Clarification on post editing policy

[Charles Kozierok]

MJC tells me that a number of people have been wondering about the policies on the site for editing posts, so this post is intended as a clarification.

The purpose of post editing is to allow someone to make small changes to correct errors or problems with a post. It is designed with the idea that someone would make a post, quickly notice a problem with it and then make a change. For this reason, a post may be edited up to one hour after it is made.

The editing feature is not designed to allow people to come back to old posts and change them. In fact, I actually would prefer to make the editing time limit even shorter. The reason I don't like posts being edited long after they are made is that it confuses people. Person A posts something, person B responds, and then person A can go back and change it to something completely different, so that person B's response makes no sense. This could be either intentional or unintentional.

The old software had a custom hack built-in that would in fact not allow an edit if a post had a reply, but I chose not to hack that into vBulletin here.

So, what happens if you want to clarify something in an older post? Just post a reply to make the clarification.

Non-moderators also cannot delete posts, again for continuity reasons. If you accidentally make a double-post, just edit the second one, delete the duplicated text and put "double post" in instead. Nobody will mind.

Fire away if you have any questions.

c

[Lucias_Clay]

All this makes sense to me. By the way glad to see you coming back around some, you have been missed. MJC has been doing a great job but we still miss you.

[shanmuga]

The purpose of post editing is to allow someone to make small changes to correct errors or problems with a post. It is designed with the idea that someone would make a post, quickly notice a problem with it and then make a change.

The reason I don't like posts being edited long after they are made is that it confuses people.

Yes,it definitely confuses people, i am one of them in the past

Please correct me if i am wrong, the edits will come down if the poster's use 'Preview Post' & 'Preview Reply' more frequently.

[stefanus]

I more than once have made that Faux Pas and desperatlely would like to delete it. In one of my threads I asked if it could be deleted.I do reveiw my postings (now) so should not be guilty of that again.Once or twice I have tried to rectify a mistake on reveiw but a window has appeared and stated too much time has elapsed but only after 5+- minutes have elapsed
Stefanus

Verbum Sapient Sat

[Budfred]

One way to ensure that you don't accidently post a new thread instead of a reply is to avoid putting a Subject at the top of the page. The only time I use that feature is when I post a new thread and the reason I even think to then is the thread won't post without a subject. If you accidently click New Thread instead of Post Reply and then compose your reply and click to post it, it will stop and demand you include a Subject. At that point you can realize your error, copy your post, back up to the original thread, click on Post Reply and paste your reply into the box....