88 replies to this topic

[shadow460]

An hour would probably be better.  I've run out of time a couple of times when making lists in posts, like in homerwannabe's thread about CIB games.  It wasn't really any trouble to copy and paste what I had typed into a new post, but it did clutter the thread a bit.

Would a kind of trust system work here at AtariAge?  GameFAQs has the "karma" thing where you get "good karma" with each day you post, and you lose "good karma" when you posts have to be moderated or if you abuse the system in some way.  More "good karma" = more privileges.  It might help a person to isolate which users are going to cause more trouble, and which users don't mix well with what kinds of topics.

[Chickybaby]

You can thank those that abuse their posting priveledges that this has occured at all. Just read over your thoughts before you click the 'add reply' button. The 'preview post' button can also be helpful.
Unless there are extenuating threads or forums, I think a fixed amount of time to edit posts for all members is the easiest way to go. It also starts less arguments that way.
A subscription or membership would probably be the only way, imo, that a longer post editing time could be considered.
Keeping track of length of membership would be annoying even with the right programs again at least imo.
If someone really needs to edit a post beyond the alloted time or double posts and doesn't catch it right away, you can always contact a mod of that forum to help.
It is Albert's site after all and I for one am happy to be a part of it! He doesn't have to listen to our thoughts and suggestions if he doesn't want to. But, I am thankful he gives members the opportunity.  

[Albert]

shadow460, on Fri Dec 26, 2008 12:44 AM, said:

Would a kind of trust system work here at AtariAge?  GameFAQs has the "karma" thing where you get "good karma" with each day you post, and you lose "good karma" when you posts have to be moderated or if you abuse the system in some way.  More "good karma" = more privileges.  It might help a person to isolate which users are going to cause more trouble, and which users don't mix well with what kinds of topics.

Well, this wouldn't necessarily help if a long-standing member suddenly decides he or she wants to basically "erase" all their previous posts.  Someone could have excellent karma and still decide one day (for whatever reason) to go ahead and do that.  The new forum software we'll be running soon does have a built-in reputation system that could easily be used to grant additional privileges as you described, but I'm not sure that I'm going to use it.

..Al

[Robbbert]

Albert, on Fri Dec 26, 2008 1:11 PM, said:

I've increased the time to an hour.

..Al

Thanks, it makes more sense.

The reason i suggested a day is because from what I've read, ppl have gone back weeks and months to alter their posts. A day seemed a good compromise.

Still, it's up to you, and an hour is much better than 15 minutes.

[Gregory DG]

shadow460, on Fri Dec 26, 2008 1:44 AM, said:

Would a kind of trust system work here at AtariAge?

Yeah... Anyone who has 5000 or more posts can edit all they like.

[ijor]

Albert, on Sun Dec 14, 2008 1:24 AM, said:

I recently made a change to the way the post editing feature behaves.  In the past, members have been able to edit posts indefinitely.  Unfortunately, this privilege has been abused and I was forced to limit use of the "Edit" feature to within 15 minutes of when a post is first made.

Albert, with all due respect (and I honestly consider you a great sysadmin), I don't think this is right. I realize that some people abuse this privilege, but I believe that the innocent should not pay for the guilty. And this is what is happening with this policy.

For many of us, english is not our mother language. And we often see our spelling/grammar errors much later than 15 minutes (or one full hour,  as I see you changed it). And yes, I always preview and check before post. We might ask you for a special extension when this happens, but most of us won't; and if we do, I guess you'll become too tired This is just an example for a very valid reason to edit, I'm sure there are many more.

At the very least I should extend this time well over the current period. I don't know how much control you have over this feature (if it is standard for the forum software, or if you developed it), but a possible better compromise would be to enable some kind of version history. Say, free edit for X time. After that, you still can edit, but only for a maximum of N times, and anybody would be able to read your editing history. I realize this is far from trivial to implement, just an idea.

Edited by ijor, Sun Dec 28, 2008 7:51 PM.

[Albert]

ijor, on Sun Dec 28, 2008 7:50 PM, said:

Albert, with all due respect (and I honestly consider you a great sysadmin), I don't think this is right. I realize that some people abuse this privilege, but I believe that the innocent should not pay for the guilty. And this is what is happening with this policy.

For many of us, english is not our mother language. And we often see our spelling/grammar errors much later than 15 minutes (or one full hour,  as I see you changed it). And yes, I always preview and check before post. We might ask you for a special extension when this happens, but most of us won't; and if we do, I guess you'll become too tired This is just an example for a very valid reason to edit, I'm sure there are many more.

At the very least I should extend this time well over the current period. I don't know how much control you have over this feature (if it is standard for the forum software, or if you developed it), but a possible better compromise would be to enable some kind of version history. Say, free edit for X time. After that, you still can edit, but only for a maximum of N times, and anybody would be able to read your editing history. I realize this is far from trivial to implement, just an idea.

I appreciate your feedback and sympathize with those for whom English is not their native tongue.  I think an hour is a reasonable amount of time to go back and edit any mistakes in your posts.  If you know you only have a limited window to edit your post, you'll hopefully be a bit more careful before submitting the post (the Preview button is your friend!), or at least you'll read it immediately after posting to see if there's anything you want to change.

You're right--a few bad apples have spoiled this for everyone.  But there's no real way to know in advance who might take advantage of the edit feature in a negative way.  It's caused many headaches for myself and moderators in the past.  The only reason this was not changed before now is I wanted to implement a means of excluding several forums from this restriction, as well as give users the ability to edit specific posts if need be.  

Really, if your native language is not English and I can still read (and understand) your posts, that's fine by me.  I don't care if your spelling and grammar are not perfect.  That's not what's important.  As long as I can comprehend what you're saying and the English isn't atrociously bad, you shouldn't be overly concerned.  

I may further increase the length of time the Edit window is available, although possibly not before I implement a system that actually keeps a history of post edits.  Then if someone goes back and edits a post (say, perhaps they said something derogatory and then edited that post before a mod or admin was able to see it), I will be able to look at the previous version of the post before it was changed.

..Al

[Random Terrain]

Albert, on Sun Dec 28, 2008 9:03 PM, said:

I may further increase the length of time the Edit window is available, although possibly not before I implement a system that actually keeps a history of post edits.  Then if someone goes back and edits a post (say, perhaps they said something derogatory and then edited that post before a mod or admin was able to see it), I will be able to look at the previous version of the post before it was changed.

Before this stuff was brought up at various times, I thought the forum software kept track of edits. I thought it had some kind of  built-in backup system.

Edited by Random Terrain, Sun Dec 28, 2008 8:40 PM.

[shadow460]

That would be awesome if the software could back up what was posted before an edit.  Then, although I might make a complete *censored* of myself, I can go back and change it so that only Al and the mods can see that I made a complete *censored* of myself and I can save face in front of the masses.

[Chickybaby]

Unless someone quoted you first.  

shadow460, on Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:06 PM, said:

That would be awesome if the software could back up what was posted before an edit.  Then, although I might make a complete *censored* of myself, I can go back and change it so that only Al and the mods can see that I made a complete *censored* of myself and I can save face in front of the masses.

[jens]

Hi.
I'd like to be able to edit my initial post in the List of Falcon owners.
Thanks for thinking about it.

[Albert]

jens, on Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:15 AM, said:

Hi.
I'd like to be able to edit my initial post in the List of Falcon owners.
Thanks for thinking about it.

You may now do so..

..Al

[jens]

Thanks a lot.

[user42]

I do need to update the first post in this thread....
http://www.atariage....howtopic=114509
Thanks.

[Albert]

user42, on Thu Jan 1, 2009 3:36 PM, said:

I do need to update the first post in this thread....
http://www.atariage....howtopic=114509
Thanks.

Done..  



..Al

[onmode-ky]

Al, could you allow me to edit this post indefinitely: Comprehensive Plug-and-Play Listing, post #1?  That's where I keep my list of all plug-and-play video game systems that I know about, current and historical versions.  I've maintained it since the end of 2005, adding a new version of the list to the post roughly every 3 months.  I didn't know about the new editing policy until I tried to upload an update today and thought I was going nuts because I couldn't find the edit button.

Also, this one is less important, since it's just a personal data post, but I'd like to be able to edit this post: Classic Arcade Pinball TV Game personal high scores.  As you can see, I posted my high scores once and then just continued to keep it up to date whenever I set a new high.

Thanks for your consideration.

onmode-ky

[Albert]

onmode-ky, on Thu Jan 8, 2009 3:23 AM, said:

Al, could you allow me to edit this post indefinitely: Comprehensive Plug-and-Play Listing, post #1?  That's where I keep my list of all plug-and-play video game systems that I know about, current and historical versions.  I've maintained it since the end of 2005, adding a new version of the list to the post roughly every 3 months.  I didn't know about the new editing policy until I tried to upload an update today and thought I was going nuts because I couldn't find the edit button.

Also, this one is less important, since it's just a personal data post, but I'd like to be able to edit this post: Classic Arcade Pinball TV Game personal high scores.  As you can see, I posted my high scores once and then just continued to keep it up to date whenever I set a new high.

Thanks for your consideration.

onmode-ky

Done!  

..Al

[Wester]

I could use access to the second post in the Heavy Sixer thread.

http://www.atariage....s...c=76656&hl=

Thanks

[Shannon]

Boo..  Just replying in here so I don't lose track of this thread.  

[Albert]

Wester, on Sun Jan 11, 2009 2:10 AM, said:

I could use access to the second post in the Heavy Sixer thread.

http://www.atariage....s...c=76656&hl=

Thanks

Done!

..Al

[DarthCalvin]

Just found this thread and I must say...

   Thanks Al!

Not only do I not mind it, I've been wanting it since the first week I started posting here.  I tried to go back and read old topics not only for fun but because I learned a lot of stuff I didn't know.  One poster in particular (guarantee Al knows who...) went back and put ... in place of EVERY POST!!!!  The only time I saw what he had said was when he was quoted by someone else.  All of the edits were done months or years after the original post.  I didn't pay attention but they were probably all done on the same day or close to it.  

It's perfect, don't change it

[jahfish]

hi al!

can you please unlock that one for me:  http://www.atariage....howtopic=141272

thanks

fish

[Albert]

jahfish, on Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:15 PM, said:

hi al!

can you please unlock that one for me:  http://www.atariage....howtopic=141272

thanks

fish

No.

[Albert]

jahfish, on Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:15 PM, said:

hi al!

can you please unlock that one for me:  http://www.atariage....howtopic=141272

thanks

fish

Done..

..Al

[shadow460]

May I edit the first post here?  I'd like to be able to add files in the first post where they will be easier to find.

Thanks!