# Why am I time-limited to 5 minutes on my edits? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 1, 2013, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103 "2013-10-01T16:04:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/1 "2013-10-01T16:04:42Z")
It wasn’t that way when I started posting. WTF is the problem with the moderation here? Get over yourselves. ROFL ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/2 "2013-10-01T16:05:22Z")
We’ve had that five-minute limit for years and years. Your limits didn’t change. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/3 "2013-10-01T16:05:58Z")
It’s been 5 minutes since they allowed edits. Most of the time I’ve been here, there was no editing. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/4 "2013-10-01T16:12:45Z")
I’m just wondering why no one’s ever asked this before. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/5 "2013-10-01T16:25:57Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > It wasn’t that way when I started posting. WTF is the problem with the moderation here? Get over yourselves. ROFL In some cases heightened moderation is warranted. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/6 "2013-10-01T16:42:17Z")
Wait, is the question why there’s a limit, or is it why you’re subject to the same rules as everyone else? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/7 "2013-10-01T16:42:32Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > It’s been 5 minutes since they allowed edits. Most of the time I’ve been here, there was no editing. Cite for “most of the time I’ve been here” 🙂 Actually, when _did_ they enable editing posts? If it’s before 2006, you may need to edit that! ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/8 "2013-10-01T16:43:08Z")
The edit feature was enabled in January of 2007. The 5 minute limit was present right from the start. You can see it being discussed in these threads from back then: > **[We can edit?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=404708)** > > CP is NOT a big fat dummy. This bodes ill, I can tell… > **[Edit function suggestion](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=404741)** > > As the edit function is now implemented, it appears that when a poster edits his or her post and notes a reason for the edit, there is a tag line added noting the edit, the time of the edit, and the reason for the edit. (See my Post No. 5 here ) On... If you view your post before the five minutes has expired, you’ll see the edit button. If you don’t refresh your browser, that button will stay visible there pretty much forever. The page won’t refresh on its own. If you refresh your browser after five minutes the button will be gone. If you haven’t refreshed your browser and you click on the edit button after the five minutes has expired, you’ll find that it gives you an error basically saying you missed the edit window. So it is possible to see the edit button after five minutes, but it’s not possible to actually use it after the five minute timer has expired. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/9 "2013-10-01T16:46:43Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Cite for “most of the time I’ve been here” 🙂 > Actually, when _did_ they enable editing posts? If it’s before 2006, you may need to edit that! I did a search later. I didn’t realize it had been that long. But I was still right. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/10 "2013-10-01T16:49:26Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Wait, is the question why there’s a limit, or is it why you’re subject to the same rules as everyone else? It sounds like the OP thinks he had more time to edit when he joined and now only has five minutes, which isn’t true. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/11 "2013-10-01T17:01:55Z")
The OP thinks any number of things. All of which are…shaky. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/12 "2013-10-01T17:24:42Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > It wasn’t that way when I started posting. WTF is the problem with the moderation here? Get over yourselves. ROFL Rolling on the floor laughing?? ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/13 "2013-10-01T19:01:30Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Rolling on the floor laughing?? Because he can’t ROFE. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/14 "2013-10-01T19:12:25Z")
When I first started posting here on the Straight Dope I would wear sun god robes and stand on a large pyramid while the various female members of the board would worship me and throw little pickles at my feet. I really wish the mods would get over themselves, stop ROFL and, you know, get over themselves and stuff so I could have that back! And if I didn’t mention it, they need to get over themselves…and stuff. Damn mods… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/15 "2013-10-01T19:33:20Z")
You get little pickles? I get large sums of money, in unmarked bank notes. It’s the only reason that I stay here, really. ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/16 "2013-10-01T19:38:26Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > The OP thinks any number of things. All of which are…shaky. So this subforum has Pit rules, then? Classy. ROFL ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/17 "2013-10-01T19:39:57Z")
No, it doesn’t. To get back to the point: your ability to edit your posts has never changed. Do you have any other questions? ---
**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:** [October 1, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/18 "2013-10-01T19:45:38Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > You get little pickles? I get large sums of money, in unmarked bank notes. It’s the only reason that I stay here, really. The irony being I HATE pickles, little or otherwise. To paraphrase Smith, it’s the smell… ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/19 "2013-10-01T19:46:13Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > ROFL Again? You spend more time down there than my Swiffer. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103/20 "2013-10-01T19:46:26Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > So this subforum has Pit rules, then? Classy. > > ROFL You’re easily amused. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-time-limited-to-5-minutes-on-my-edits/670103.md?page=2)