# Editing function **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 4, 2021, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editing-function/945675 "2021-07-04T19:31:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2021, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editing-function/945675/1 "2021-07-04T19:31:02Z")
Did a couple edits recently on a post, but didn’t see that annoying little orange pencil thingy at the top right of my post. To confirm, then, that that thing’s gone? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2021, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editing-function/945675/2 "2021-07-04T19:38:11Z")
I’ve noticed this and I’m just guessing. I think you get a certain length of time after the original post to edit without it being labeled edited. Then there is a certain period of time you can edit with the label. And finally after a certain amount of time, you can’t edit at all. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2021, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editing-function/945675/3 "2021-07-04T19:54:27Z")
This is accurate. I’m not actually sure what the first two periods are though. I think currently it is 5 minutes (no edit indicated) and then 15 or maybe 20 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2021, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editing-function/945675/4 "2021-07-05T01:11:45Z")
Doesn’t Discourse also make a distinction between “minor” edits (fixing a typo or spelling error), versus “major” edits (adding or changing entire hunks to text), according to some heuristic algorithm? I think I recall **codinghorror** discussing that a while back. I also think I’ve noticed this: When you quote the entirety of the immediately previous post, and Discourse kindly edits out the entire quote, the edit icon appears for that. I might edit his post itself to test the major vs minor edit theory. ETA: I just fixed a one-letter typo and didn’t see an edit icon. ETA-2: Having added the above ETA, I still don’t see an edit icon. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2021, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editing-function/945675/5 "2021-07-05T01:13:50Z")
But here, I quote the entire above post, which I expect Discourse will delete, and I expect to see the edit icon. ETA: Yes, the edit icon is there. Does everyone see it, or does only the person who made the post see it? ETA-2: Having added the above ETA, the edit icon shows 2 edits. I suppose with this ETA-2, it will show 3 edits. ETA-3: No, it still shows only 2 edits. What’s the rule about that? ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2021, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editing-function/945675/6 "2021-07-05T01:23:13Z")
There’s a certain Spanish subject from back in the 15th century who should be asking that question.\* Sorry I can’t be of more help on that one, but do appreciate the input so far. \*had to ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2021, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editing-function/945675/7 "2021-07-05T19:32:50Z")
There is a short grace period after posting during which edits are “free”, to cover simple typos and errors after posting. If you edit a large percentage of your post, we force a full edit revision though, so only smaller edits fit into the grace period.