Post Editing - edit after 3 years?

[Zaphod]

Hey @Kapmcrunk maybe you can clarify a few questions on post editing:
(1) I assume only the owner of a post (or admin) can edit a post?
(2) It doesn't appear, but correct me if I am wrong, that there is a time limit on editing?
(3) Is there a way to view old unedited posts?

I think (2) is problematic. I just went back to search on a particular post, from a particular vendor that I recalled. When I searched and read through the old posts I see that the post from 2014 was edited in the summer of 2017. If a post has stood for 3 years before needing to be edited it stands to reason that the poster is just trying to change history at this point (and not fixing a spelling issue or clarifying point) - and in some cases can make a thread not make as much sense.

 

[HeadHodge]

I think you make a good point even though I dont know the reason for the edit. Ive always thought if a post is edited it should send out a notification to everyone, just like adding a new post does.

My reason for it, is because a lot of members edit their reviews with new info updates and it would be nice to get notified. But havent figured a way to do that yet.

 

[Zaphod]

I think you make a good point even though I dont know the reason for the edit. Ive always thought if a post is edited it should send out a notification to everyone, just like adding a new post does.

My reason for it, is because a lot of members edit their reviews with new info updates and it would be nice to get notified. But havent figured a way to do that yet.

I got no issue with edits on reviews, product info, etc. but an edit that changes or remove information from a post can change the whole thread....and if available a time limit might help, just to keep the history of some of these debates.

 

[Groggy]

What post or review are you referring to?

 

[verticity]

I'm going to weigh in against a time limit on edits by members.

On a number of occasions I have looked back at something I posted a couple years ago, because the thread was bumped by someone posting to it, and noticed a spelling or grammatical error that I corrected.

Also, sometimes I notice factual errors that I made. For example, recently someone revived a thread about specific drug interactions, and I noticed a comment I had made that I had later learned was not completely true. In that case I didn't edit the original post, but added a clarifying comment in a new post so as not to break the flow.

But, in my opinion, the general principal should be: the content of posts is owned by their authors. Technically, it is copyrighted by the author of the post, not by the forum. So, I can understand not wanting to allow people to make changes that would mislead and distort the context of what others are saying, but I think members should have the ability to at least delete their own posts, no matter how old. They legally do have that right, but I don't see a good reason to make that process difficult. I would prefer the ability to edit also, just so the thought of old spelling errors being on display forever doesn't trigger my OCD.

So, what I might suggest is: edits would trigger a message to the moderators. Maybe this already happens, I don't know. If the mods see someone attempting to change the meaning of a post or distort something, they could ask the person to just delete it instead.

 

[verticity]

Ironically or appropriately I just edited the above comment about 8 times with grammar/spelling corrections and rephrasing what I was trying to say...

 

[Groggy]

It's not always about misspelling, sometimes it involve links to websites that we no longer support (from members that are currently inactive) or any content deemed to violate our TOS.

 

[Zaphod]

What post or review are you referring to?

I sent the information on to kapm, but I was not going to post it publicly. I didn't want to start another witchhunt against this particular vendor.
I remembered something very specific in a post when this vendor came on the forums - which surprised me. I was attempting to go back and look at it again to see if it made more sense, or there was something I was missing. I can't find the particular thing he said now - and I believe (but can't be 100% positive) it was in the post that was edited.

 

[Zaphod]

I'm going to weigh in against a time limit on edits by members.

On a number of occasions I have looked back at something I posted a couple years ago, because the thread was bumped by someone posting to it, and noticed a spelling or grammatical error that I corrected.

Also, sometimes I notice factual errors that I made. For example, recently someone revived a thread about specific drug interactions, and I noticed a comment I had made that I had later learned was not completely true. In that case I didn't edit the original post, but added a clarifying comment in a new post so as not to break the flow.

But, in my opinion, the general principal should be: the content of posts is owned by their authors. Technically, it is copyrighted by the author of the post, not by the forum. So, I can understand not wanting to allow people to make changes that would mislead and distort the context of what others are saying, but I think members should have the ability to at least delete their own posts, no matter how old. They legally do have that right, but I don't see a good reason to make that process difficult. I would prefer the ability to edit also, just so the thought of old spelling errors being on display forever doesn't trigger my OCD.

So, what I might suggest is: edits would trigger a message to the moderators. Maybe this already happens, I don't know. If the mods see someone attempting to change the meaning of a post or distort something, they could ask the person to just delete it instead.

Good points, and all good reasons to edit posts that I didn't think of. I also agree that a member should be able to delete their posts - although again it might make the thread unreadable. I would prefer if members wanted to make edits they just add clarifying comments to a post or give us a way to view the older versions so we can see the edits.

 

[recentreturn]

FWIW, You can usually figure out what got edited out by perusing people's quotations of the edited post.