Opening up the Edit Window
The mods have decided to remove the two-hour deadline on for editing a post. This is primarily motivated by the need to go back, in some cases, and repair links that are being lost as a result of changes with image services (the case of the moment is Dropbox).
But we see other advantages, too, as well as some disadvantages. Let me start with the disadvantages. The concern is that someone who has engaged a debate will go back and revise the history of the debate that will render some of the responses to it nonsensical. Here's how to avoid that problem: If you post a rebuttal to a statement someone made, quote the statement you are rebutting. If they edit the post that motivated your rebuttal, the part you quoted will still be there to identify your motivations. Of course, we all debate things while maintaining collegiality and decorum (right? right!), so I don't think this will be much of an issue.
Note that the last time a post was edited is shown at the bottom of the post, but only if there has been a later post in the thread, or if the post has been viewed. If you see a response that makes no sense, check to see if the post being responded to was edited after the response was posted.
The advantages come up in these kinds of scenarios:
- In the for-sale forum, one might post a list of items for sale. Being able to edit that post indefinitely allows the seller to mark off the items that have sold so that potential buyers need not waste their time. Note that editing the for-sale post, just like adding a post to that thread, does not reorder the display of sales items. The FS forum is still a classifieds section, so those who are looking to buy stuff should be prepared to look past the first page.
- When someone writes a treatise on a particular topic, others may comment on it and encourage the original poster to make revisions to the treatise. The indefinite editing period allows that person to edit the original post. When this happens, it would be polite for the OP to post a response to the comment that motivated the edit, noting that the original post was edited as a result.
We have also added the "strikethrough" BBCode tags. Putting an "s" in square brackets at the beginning of the struck text, and a "/s" in square brackets at the end, creates the strikethrough, which looks like this: strikethrough. I mention this here, because it's a good way to edit an old post that leaves a clue as to what was edited, particularly for keeping track of what has sold in lists of items for sale without deleting the record of its sale. Note for smart-phone users: Tapatalk does not interpret this BBCode properly, but it will show the tags. (Tapatalk cannot interpret more than a few common BBCode tags in any case.)
We don't want to revise history, but we do want people to be able to keep their informational posts, well, informative and accurate.
Ralph will be making the change sometime today, if he hasn't already. Ralph has already made the change. (See what I did there?)
Rick "enjoy" Denney
Re: Opening up the Edit Window
I love have come to accept it...
Re: Opening up the Edit Window
Very nice!! Thanks! I've been talking about that in regard to sales threads for ages.
Re: Opening up the Edit Window
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rdenney
If you post a rebuttal to a statement someone made, quote the statement you are rebutting.
On this, a point of etiquette, to save people the trouble of scrolling past screens full of unnecessarily repeated material: when you respond to a long post, please quote just the passage(s) that you are responding to, rather than the entire post. Thanks!
Re: Opening up the Edit Window
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rdenney
...If you post a rebuttal to a statement someone made, quote the statement you are rebutting. If they edit the post that motivated your rebuttal, the part you quoted will still be there to identify your motivations...
Of course, to the detriment of the person whose post you're quoting, you can also edit the part of your post that quotes them, i.e. 'adjust' what they wrote to be anything you'd like. :)
Re: Opening up the Edit Window
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sal Santamaura
Of course, to the detriment of the person whose post you're quoting, you can also edit the part of your post that quotes them, i.e. 'adjust' what they wrote to be anything you'd like. :)
We're hoping that allowing edits won't create problems. Those who misuse the capability, however, will be dealt with on an individual basis.
Re: Opening up the Edit Window
A sensible change, thank you.
Re: Opening up the Edit Window
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Ralph Barker
We're hoping that allowing edits won't create problems. Those who misuse the capability, however, will be dealt with on an individual basis. [frowny face]
Ralph, fixed that for you.
Rick "keeping an eye on Sal" Denney
Re: Opening up the Edit Window
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rdenney
Ralph, fixed that for you.
Rick "keeping both eyes on Sal" Denney
Like this, Sal. Ha ha ha.
Re: Opening up the Edit Window
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rdenney
...Rick "keeping an eye on Sal" Denney
Better keep both eyes on the troublemaker. Might miss something using just one. :)
Re: Opening up the Edit Window
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sal Santamaura
We've been able to do this since forever anyway, it's not a change.
Re: Opening up the Edit Window
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Corran
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sal Santamaura
We've been able to do this since forever anyway, it's not a change.
Ralph, help! Capability misuser alert! :D:D
Re: Opening up the Edit Window
I believe this thread has passed into the Twilight Zone. Either Ansel Adams or Rod Serling would be proud, although I'm not sure which. ;)
Re: Opening up the Edit Window
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Ralph Barker
I believe this thread has passed into the Twilight Zone. Either Ansel Adams or Rod Serling would be proud, although I'm not sure which. ;)
Why not both? :eek:
Re: Opening up the Edit Window
Why not all three of them?
Re: Opening up the Edit Window
Did someone let Schrödinger's cat out of the bag? (Or, not.) ;)
Re: Opening up the Edit Window
Does that mean a new category titled "(Possibly) Missing Pets" is under consideration?
Re: Opening up the Edit Window
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sal Santamaura
Does that mean a new category titled "(Possibly) Missing Pets" is under consideration?
Only if their portraits are done in large format with a prismatic grid, where you can see the pet with your left eye, but not your right eye. ;)
