[edit] Edit tags? [/edit]

[dwks]

I always put my edits inside "edit" tags. That is, my first edit will look like this:
[edit] Edit 1. [/edit]
Then this:
[edit=2] Edit 2. [/edit]
then
[edit=3] Edit 3. [/edit]
And so on.

Is there any chance that this forum will ever recognize [edit] tags like this? Does anyone else do this? Or is this a lost cause?

I suppose this should be a poll. Okay, now it is. Vote for edit tags!

[MacGyver]

Yay! Edit tags ftw!

[laserlight]

I usually declare an edit block... like:

EDIT:
/* post script stuff edited in here */

[Daved]

I'd use edit tags for major edits if it was available, but I don't think it's worth the effort unless it is an available feature with the forum software.

Right now I generally use something like laserlight's version for major edits, and I small edits I don't indicate.

[dwks]

Even though I voted for edit tags, and I usually do use them, I don't indicate extremely trivial edits. Like spell-checking. [edit] See the first post. [/edit] And I don't always indicate when I remove text (usually because it's wrong ). But whenever I add information, it's usually indicated.

Anyway, I was just curious. I'm sure there are as many edit styles are there are members.

[Govtcheez]

I usually just say edit: whatever

I really don't see what purpose actual hardcoded edit tags would serve.

[dwks]

I don't know why I do it, I just do. I just wanted to see what other people thought about edit tags. You're right, they don't really make sense -- if the board went to all of the trouble to allow edit tags, it could add them in itself. It could put a box around added text, etc.

Also, I forgot to mention. I don't usually edit my posts to add new information if someone has posted after me.

Something else I've always wondered about: when does the "last edited by user" text appear? I was told that it appears if someone saw the un-edited version. But that doesn't make sense, because I've edited posts before without "last edited by dwks" appearing, and had people comment on the un-edited version.

[laserlight]

I think that it appears after a short grace period of a few minutes after you post whereby you can edit your post and have "plausible denialability" that it was not edited.

[dwks]

Mmm, that's what I thought too . . . but how long is "a few minutes", exactly?

[edit] Not that it matters too much. But after all, http://cboard.cprogramming.com/showp...78&postcount=5. [/edit]

[Daved]

More than a couple and less than a bunch?

You can try looking at the vbulletin site for more information. I believe it's part of that software.

[dwks]

Looks like 5 minutes might be the default. http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=143822

[JaWiB]

The boards should really have some sort of revision control system so we can view changes and make fun of people when they say stupid things.

[Sentral]

I usually just add text without adding anything else. It says when you edit your post at the bottom, so I don't see a need to add anything else.

[QuestionC]

Edits should be used for small typographical correction, and nothing more. Trying to edit a forum post is like trying to rewrite an email that was already responded to.

People replying to your post depend on the assumption that the meaning of your post will not change while they are posting.
People reading the thread rely on the assumption that the posts occur in chronological order, and that they are replying to each other in that order.
People checking replies on a thread rely on the assumption that new information appears at the bottom.

Consider posts where someone asks for code, and posts their source.
The next person replies by pointing out a problem.
The original uses edit to partly fixes his code. And asks about a new problem in it.

Now the second post has lost its context, and is meaningless. You might as well delete all posts in a thread that occur after an edit like that.

I use the edit feature, but I really think it shouldn't be there at all.

[QuestionC]

And if you do intend to modify the meaning of your post... hypothetically by mentioning a point that you had forgotten to bring up, there's no downside to just making another post.