# 'ETA:' versus 'Edit:' **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 4, 2008, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988 "2008-04-04T21:55:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/21 "2011-08-20T04:53:35Z")
I use ETA all the time, but apparantly I just broke the cherry of a number of people who have been online for decades and had no clue what it meant, not even in context. What’s amusing is that if you google it, this thread comes up third on the results list. 😛 Tell me it’s not just a Doper thing and I somehow picked it up here? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/22 "2011-08-20T05:02:14Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I don’t normally put any remark on any edit I make, becaue so far it’s always been a minor typo fix or word change. But I also don’t like ETA, or how everyone seems to want to indicate every edit they make when they make it. Other boards don’t bother with that kind of stuff, I really don’t think we need it here, even if we are mostly anally retentive sticklers for accuracy. I really only use it if I want to add something that relates to a post that came in after mine or while I was posting or I want to add something to my post in such a way that it’s easier just to drop it in at the end then to try to reword the post in the five minute edit window. The ETA acronym is just a quick way for me to let the reader know why the last sentence seems out of place. If you really want to get annoyed look at the mafia games with all the posts that start out with NETA (Not Edited To Add). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/23 "2011-08-20T05:10:20Z")
I’ve started using EDIT: specifically because people complained of not knowing what ETA meant. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/24 "2011-08-20T07:10:47Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > If you really want to get annoyed look at the mafia games with all the posts that start out with NETA (Not Edited To Add). Some people have a real thing about posting right after themselves and want to make it clear that, at least in their mind, this second post is really just part of the first post. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/25 "2011-08-20T07:11:48Z")
I don’t have this problem. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/26 "2011-08-20T13:43:24Z")
AAMOF, IIRC, the AAAAA lists 2 ETAs. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/27 "2011-08-20T13:46:35Z")
Context is everything. ETA: There is no way this could refer to an arrival time. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/28 "2011-08-20T13:49:56Z")
I always write it out-“edited” or “edited to add”. I guess I’m too old school. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/29 "2011-08-20T17:47:01Z")
I read ETA as “Edited to Add”, which is a statement of what happened. I read Edit as a statement of something to do…which I obviously can’t…'cause it isn’t my thread. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/30 "2011-08-20T17:56:50Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Context is everything. > > ETA: There is no way this could refer to an arrival time. Exactly. When we’re discussing Affirmative Action, and someone posts “AA”, people generally don’t mistake that for Alcoholics Anonymous. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/31 "2011-08-20T18:02:15Z")
I use both, depending on the situation. I am going to post this then immediately edit to explain the difference. Edit: Orginally the above read I use both. I am going to post this then immediately edit to explain the difference. I just added the “depending” bit. ETA: This is reserved for when I add a new sentence or paragraph to a post rather than changing what I had previously written. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/32 "2011-08-20T18:50:43Z")
^^^^ Prezactly. Ok, thanks for confirming I’m not just making up stuff as I go along. ETA: It’s been known to happen. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/33 "2011-08-20T18:51:02Z")
I’ve been wondering what ETA was for a looong time, but it never quite rose to the level of wanting to ask. Thanks for asking **Lobster**. Question: What if you remove something, is that ETR? ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/34 "2011-08-20T21:31:45Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > I’ve been wondering what ETA was for a looong time, but it never quite rose to the level of wanting to ask. Thanks for asking **Lobster**. > Question: What if you remove something, is that ETR? Now that sounds like fun! On this board, I’d just use the area that you can fill in as to why you’re editing to explain. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/35 "2011-08-21T01:11:14Z")
> [@Taomist](#): > > Now that sounds like fun! > > On this board, I’d just use the area that you can fill in as to why you’re editing to explain. That field is for wisecracks. It is ONLY for wisecracks. Every time you use it in a serious fashion you make Baby Dionysus cry. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/36 "2011-08-21T03:01:02Z")
Quoth **Joey P** : > [@](#): > > If you really want to get annoyed look at the mafia games with all the posts that start out with NETA (Not Edited To Add). Of course, that’s largely because actual editing is often frowned upon in Mafia games, by the game moderator and/or the other players. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/37 "2011-08-21T06:27:11Z")
Huh…when I see ETA I always thought it meant E Tu, Uteri? which I find eminently appropriate… -XT ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/38 "2011-08-21T22:19:52Z")
I’m going to Paris on Thursday. ETA:ETA:5 am ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/39 "2011-08-21T22:51:17Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > I’m going to Paris on Thursday. > > ETA:ETA:5 am Nicely done. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988/40 "2011-08-21T22:51:41Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Every time I see someone type ‘ETA:’ in an edit I think… > “Estimated Time of Arrival” > I know exactly what they mean, but still my brain looks and says “Estimated Time of Arrival”. > I use ‘edit:’ > Just saying. How about just leaving it out altogether? > [@Lobsang](#): > > So how do people know what you added? They don’t need to know. 99.9999 percent of the time it’s either obvious or trivial. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eta-versus-edit/443988.md?page=1)