well each to their own, Great bloke & nice to have had a good banter with.

If you happen to look in on this ( Artist formerly known as Pepsi !! ) Keep well & all the best mate it was a pleasure, you will be missed. :occasion14::wave:

Maybe not. He did let out once or twice some details of his past, and also where he lives, along with photos. I'm not going to repeat any of it out of respect, he was a good guy. But it's not too hard to draw a conclusion considering the specific requests.

Unfortunately, under the fantastic EU rulings, IP addresses (the ones on the web, not your local public ones) are considered personal information.... as are email addresses (feckling ridiculous rules they are), and phone numbers too!! so a request to remove them has the support of statute, and will after the UK leaves the EU (thanks to the recent 'adopt all the EU laws law that's going through parliament). Yep - no one thought that particular piece of ruling through, it's a PITA to anyone working in IT security, but it has wide ranging implications to anyone running a forum too.

And so all posts have now been removed, IP address masked with a random one, email address removed, age, username deleted.

Pepsi is now who? Part of the inactive members.

That sounds like a lot of hard work.
It's a shame he has gone, I do understand why he has asked for everything to be deleted, but a lot of his stuff was very helpful.
Hope he enjoys the new bike whatever it may be

Its always a shame to see someone leave whatever the circumstances and a difficult process to eliminate all traces, i hope he is happy whatever he is doing..and wish him many good rides in the future..

Just to prove that every thing that goes on here is openly discussed, and I don't keep any secrets here below are the exchanges between Pepsi and me when he asked to be deleted.

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Pepsi wrote
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Hello buddy . Hope you and family are well. I'm sending this message to ask you to formally close my account and profile and delete all data pertaining to myself including email addresses and any information obtained via subscription and donations. I've had a blast on your forum over the last 2 years and learnt much. I'm seriously considering a change of motorcycling and will not be an XTZ owner for much longer. Rather than just have a ghost presence whith zero future contributions I respectfully request all data, as mentioned, be digitally shredded. I wish you all the very best personally and with this and the new web site. Please confirm the above action via email to *****@*****.com. cheers. ...Mark.

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(my reply)

Right... sad as it might be, this is first time I have been requested to delete all posts from a previous member, you do know its a heck of a job? I have to look for all messages by Pepsi and then do them in batches from the different forums.

It'll take me some time, but I'll get there. why can't you just go "flat" like any Pepsi and I'll delete your membership so one one will know the messages are from you instead of "unknown"?

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Pepsi replied
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Sorry buddy......gotta ask for a full footprint removal, as requested. Data Protection legislation is a pain isn't it?. I've just sent a donation by way of an 'exit' fee. Maybe in the new web site you could have a 'nuke my profile' button / link to this effect. There will always be some t!t like me who needs a data cleanse.. Apologies again. Confirmation of the removal of a data trail would be much appreciated by way of email to me at ********@*****.com and don't get all teary-eyed over my departure .... (like you would ;-) ).

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So there you have it, white on black :)

So long Pepsi