# Why Only ~5 minutes to Edit Post **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 19, 2011, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942 "2011-02-19T22:34:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![NCDane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecccb3/32.png) [@NCDane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NCDane)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/41 "2011-02-20T00:26:54Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > No school would have me. I’m self-taught. 😛 I think modern preferred terminology is “challenged”. > [@Marley23](#): > > Except the answer to your question is “yes,” I’ve been to sites with a longer edit window. I haven’t been a member of a site with an editing window of 30 minutes or two hours… And there were problems at those that for some reason never occurred at the numerous other sites where I have had extensive experience? > [@Marley23](#): > > but I’ve been here (with no editing at first, and then a limit of five minutes) and I’ve been to a site with no time limit on edits. I realize there is room in the middle but I think I get the concept. I do not think it is reasonable to characterize a 5 minutes as “in the middle”, and I am not inquiring about “concept”. I am inquiring about actual problems experienced due to longer edit windows, let us say anywhere from 1/2 to 2 hours. > [@Marley23](#): > > I also don’t think my answers to your questions have been rude or unreasonable. Rude, no. Unreasonable, yes. ---
**Author:** ![NCDane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecccb3/32.png) [@NCDane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NCDane)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/42 "2011-02-20T00:34:55Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Really? And in all that time you never noticed you don’t need to hit ‘return’ at the end of each line? :dubious: Yes, really. I prefer shorter lines because of: [ol] [li]Eccentricity, and[/li][li]I think they are easier to read[/li][/ol] Of course I know I can go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on etcetera etcetera etcetera etcetera etcetera etcetera etcetera etcetera etcetera etcetera etcetera etcetera blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah .blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/43 "2011-02-20T00:37:57Z")
I use the edit function when I see I’ve left out a word which would change the meaning of what was written. I also use it when something occurs to me after posting and I can still get into the window to add it. Sometimes I make it, sometimes I don’t, and I used to get really peeved over it, but now it just doesn’t seem a priority anymore since posting here is pretty much a daily activity for me. Besides, I’m prone to writing a lot of goofy shit anyway, and I think most of you know that and will either let it go or ask for a clarification. Q ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/44 "2011-02-20T00:38:20Z")
> [@NCDane](#): > > Yes, really. > > I prefer shorter lines because of: > > [ol] > [li]Eccentricity, and[/li][li]I think they are easier to read[/li][/ol] TS,DR ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/45 "2011-02-20T00:41:24Z")
**NCDane**. While YOU may have not noticed any problems on any other Boards on which you have posted low these many years, WE have on this Board. That’s why we have the 5 minute limit. This is a liberalization of the rule for the first nine years of the Board with NO editing ability. We’ve had no problems since instituting this 5 min. limit. But there’s almost no chance the time limit will be changed. As others have offered, if you need something changed, email a mod or report your own post. We’ll do it for you. ---
**Author:** ![NCDane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecccb3/32.png) [@NCDane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NCDane)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/46 "2011-02-20T00:42:36Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I remain unconvinced. So far you charter member guys strike me as an unimpressive lot. Very unimpressive. Unimpressive in the extreme. So unimpressive that I am tempted to do a search on your posts, and pick out some of the worst of them to skewer. However, that might be considered a violation of some kind, and I actually like it here despite the efforts of certain people to make me not like it, so I will try to stay away from such tactics. But don’t consider any of the preceding to be a promise, or a commitment, or anything like that. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/47 "2011-02-20T00:49:27Z")
> [@srzss05](#): > > I meant the person editing was the child, not the reader. However, if it really does bother you if someone edits their post to say something different then perhaps you care too much. This is just a message board, and sometimes I think people take it too seriously. I don’t think I’ve ever been accused of taking this message board too seriously or caring too much, but I still contend that it really makes a thread difficult to read if someone does edit out there original conversation to say something entirely different. Especially if the quote feature is used, but again, that’s just my interpretation and I’m one that likes to keep post integrity intact. To each their own. ---
**Author:** ![NCDane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecccb3/32.png) [@NCDane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NCDane)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/48 "2011-02-20T01:02:16Z")
> [@RM\_Mentock](#): > > Ironic. I missed the irony. > [@RM\_Mentock](#): > > But, at least one person has, so that’s enough. Besides, who cares about typhos anywya? I care. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/49 "2011-02-20T01:05:39Z")
> [@NCDane](#): > > I think they are easier to read Well, that’s the important thing. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/50 "2011-02-20T01:06:15Z")
> [@NCDane](#): > > The only reason I ever heard for the shorter limit was that members might > deviously edit for material content under some circumstances. I have never > in several years and 300 days activity per year ever seen noticed anyone > doing that, and i wonder if the porblem would be insignificant if it existed at all. All it takes is someone posting a cite in GD and claim it supports their position, another person pointing out the cite really says the opposite, whereupon the cite is edited out and of the first post and someone says “what cite?” I’ve seen this happen on a non-moderated board with an unlimited edit time. Here, someone would inevitably get the mods involved. The mods get enough shit as it is without getting them involved in edit wars. ---
**Author:** ![srzss05](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@srzss05](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/srzss05)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/51 "2011-02-20T01:17:09Z")
> [@NCDane](#): > > Yes, really. > > I prefer shorter lines because of: > > [ol] > [li]Eccentricity, and[/li][li]I think they are easier to read[/li][/ol] > [@NCDane](#): > > So far you charter member guys strike me as an unimpressive lot. Very unimpressive. Unimpressive in the extreme. So unimpressive that I am tempted to do a search on your posts, and pick out some of the worst of them to skewer. However, that might be considered a violation of some kind, and I actually like it here despite the efforts of certain people to make me not like it, so I will try to stay away from such tactics. But don’t consider any of the preceding to be a promise, or a commitment, or anything like that. I only quote the second to make a comparison. The second is far easier to read in any modern browser. ---
**Author:** ![NCDane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecccb3/32.png) [@NCDane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NCDane)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/52 "2011-02-20T01:17:22Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > **NCDane**. While YOU may have not noticed any problems on any other Boards on which you have posted low these many years, WE have on this Board. That’s why we have the 5 minute limit. This is a liberalization of the rule for the first nine years of the Board with NO editing ability. We’ve had no problems since instituting this 5 min. limit. “Problems” my foot. How could you have noticed a problem if _before_ the 2008 upgrade if there was **no** edit function? And if there have been all these terrible “problems” since “liberalization” then I would think “liberalization” would have been revoked long ago. > [@samclem](#): > > But there’s almost no chance the time limit will be changed. Fine, I give the hell up. > [@samclem](#): > > As others have offered, if you need something changed, email a mod or report your own post. We’ll do it for you. Thank you. I have PMed you concerning the specific error which led to this thread. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/53 "2011-02-20T01:26:08Z")
> [@NCDane](#): > > Fine, I give the hell up. [del]My job is done here[/del]. Sorry. 🙂 > [@](#): > > Thank you. I have PMed you concerning the specific error which led to this thread. I’ve corrected it. See how easy that was? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/54 "2011-02-20T01:29:12Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > I use the edit function when I see I’ve left out a word which would change the meaning of what was written. > > I also use it when something occurs to me after posting and I can still get into the window to add it. I’d like to add one to those good reasons to use the edit function. Sometimes, perhaps due to posting activity during the time I am working on a reply, I would like to add to a recent post. I could make another post (increasing the post count), or add thru the edit function. Since it is not my primary mission here to inflate my post count, I usually take advantage of the edit function to do that. > [@NCDane](#): > > So far you charter member guys strike me as an unimpressive lot. Very unimpressive. Unimpressive in the extreme. So unimpressive that I am tempted to do a search on your posts, and pick out some of the worst of them to skewer. **NCDane,** you seem to have a chip on your shoulder, and are itching for a fight for some unknown reason. If so, I suggest you choose your target and take it to the Pit. Personally, it’s hard for me to get riled up with any of your threats. I’ve survived 12 years here, and plan to stick around for a just a little more if I am allowed to. Meanwhile, I’ve seen others come and go, some flaming out rather spectacularly. It’s no big deal to me if you insult me or not; my skin is pretty thick. Attitudes, civility and The Mods are bigger threats to your survival than I am. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/55 "2011-02-20T01:46:42Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > … some flaming out rather spectacularly. I give him about two weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/56 "2011-02-20T01:48:49Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > And it’s becoming clear to some of us that a person who has been part of this board for only a short month might be better off watching, listening and learning for a little longer before banging down the battlements with high-tension complaints. **Musicat** , I disagree with this ad hominem approach. When relatively new posters come in with complaints about the board, the thing to do is either meet them on the merits of their arguments, or ignore them. Telling someone his opinion is worthless because he has not been around as long as somebody else discourages discourse, and risks intimidating new members or current lurkers. And since new members are the lifeblood of any message board, this approach can be quite damaging. On a side note, it does seem like the OP has a chip on his shoulder, and is starting to take these responses personally. I would encourage him (her?) to take a step back. ---
**Author:** ![NCDane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecccb3/32.png) [@NCDane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NCDane)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/57 "2011-02-20T02:06:56Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > **NCDane,** you seem to have a chip on your shoulder, and are itching for a fight for some unknown reason. If so, I suggest you choose your target and take it to the Pit. Personally, it’s hard for me to get riled up with any of your threats. I’ve survived 12 years here, and plan to stick around for a just a little more if I am allowed to. Meanwhile, I’ve seen others come and go, some flaming out rather spectacularly. It’s no big deal to me if you insult me or not; my skin is pretty thick. Attitudes, civility and The Mods are bigger threats to your survival than I am. I take what might be called a rough-and-tumble approach to debate. Am glad to know about your thick skin. Hold on to it! ---
**Author:** ![NCDane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecccb3/32.png) [@NCDane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NCDane)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/58 "2011-02-20T02:12:44Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > I give him about two weeks. Hammy!- there you are! Hadn’t heard from you and your fits and LOLs for a while. I guess doing the tech work on all those intellectually stimulating computer games of yours has been taking up a lot energy. Keep up the great work, and look forward to hearing from me for a lot longer than two weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/59 "2011-02-20T02:14:32Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > **NCDane**. While YOU may have not noticed any problems on any other Boards on which you have posted low these many years, WE have on this Board. That’s why we have the 5 minute limit. This is a liberalization of the rule for the first nine years of the Board with NO editing ability. We’ve had no problems since instituting this 5 min. limit. But there’s almost no chance the time limit will be changed. > [@NCDane](#): > > “Problems” my foot. > > How could you have noticed a problem if _before_ the 2008 upgrade if > there was **no** edit function? Did the AOL board have an edit function? I don’t remember. ---
**Author:** ![NCDane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecccb3/32.png) [@NCDane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NCDane)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942/60 "2011-02-20T02:14:59Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > I’ve corrected it. See how easy that was? 🙂 Thanks again, but it would have been much easier for me to have made the innocuous correction myself. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-only-5-minutes-to-edit-post/571942.md?page=4)