Edit time restriction

[WuLabsWuTecH]

I was wondering if we can extend the edit time. Sometimes I come back later to read replies and found that I had such horrible grammar or spelling that it's confusing and I want to fix it.

Others, like my scope of practice one that's stickied on the Main EMS forum I'd just like to be able to update every once in awhile.

Some forums allow editing forever, while others give at least a week.

I was just wondering what you all's rationale is for the 15 minute (?) limit is?

Thanks!
-Wu

 

[Summit]

All other places I post (a dozen) provide unlimited editing time, but last edit time is noted at the bottom of the page. I would appreciate a longer time to edit here.

 

[ffemt8978]

http://www.emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=9119

It's been brought up before, but we feel that 15 minutes is more than adequate time to correct any spelling or grammar mistakes...provided you read your post as soon as you post it.

For the posts that you want edited that are stickied, send a PM to a CL and we'll do it for you.

 

[medic417]

Don't worry we will point out the mistakes.

The problem with unlimited edit is you could be a jerk and someone would reply. Then you come clean up your statement leaving the person that replied looking like an idiot.

Or if you make a completely wrong statement and once you have been shown the correct way you delete the parts that were wrong and looks like everyone that responded were being jerks repeating what you said.

Thats why its important not to post when mad, tired, frustrated, drunk, etc.

 

[nomofica]

Don't worry we will point out the mistakes.

The problem with unlimited edit is you could be a jerk and someone would reply. Then you come clean up your statement leaving the person that replied looking like an idiot.

Or if you make a completely wrong statement and once you have been shown the correct way you delete the parts that were wrong and looks like everyone that responded were being jerks repeating what you said.

Thats why its important not to post when mad, tired, frustrated, drunk, etc.

If a user quotes your original post, you the quoted text won't be changed even if you edit said original post. So in the end everybody would see that you edited it and you would be the one that really looks like an idiot.

I, personally, would like to see a longer edit time window even though I've always caught my mistakes within the first few minutes of being posted. I just know one day I'm going to really make myself look stupid. It's gotta happen some day.^_^

 

[Sasha]

All other places I post (a dozen) provide unlimited editing time, but last edit time is noted at the bottom of the page. I would appreciate a longer time to edit here.

This isn't the other places you post.

If we didn't have the time limit you'd have people go back and change their posts the second they were called out on it. Would make for mucho confusion.

 

[medic417]

If a user quotes your original post, you the quoted text won't be changed even if you edit said original post. So in the end everybody would see that you edited it and you would be the one that really looks like an idiot.

Actually they would claim you added to their post, or changed it.

 

[Sasha]

Actually they would claim you added to their post, or changed it.

You speak from experience?

 

[Summit]

This isn't the other places you post.

If we didn't have the time limit you'd have people go back and change their posts the second they were called out on it. Would make for mucho confusion.

Funny, it works just fine elsewhere because while there are some scumbags, the most frequent use is to the benefit of all: being able to go back and edit in good, correct, and relevant additional information into an earlier post. That ability makes conversations flow better to the new reader of the thread vs having to read pages ahead to get to the correction or additional info. This is especially useful on a professional forum.

Edit times are shown so that people can see if someone is being shady. Quotes defeat deceiving edits. And if you have someone so brash as to do what 417 mentions, there is a solution to that as well. And I do speak from experience. I may have a piddly 615 posts here over the last nearly five years, but I've modded on other forums and between em all I've got over 20,000 posts over the last 10 years. So please keep my diverse experience in mind before you dismiss me with "this isn't like where you are from" with your whole year here. I don't run this place. I'm not in charge, but I sure as heck do understand this place.

The mods here seem to have enough time to take requests to go back an edit stuff in, well, the mods can see if edits are made. If someone is doing underhanded edits, a complaint can be made and the mod can reprimand the offender with their little infraction system they invented.

 

[medic417]

You speak from experience?

Yes you have changed several of my posts when you quoted them.

 

[Sasha]

Yes I have changed several posts when I quoted them.

I knew it!

 

[Scout]

I'd be in favor of an extension, I'm sure ye have noticed but every now and again I get the typing order wrong in things like thsi.

Its nice to edit out babble. But I think if something stupid is posted you often quote it in the reply Eg below. So you would be left with this and if the OP has an issue with a misquote they can report the post.

I'm sillly

Ha you spelt it wrong lol

 

[medic417]

I didn't knew it!

What did you say?

 

[marineman]

Thats why its important not to post when mad, tired, frustrated, drunk, etc.

When am I supposed to post then?

 

[Sasha]

What did you say? My hearing aid was off.

Sorry, I'll type it louder for you next time.

 

[MMiz]

We'll definitely take this into consideration, as I agree that it's nice to go back and edit posts for errors or omissions. We used to allow members to edit posts until a disgruntled member or two went back and edited all of their posts to remove all of the content.

A few hundred posts later, back when we only had a few thousand posts in the community, and a large percent of our content was gone.

Again, lets see if we can find a happy middle ground with this one.

 

[medic417]

An hour maybe two as then if you had posted just before getting toned out you could come back and correct it. Any longer it just leads to the examples me, Sashisha, and others illustrated above.

 

[Sasha]

How about after they make another post or sign off they can't go back an edit their previous post? i can totally see that two hours being abused when the thread is getting hot and heavy.

 

[Chimpie]

I say leave it at 15 minutes.

Our members are more active (here) today than they were four years ago. Replies often start in mere minutes of a thread being created. Having the option to go back 30 minutes or an hour later could ruin the continuity of a thread.

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

I think that's ok, but in that case, we should make it clear that one of the forum ettiquete rules observed around most places of not double posting should be taken with a grain of salt around here. I have often felt bad double posting when I thought of something else to add later as in other internet forums it is very much frown upon to do so.