Should users be able to edit their own posts?

[EEVblog]

Please discuss this here, and NOT in this thread, it's just a poll. But feel free to post something to bump it.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/news/deleting-posts/

The argument is:
1) Not deleting or editing posts keeps the historical record of the discussion, once said, it's said. You can't correct or add things later.
2) Like the forum has always been. There are advantages in editing info to keep it current or fixing mistakes.
3) A combination of both. Allows you to fix mistakes with in a short time, but after that it's there forever. If you want to add new info or correct stuff later, you start a new post.

I'll sticky this for a short time.

[PedroDaGr8]

For much of what this forum does, I think editing is essential. Threads like the rigol hacking, flir e4, ec would become very unwieldy without the ability to edit the first post.

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk

[BravoV]

Voted : Yes, always.

As English isn't my native, you will find most of my posts are marked with edit marks since I did and do correct my English grammar/typo etc all the times. 

[xrunner]

Dave, there's another option that isn't exactly like your three choices. I mentioned I had an idea for how to do it in the other thread but you didn't even show interest, so I'm not sure I should write it up tomorrow or not.

[sleemanj]

Voted for a limited time, but I think #1 posts (or posts deemed 'special' by mod/admin) should be always editable, for reasons stated in the other thread.

[TMM]

30 mins limit IMO.

[smashedProton]

The original post should be able to be edited.  Maybe a 30 min allowance for the others?  And you get infinite rights to edit of course :p

[TerraHertz]

I know this is probably too complex to implement. But I'd say:
* 1st post in a thread can always be edited by the author.
* The current last post in a thread can always have additions appended. (This allows for adding stuff, instead of making multiple sequential posts if no one else is posting.)
* Other posts, can be edited for up to two days since posting. Sometimes people post and don't come back for a while, then realize they screwed up quote brackets or something. (Me, for instance.)

It's good manners to mark any substantive edits with "Edit, because ..."
But trying to enforce that would be a whole can of worms.

[GeoffS]

I know this is probably too complex to implement. But I'd say:
* 1st post in a thread can always be edited by the author.
* The current last post in a thread can always have additions appended. (This allows for adding stuff, instead of making multiple sequential posts if no one else is posting.)
* Other posts, can be edited for up to two days since posting. Sometimes people post and don't come back for a while, then realize they screwed up quote brackets or something. (Me, for instance.)

It's good manners to mark any substantive edits with "Edit, because ..."
But trying to enforce that would be a whole can of worms.

SMF can't do any of these things without extensive (impractical) modifications.
All posts are considered equal so no special significance is attached to a first or last post.

[EEVblog]

Dave, there's another option that isn't exactly like your three choices. I mentioned I had an idea for how to do it in the other thread but you didn't even show interest, so I'm not sure I should write it up tomorrow or not.

Just write it up. Is it that complicated that it's a huge job?
Just don't feel personally offended if I don't use your idea, ok?

[amyk]

It's good manners to mark any substantive edits with "Edit, because ..."
But trying to enforce that would be a whole can of worms.

Posts get marked with "last edited by $username at $time" already.

How about "append-only" posts after a certain time, where you can edit but only by appending to a previous post, and all your previous revisions are marked as such e.g. by strikeout formatting. I think it's nice to have a history of the changes you made, but only after the "fix minor typos and formatting" period has expired.

[GeoffS]

It's good manners to mark any substantive edits with "Edit, because ..."
But trying to enforce that would be a whole can of worms.

Posts get marked with "last edited by $username at $time" already.

How about "append-only" posts after a certain time, where you can edit but only by appending to a previous post, and all your previous revisions are marked as such e.g. by strikeout formatting. I think it's nice to have a history of the changes you made, but only after the "fix minor typos and formatting" period has expired.

SMF software is not capable of these options.

[xrunner]

Just don't feel personally offended if I don't use your idea, ok?

And don't feel personally offended and show it in your posts when people disagree with you either. You might try thanking people such as myself for what they have contributed to your project, such as graphics, a mailbag item, and other suggestions that have solved problems on this forum. 

Just write it up. Is it that complicated that it's a huge job?

No, it's not a huge job, but I'm not keen on wasting my time much longer with this either. Let's put it this way, it involves assigning board moderators which you do not yet have on the forum. If you aren't interested in assigning board moderators, then I don't need to go farther. And no - they aren't going to police the threads so don't freak out all you free-speech defenders.

So let's get that out of the way first. Are you willing to assign board moderators for this forum? If so I'll write it up. If not, I can stop here.


Oh by the way - the search function is limiting results to 30 items. I've asked you guys to check the settings in the thread below but nobody responded. It's still returning 30 results no matter what you search for -

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/newbies-you%27re-screwed-%28aka-forum-search-doesn%27t-work-half-the-time%29/msg356377/#msg356377

[liquibyte]

Dave, being that SMF is so limited, why are you using it and not another option such as FluxBB or phpBB?  On topic, I think editing is absolutely necessary.  Deletion seems to be a hot topic but I vote to keep that as well.  Users should police themselves to an extent.

[Carrington]

Voted : Yes, always.
As English isn't my native, you will find most of my posts are marked with edit marks since I did and do correct my English grammar/typo etc all the times. 

Quite right! I feel the same.

[nitro2k01]

Speaking of forum features, you may want to disable user's ability to lock their own threads.

[nctnico]

IMHO the text 'last edited by...' already shows a posting was edited. Many times I correct typos in my own posts.

[echen1024]

Edit is a must. In those long posts, we need to update the information sometimes.

[jancumps]

redundant

[SeanB]

More being polite and diplomatic.

[rexxar]

I think editing is necessary to any forum.

I want to think that I've been to a couple of forums that have a 'reason for edit' field that you had to fill in. Dunno if that's possible to implement here, but I think it's a good idea.

[SeanB]

I think editing is necessary to any forum.

I want to think that I've been to a couple of forums that have a 'reason for edit' field that you had to fill in. Dunno if that's possible to implement here, but I think it's a good idea.

With me that would be because I cannot always use the built in spell check properly and often mistype but the words are in the database but are just out of context in the sentence. Should not always rely on the red underlines too much.

[Icarus]

I'm a
enginerr
engieer
eengeerr
Well, We need to able edit our posts

[EEVblog]

Speaking of forum features, you may want to disable user's ability to lock their own threads.

Already done.

[EEVblog]

No, it's not a huge job, but I'm not keen on wasting my time much longer with this either. Let's put it this way, it involves assigning board moderators which you do not yet have on the forum. If you aren't interested in assigning board moderators, then I don't need to go farther. And no - they aren't going to police the threads so don't freak out all you free-speech defenders.
So let's get that out of the way first. Are you willing to assign board moderators for this forum? If so I'll write it up. If not, I can stop here.

Yes, but only for the right reasons.
My reply is in your other thread.

Oh by the way - the search function is limiting results to 30 items. I've asked you guys to check the settings in the thread below but nobody responded. It's still returning 30 results no matter what you search for -

It is set to 30 per page, with 1200 maximum.
There are 600+ posts a day on this forum, the couple of moderators only see a fraction of them I'm afraid.