It would be really, really cool, if one would be able to delete content permanently.

The problem is that currently the mattermost installation will grow indefinitely.

The idea is to allow system admins (or "./platform"-access) to clean storage and database.
Selectively: delete all "deleted" files, delete all "deleted" messages.

Currently you can delete users and teams permanently.
(leaving their filesystem stuff)
Which basically just needs some little extension.

Also add some information for sysadmins on how much filesystem storage is currently in use (+used by deleted files) and add an option that warns sysadmins if the set number of GB is exceeded.

Others have requested related ideas - see below.

https://mattermost.uservoice.com/forums/306457-general/suggestions/10007076-add-a-way-to-prune-reset-clear-channels

https://mattermost.uservoice.com/forums/306457-general/suggestions/13851123-automatically-delete-the-oldest-attachments-when-a

I suggest to have a file archieving service that will move old files to an archive repository.
If the user tries to access an archieved file, the server must be clever enough to recover that file from the archive repository.

• Archive repository could be cloud server or a NAS with FTP service.


• Upload files to archive repository whenever the file repository is full or the files are too old(set by the admin. I think 1 month old is enough).


• Download files from archive repository will be slower. That’s fine this is an economical solution.


• Archive repository is not mandatory, it should be disabled by default unless the admin decides to set it up, keeping MM installation simple.


• Only the actual files are transfered the archive repository. Previews, thumbnails could stay in the file repository.

For example I have off-topic channel with 1000 unread messages. I want to read them all, but it takes 15 minutes or more. I start reading, read about 200 messages, but at that time I receive very important direct message, or mention in other channel. I switch to that channel, do what I need, but when I come back to off-topic channel, i have all messages marked as read. moreover - I instantly jump to the end of a channel, not to place where i stop reading.

Also even if channel is opened, but i am reading something in past (not only last unread messages), new messages in this channel must`t instantly become marked as read until I really scroll to them

discussion on github: https://github.com/mattermost/platform/issues/2733

Allow Channel Admins to be able to enter "select" or "edit" mode where checkboxes appear next to the messages.
Admins would be able to select messages one by one or to select a range of messages by clicking the first one, holding Shift button and selecting the last one (like we've used from other software).

After selecting multiple messages, Admins would be able to delete them at once, or perform any other action that might be implemented during the development (move, archive, flag, something else).

This feature would make it a lot easier to delete whole bunches of off-topic messages and make all the channels cleaner and easier to use - both from user and admin point of view.

Hopefully it was helpful :)
Best

Member list on side of chat window w/ status indicator

Show a member list on the side of the chat window listing all the users that are in the current room, sorted by status and then name (so that logged out users are at the bottom).

This seems critical to communication .. who's in the room, who's online, who am I talking to, am I in the right room before typing @everyone, etc. At a glance. The little member button with drop down is insufficient especially in rooms with hundreds of people.

This is a repost, but the original is closed but was not fixed.