# Unable to edit **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 25, 2001, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-edit/89498 "2001-10-25T07:32:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Obvious\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Obvious\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obvious_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-edit/89498/1 "2001-10-25T07:32:10Z")
The edit/delete button will not work. It goes to a screen where is asks for my username and password. I enter it, then it justs loops back to that screen. Yes I have cookies on and yes I entered my username\password correctly. Does anyone else have this problem? btw Im using Internet Explorer. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-edit/89498/2 "2001-10-25T07:39:00Z")
_Everyone_ else has this problem. Ordinary members cannot edit or delete posts, as per the forum rules at the top of the reply window. The view seems to be that we have enough misunderstandings and get into enough trouble as it is. ---
**Author:** ![arachnidlove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@arachnidlove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arachnidlove)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-edit/89498/3 "2001-10-25T13:08:07Z")
check the bottom of the screen on a thread… “Changes: Messages CANNOT be edited by their author. Messages CANNOT be deleted by their author.” ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-edit/89498/4 "2001-10-25T13:55:01Z")
If you have made some grevious error in coding or spelling you’d like cleaned up, e-mail the forum moderators and one of them will fix it when they have time. We won’t, however, change the content of your post if you happen to have put a foot wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Obvious\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Obvious\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obvious_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-edit/89498/5 "2001-10-25T17:54:34Z")
Thanks all for the replies. I think its silly that they wont let us edit our own messages, but oh well… ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-edit/89498/6 "2001-10-25T18:16:40Z")
You wouldn’t think it was quite so silly if someone edited one of your messages to be a flaming attack on a moderator, or if somebody spewed a bunch of ridiculous tripe about one of your opinions and then deleted said tripe after you responded in kind, thus making you look like a goof in front of all these people. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-edit/89498/7 "2001-10-25T18:25:34Z")
(looking up at **Ethilrist** ) [sub]…nahhhhhhhhhhhhh. I just couldn’t. It would be \*wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-edit/89498/8 "2001-10-25T21:11:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ethilrist \* > \*\*You wouldn’t think it was quite so silly if someone edited one of your messages to be a flaming attack on a moderator, or if somebody spewed a bunch of ridiculous tripe about one of your opinions and then deleted said tripe after you responded in kind, thus making you look like a goof in front of all these people. \*\* While this is entirely true, and it is not silly at all for the SDMB to restrict editing/deleting, that by no means says that allowing Members to edit and/or delete is silly either. I personally think a 2-minute edit timer (the timout can be set easily within vBulletin) would not be bad, but I am by no means suggesting that the SDMB consider it - they obviously have already, and have decided it is not for them. C’est la vie. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Corrado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a88e4f/32.png) [@John\_Corrado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Corrado)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2001, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-edit/89498/9 "2001-10-25T21:16:32Z")
Actually, while those _are_ some of the reasons we don’t allow editing, the largest overall is the drain on the server. We have enough problems as it is keeping the server happy and uncrashed during regular operations; allowing people to edit previous posts would increase our load by a good chunk, and the board would move _even slower_, if such a thought is comprehensible. ---
**Author:** ![DopeyDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@DopeyDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DopeyDave)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2001, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-edit/89498/10 "2001-10-27T03:59:51Z")
As a new member, I was concerned at first, but am now happy with it (I hadn’t read the faq or the forum rules). I think the only valid reason given so far is the drain on the server. (But this is _very_ valid.) In other boards,you can edit your own posts but not those of other people. Embarrassment at resonding to criticism that is later removed is unlikely, and in those rare instances you could remove your own reply . But the present system is fine, I think, because of the review facility, where you can see your post as it will appear in its final form. It is like sending off a letter to a publication, but better: you have to proof-read it, since you have no second chance, but you know exactly how it will look. Moderaters, would it be possible to remind new Dopers to read the faq and the forum rules for guidelines/rules/capabilities for posting? Alternatively, or as well, you could modify the message at the side of the reply box to mention ‘editing restrictions’, not just codes. I know the rules are at the top of the reply page, but new people often need a little more halp. Cheers. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2001, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unable-to-edit/89498/11 "2001-10-27T16:59:17Z")
We all need **halp** from time to time! [sub]Sorry, I just could not resist[/sub]