I have found several threads where the original post had been edited many hours later, sometimes with so many changes, that it almost turns into a completely different post. Even the subject line might be changed. I am not refering to typos or the accidental left out word, but to completely new sentences and paragraghs. I find that this can be a problem for those who reply. Since most people probably don’t go back and re-read the original (they assume it hasn’t changed), new replies may no longer fit as a reply to the original. I think that any changes the originator of a post wants to make should be added as a normal reply.
I’m with John: It’s bad form and can lead to incomprehensible and or misleading threads.
Editing the thread title is another matter, as that can be quite useful - Take The Cocobolo wood thread for example: I think everyone would be best served by Bloomfield editing the title to add “Wood Allergies” to it - this would make it easier to find for future generations…or just those folks with poor memories.
I will sometimes go back and add a postscript to an original post (or if I notice a change that needs to be made right away, I’ll fix it right away), but a really major change seems to work best as a reply within the thread. Otherwise conversations can get downright incomprehensible.
I know I am a notoriously bad typist and speller and most of the time I can’t catch my errors on the first or even second read through, so I edit later to clarify, beasically because I don’t think its fair to ask anyone to read my mind!
Yeah, but that’s a little different from completely changing the post to reflect what you’ve learned or thought of since you made it. Fixing grammar and spelling is something I would probably do as well, if I caught it in my post hours or even days after I made it, but if there’s already a thread built around it, I would reply within the thread…otherwise the conversation just doesn’t make sense.
Anna, I’m also a notoriously bad typist who is always in a hurry so I think you find “[Edited to fix typos – not enough/too much caffeine this morning]” in over half of my posts. But, AFAIK correcting typos isn’t the issue – the issue is about adding/removing portions of the posting which result in altered meanings and the resultant confusion
I too agree with John. By changing the sense after the event you can make subsequent commentators sound as silly as you like. This is just unfair and doubly misleading if it was our own silliness that prompted their original post. The ‘new post’ option allows for changes of opinion, retractions, refinements or whatever else is needed without making half the thread appear to be beside the point when originally it wasn’t.
On 2002-10-29 03:03, Wombat wrote:
By changing the sense after the event you can make subsequent commentators sound as silly as you like. This is just unfair and doubly misleading if it was our own silliness that prompted their original post.
Maybe it’s to get an illusion of being in control ? To others, it looks more like manipulating the threads.
I dare say I probably have the mosted edited posts of anyone here. With over 600 posts, I think if have maybe 10 that aren’t editted for one reason or another. Mostly its fixing spelling, typo, grammer. I sometimes leave words out when I’m typing in sentenses, preposition get dropped often. However occasionally I go back and edit to reduce stupidity. I think all of these reasons are fine for editting. The only thing folks need to be carefull of is that if they make a content change that changes the meaning of the post, just make a note at the bottom about the change.
I reserve the right to notate any of my posts with
[ This Message was edited by: LeeMarsh because I said this stupidly; and, after everyone saw it, I wanted to at least fix it a little (2002-10-29 09:31) ] or [ This Message was edited by: LeeMarsh to modify misplaced heart, since I left it out of the original, (2002-10-29 09:31) ]).
My point is as long as you put a note at the bottom so folks won’t be confused. I think its fine to edit posts.
Enjoy Your Music,
Lee Marsh
[ This Message was edited by: LeeMarsh on 2002-10-29 09:38 ]
My point is as long as you put a note at the bottom so folks won’t be confused. I think its fine to edit posts.
Enjoy Your Music,>
Lee Marsh
[ This Message was edited by: LeeMarsh on 2002-10-29 09:38 ]
Well, that wouldn’t be misleading. But Zubivka has a point. If someone changes something to make others look silly, that’s their hangup. It’s only a message board. It might be irritating but, ultimately, who cares. In so far as the archives are useful—and they are—its for the whistle information they contain and not as scorecards recording who won arguments.
