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When a larger discussion happens in comments, the participants are invited to continue that discussion in chat, instead of in the comments. This creates an automatic comment "let us continue this discussion in chat" linking to the chat room created for that discussion.

Now, if the discussion isn't long enough the room is automatically deleted, breaking the link in the automatic comment for non-mods.

I suggest that either:

  • The comment containing the link is removed entirely
  • The deletion criteria for those chat rooms are relaxed

A recent case where the comment link was broken can be found on Math meta (in this case there are 8 posts in the chat).

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  • Or the chat messages can be converted in comments, before deleting the chat room.
    – noob
    Commented Apr 3, 2012 at 8:36
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    @Creator: Ick. Chat threads can be pages long--you don't want that in comments.
    – Manishearth
    Commented Apr 3, 2012 at 8:41
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    "if the discussion isn't long enough the room is automatically deleted" - I suggested the alternative for those chats only, not long enough. Although a page long chat must never be converted to comments ;)
    – noob
    Commented Apr 3, 2012 at 8:49

1 Answer 1

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I say / Wontfix

The comments are just for improving the post. Comments (except on meta) aren't really supposed to be read by the people from the future (PFTF). The product of these comments should be the improved post which is visible to the PFTF. The same thing goes for such chat rooms-- there's no need to keep the chat room; all the useful stuff should have manifested itself into the post under scrutiny. If it hasn't, the system isn't working.

Remember that mods usually delete the comments anyways, so breaking chat links is nothing new.

So I support your first option The comment containting the link is removed entirely--except that I believe that this is existing functionality. Comment threads get deleted anyway.

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  • 2
    But then the comment with the link should be removed, it's just noise there if the link doesn't work anymore.
    – Mad Scientist
    Commented Apr 3, 2012 at 8:41
  • @Fabian: Like I said, the entire comment thread is supposed to be deleted anyways. Comments are ephemeral.
    – Manishearth
    Commented Apr 3, 2012 at 8:44
  • @Fabian: Clarified post.
    – Manishearth
    Commented Apr 3, 2012 at 8:45

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