Editing posts beyond a certain time

[spideysensei]

There appears to be a time limit in which one can edit a post. Was there a reason for setting it this way?

 

[Grumpy Owl]

On 7/23/2022 at 9:18 PM, spideysensei said:

There appears to be a time limit in which one can edit a post. Was there a reason for setting it this way?

 

 

Mainly to stop people making wholesale changes to posts, especially after people had already replied to them, thus potentially altering the context of the topic.

 

Most discussion forum software 'new installs' have an edit limitation in place by 'default' now, though this can usually be altered by the admin if so desired.

 

On another forum which I've been involved with for a number of years, a few years ago we had an 'incident' when one member had a bit of a 'hissy fit', and then promptly went back and edited ALL their posts they had ever made, removed all the text and just left a 'full-stop'. This was over 100 posts, and ruined the context of a number of threads, as well as threads this member had started. So on that forum, I changed the setting (as I was one of two admins) and allowed a 'grace period' of 24hrs. Later it transpired that another particular member kept editing their posts after others had replied, which altered the 'tone' of the discussion, so I reduced the limit to 15 minutes, which I felt was ample time to correct any typos or spelling mistakes that were only noticed afterwards.

 

If anyone wants to edit a post to add additional stuff, that seems a fair enough reason, however do note that anyone who has already 'read' that post won't see any update, unless they go back and look for it.

 

 

[Anti Facts Sir]

Other forums I use have time limits, as @Grumpy Owlsays....can vary from 15mins to 30 mins to an hour.

 

If it is an important change that's needed, you could always PM a mod and if appropriate, they could edit it for you (like with the thread titles, for example).

 

[spideysensei]

@Grumpy Owl

@Anti Facts Sir

 

Thanks guys, i see your point. For me it would just be minor corrections or adding info. It's not important, sometimes not even on topic. Just times where i've realised later i may have said something factually incorrect.  Perhaps if there were allowances based on the rep system. One can edit for example if they have a ok ratio of rep points, minimum 100-200 posts or summat. Could call it, The DI social credit score. Or DISCS for short. "Sorry mate you can't edit that, your DISCS have slipped".

[Grumpy Owl]

8 hours ago, spideysensei said:

Just times where i've realised later i may have said something factually incorrect. 

 

For the purpose of context, it is probably easiest to just quote your own post and then point out your error or clarify your correction.

 

Either way, 'new' readers going through the thread will see your later post, and as I pointed out earlier, anyone who has already read your existing post will also then see your later one.