Insofar as moderator edits go, does the software let moderators edit their own posts with no time limit? I'm talking about mods here, not DJ/KD. Otherwise they could conceivably do what people are trying to prevent if they're having a bad day if they're involved in a forum that they're modding.

After all, everyone's human.

I would be in favor of a more lengthy editing period, primarily for the reasons jccglutenfree initially mentioned, although I certainly understand how people might “abuse” this feature. Collecting, organizing, and presenting in a logical manner information that might be quite technical in nature can sometimes be a challenge and I have found myself needing to edit at times to correct spelling, links to technical data/research reports, etc. I generally find it best to type up these kinds of posts in a word processor first in order to get everything right, but then still sometimes find errors after posting and rereading.

I would vote for 24 hours, but will gladly live with what the consensus turns out to be. I really appreciate this site and all who work to support it! :)

Another problem with adding info to an old post is that if someone has read a post (yesterday or the day before) they may not know that new info has been added and miss valuable info.

ALso, why not compose your post first in a word document or on notepad then you can edit and fix spelling before you copy and paste it to a post. Then the time limit will be less of a problem.

mb

that is an excellent point!

Swift,

To answer your questions about Moderators ability to edit their own posts.

I can edit my previous posts ONLY in the forums where I am listed as a Moderator (because as a moderator, I can edit any posts from anyone in the forums I moderate).

Because I am not listed as a moderator of the chronic pain forum (as an example) I can not edit any of my posts that are in that forum.

If for some reason I wanted/needed to edit one of my old posts from the chronic pain forum, I would have to contact the moderator of that particular forum, or DocJ or KD, just like any other member.

I hope that helps answer your questions.

And please don't forget, that all of the moderators are held responsible for their actions just like every other member here. If a moderator abused their abilities I'm sure that KD and DocJ would take appropriate action.

Liz

This hits the nail right on the head- sometimes there's been an epidemic of people "changing history". They would attack others then go back in a few hours or days and edit out what they said and then act like they'd done nothing wrong, as in "moi"?! I don't think there should be an unlimited time to go back and edit posts either. I could see allowing people an hour or a few hours but I think 24 hrs. is too long. Now, as I've mentioned before, and like Jo55 said, I've gone back (on bt1) and deleted old posts of mine because of the same reason- getting rid of personal information- but I generally only deleted posts that were over 6 mos. old, basically because I wanted to be able to go back and see what I'd said in the past so I wouldn't repeat myself:D . The problems come when people do the "hit and run" thing- posting ugly things and attacking others and then going back a few hours/days and taking that part out so they can smell like a rose. I think Wittesea had a good suggestion- if you think something needs to be edited out of your post after the time period passes, contact the mod or administration.

History changes on the Internet.

If someone goes back to change their post, the software can make that clear
at the bottom of the post where it would say something like

Last edited by Mari : Today at 09:51 AM.


Mari

Please add me to the "unlimited edit time" list. I understand all the reasons for it, but geez talk about restrictive. I will constantly go back and edit/add new information to my original posts...this can be days or months later.

I'm happy to post a poll on the issue to get the overall community's reaction/decision, but in the meantime I've upped it to 2 days' editing time.

Most online discussion threads are more like conversations for most people rather than articles that others refer back to time and time again to read and digest. Unlike a conversation face-to-face, we have a lot more flexibility to change what we want to say here online. It's not that we wouldn't have a record of the fact someone changed something, it's that if somebody hasn't quoted the original, we don't know what's changed and if it was substantive or not.

The conversation turns from something that is understood by all that it is something "in the moment," to something completely different -- a conversation that can be edited, altered, and re-edited time and time again.

For example, it can really change a person's expectations of what they might find here if they go back to the original post to re-read it, seeing the thread going in a certain direction, and find the original post bears little resemblence to what they originally replied to. Making their replies looking potentially very different than their original intent. Making all people who reply to a thread where the original post has been significantly edited or altered to also want to edit/alter their replies to fit with the new post. It could possibly cause a domino, cascading and completely unintended effect.

My concerns are not hypothetical -- I've seen this feature abused in a wide variety of communities where it was intended only for positive, good uses. If it's worked here in the past, I assume that means it can also work here in the future and I would need no further convincing than the community's wish to have it so.

John

Thank you, I am one that if I go back and find a typo I like to
correct it. SO even if its days later, I like to fix it.

Things like that. Or if I put in something that needs to be
fixed I want to fix it were I put it not try to tell people why its
now wrong.

I work as a advocate through a non-profit agency for special
needs families in indiana and I like to help families. But at times
the information I give out changes.

Donna