# Why Can't We Edit Our Own Posts Here? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 26, 2003, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413 "2003-06-26T01:17:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pepper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/1 "2003-06-26T01:17:36Z")
I can understand not being able to edit anyone else’s, or to keep popping in 20 times to change stuff, but I frequently find I’ve turned a phrase wrong, or misspelled something, and can’t get back in to correct it. Why is that verboten? ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/2 "2003-06-26T01:22:26Z")
Oh god…more purple. Oh well…it’s to stop someone from posting something inflamatory the going back and removing it. BTW…this post belongs on the ATMB board. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/3 "2003-06-26T01:34:47Z")
Reeder, you’ve been here for over two years and you STILL don’t know how to edit your own posts? Sheesh! Get with the program. [sub]_This post edited by Enderw24 on 5-25-03 8:40 pm CST_[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/4 "2003-06-26T01:40:04Z")
[sub]_“This post edited by Enderw24 on 5-25-03 8:40 pm CST”[/sub]_ Yes, well: Maybe you’d care to edit again to correct the month? 😛 😛 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/5 "2003-06-26T01:43:28Z")
And also the time, as the “edit” was made before the actual post. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/6 "2003-06-26T02:11:53Z")
Because small things like typos, spelling errors, etc. are not worth worrying about. And because big things like getting your facts wrong, unfairly abusing someone, making a stupid argument, etc., are things we should be willing to think about before you post, and stand by afterwards. Can you imagine all the “revising” that would go on if people could edit their posts? It would make it very difficult to call people on their hypocrisy, inexplicable changes of heart, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Oy\_Vey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dbc845/32.png) [@Oy\_Vey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy_Vey)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/7 "2003-06-26T02:14:07Z")
You can set a time limit on editing posts with vBulliten… several boards I frequent have a 15 to 30 minute time limit. I know preview is your friend, but its easy to hit the wrong button. I’d say 5 minutes to correct typos is fair. ---
**Author:** ![Dragonblink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Dragonblink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragonblink)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/8 "2003-06-26T02:17:31Z")
Man, you can set your watch by the “Why can’t I edit my posts?” complaints. We have been over and over and over this. Just trust me, you can’t now and you won’t be able to in the future. Preview is your friend (having said that, I know I’ll eff up this post somewhere) and all that. 🙂 (psst – IIRC the mods said ixnay on the akefay ‘editedway’ ostspay) ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/9 "2003-06-26T02:20:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mhendo \* > \*\*Because small things like typos, spelling errors, etc. are not worth worrying about. > > And because big things like getting your facts wrong, unfairly abusing someone, making a stupid argument, etc., are things we should be willing to think about before you post, and stand by afterwards. > > Can you imagine all the “revising” that would go on if people could edit their posts? It would make it very difficult to call people on their hypocrisy, inexplicable changes of heart, etc. \*\* But if it’s [good enough for congress](http://www.law.ufl.edu/lic/guides/federal/record&debates.html) , why can’t I?😃 ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/10 "2003-06-26T02:38:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Reeder \* > \*\* > BTW…this post belongs on the ATMB board. > \*\* IIRC, “what” and “how” questions go in ATMB and “why” Questions come here. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/11 "2003-06-26T02:47:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dissonance \* > \*\*But if it’s [good enough for congress](http://www.law.ufl.edu/lic/guides/federal/record&debates.html) , why can’t I?😃 \*\* That’s Congress; at the SDMB, we try to live up to a higher standard! 🙂 JFTR, if the problem is truly significant, e.g., a coding error that leaves 3/4 of your post in bold or makes it appear that the columnist you quoted a paragraph from wrote the following 10 paragraphs of your own words, or having mistyped “now” for “not” in the most critical sentence of your well-reasoned argument, the Mods. will generally be willing to make a correction for you – use the “Report this Post” function to ask for a fix. ---
**Author:** ![Doc\_Nickel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@Doc\_Nickel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doc_Nickel)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/12 "2003-06-26T03:13:38Z")
> [@](#): > > **…the Mods. will generally be willing to make a correction for you – use the “Report this Post” function to ask for a fix.** And trust me, they have **no** sense of humor when you ask them “can you make my post sound like I know what I’m talking about?” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/13 "2003-06-26T04:01:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*\*Enderw24 \*\* > > [sub]_This post edited by Enderw24 on 5-25-03 8:40 pm CST_[/sub] **Enderw24** , I know you were trying to be cute, but we _really_ don’t like fake edited-by lines in posts. It can lead to confusion. Don’t do this again. **DrMatrix** - Moderator ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/14 "2003-06-26T04:37:52Z")
Here is an Admininstrator’s answer to [Please let me edit my posts](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=186725) > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*\*C K Dexter Haven \*\* > And, please note, what’s the big deal if there’s a minor mispelling in a post? > > While I have no doubt that you (and most posters) are mature and responsible and would not misuse or abuse the power to edit, there are plenty of posters who have none of those traits, and would not hesitate editing their posts to cause confusion and troubles and jokes and… > > If you make a typo that causes serious problems or misreading (for instance, if you typed “now” when you meant “not”, say), email a Mod and we’ll be happy to edit for you. You could also use the “Report this post to a moderator” link at the bottom of your post to request an edit of your post. **DrMatrix** - Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Crunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Chief\_Crunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Crunch)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/15 "2003-06-26T10:28:54Z")
We used to be able to use img tags and HTML, but all it takes is one or two idiots who cause trouble and ruin it for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/16 "2003-06-26T10:39:56Z")
I also post at [www.fanhome.com](http://www.fanhome.com). They allow editing of posts. And it has been abused. People will post lies and erroneous info, then go back and correct when they are called on it. If you have not followed the thread from the begining, it looks like the poster that called foul is being an ass. It’s better our way. ---
**Author:** ![Ben\_Hicks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbce88/32.png) [@Ben\_Hicks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ben_Hicks)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/17 "2003-06-26T11:49:47Z")
> [@](#): > > You can set a time limit on editing posts with vBulliten… several boards I frequent have a 15 to 30 minute time limit. I know preview is your friend, but its easy to hit the wrong button. I’d say 5 minutes to correct typos is fair. Can we do this here? It sounds like the perfect solution to the problem **C K Dexter Haven** was talking about. On the one hand I’d be able to do away with embarrassing mistakes like [This](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=193423) where I accidentally pressed the submit button 5 paragraphs too soon and on the other hand I wouldn’t be able to creatively edit my post after the fact in serious forums like GD and GQ to make people look stupid or change my story because by the time anyone else had read it I would have lost the power to correct my mistake. If it’s technically possible I think it’s worth bearing mind. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/18 "2003-06-26T11:57:25Z")
When I registered here a couple of years ago, I was a refugee from Usenet. Consequently, the concept of editing posts was completely alien to me so it was something I didn’t even know was missing. When I finally branched out to other, smaller boards that had enabled this function, I was quite surprised, as the potential for abuse is huge. Heck, if it were easy to edit posts in Usenet, what is already a lunatic asylum would become completely unusable. The SDMB way is much better, just proof read, spelllcheck, and preview. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/19 "2003-06-26T11:59:28Z")
And, yes, I’m aware of the irony in mis-spelling “spellcheck”. ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413/20 "2003-06-26T12:14:51Z")
Yeah, aside for the ability of people to be shitheads, how much worse would the board be speed wise if this was turned on? Anyone know for sure? Besides my frequent typos are charming. Right? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-we-edit-our-own-posts-here/184413.md?page=2)