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Restrict the editing of posts

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The feature that allows you to edit your posts is undoubtably useful - it allows you to correct spelling mistakes you might spot after hitting the "post" button, or to add further information to the first post in a topic.

However, there are some users who abuse the facility by removing all text in a post, making any subsequent replies meaningless and following the thread difficult.

I would like to see something implemented to prevent this, but I'm not sure what the best approach would be:
 - stop all users from editing their posts
 - lock all first posts by default
 - prevent editing of any posts which have replies
 - allow additional text, but original post text cannot be deleted?

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I like the way it is right now with no restrictions to editing. Please leave it the way it is. If you want to change anything, bring back the classic aviators you had with the old forums software. I miss those guys.

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This is my choice...

 

"- prevent editing of any posts which have replies"

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I would not "lock first posts by default" as Adywan and others have used the first post for general information, which is beyond helpful.  However, "allow additional text, but original post text cannot be deleted" would be interesting, if you could work it out.  That way we would be able to see what they first posted and what people are commenting about on that first page, but they would be able to have "9/19/2008 UPDATE" where they could add screenshots or links or whatever.

EDIT: This of course would not allow us to fix typos, rephrase ourselves unless we did something like this.

EDIT2: I should have put a slash between "typos" and "rephrase" or rephrased the whole thing.  OR maybe I should think before I push "post".  That might fix a lot of everyone's editing problems.

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Please don't restrict the editing of posts. Post editing can be invaluable for correcting stupid mistaks you make. Like you post something you thought was well thought-out (and you read it over before you post it), but when it's posted you find it was too aggressive and you can go back and edit it so it doesn't provoke a fight.

Also, I'm against locking the first post of a thread. I started a thread which got me ridiculed and it became obvious to me that one reason I was getting so much ridicule was that people were misunderstanding the view I was presenting. So I went back to the first post. I didn't do what you are clearly worried about. I didn't edit out anything from it. I didn't remove any text. I just added an end note explaining my viewpoint better. The reason posting it later in the thread wasn't good enough is that people were clearly coming to the thread and reading the first post and then posting a reaction rather than reading all my explanation way later on in the thread. I wanted an explanation that would be read along with my first post, to counter the negative impression the first post gave. I didn't want a post sitting there encouraging people to laugh at me for all eternity. I've had some very uncomfortable experiences on this site and the ability to edit that post made me feel a bit better. My approach does not remove anything but allows correction. I clearly labeled my edited-in end note as something that was added in later, complete with a date.

Now if you made it impossible to take text out of a first post but not impossible to add text then I could still do what I did. So please if you do lock first posts, only do so partially and allow addition of new text at the end of the post.

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I've been on some boards where editing has a time limit, you can only edit your posts within X number of hours or days since it was posted.  That might be a good compromise, rather than making it an "all or nothing" decision.

My outlook on life - we’re all on the Hindenburg anyway…no point fighting over the window seat.

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I'm not sure I like that either. I think more harm than good can be done by restricting editing.

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Late on this, I know, but I figured I might as well put in my two cents:

I say don't change it, but if you notice specific users abusing the edit feature, warn them, and if they persist, remove their ability to edit their posts.

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I say have a 5 minute time limit, where you can edit a post without the "Last Edited blablabla" showing up. And then have it where you can edit it at any time, any amount of times, with that message showing up.

It tends to make smaller posts look shitty, and I'd like a chance to correct any spelling mistakes or sentence structures really quick without it showing up. If I wait longer than 5 minutes to edit, then that should be my problem.

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