You read your long thread and notice an error so you edit it.
You read it from the point where you got to the first time and notice another error. You edit it. But at this point you’re wondering if your edit window is up or almost up.
If you are like me this happens again (you have edited twice and still not finished ‘proof reading’) so at this point you think there’s no way you’ll get this third edit in. but you do (or you don’t, depending on your luck and how fast you can read and edit)
It struck me that it would be helpful to see, every time I press the ‘edit’ button exactly how much time I have left to edit.
So, how difficult would implementing such a feature be?
This would be nice, but I respectfully submit that what would be even better (if possible) is maybe a few more minutes to edit. I think there is a 5 minute limit right now, is that right? But I can never seem to adequately proof read either before hitting the submit button or within the edit window so my posts often remain riddled with embarrassing typos that make me cringe. Even just 15 or 20 minutes would be grand. That way there would be time for slow readers/editors like myself but would still discourage going back and editing later to change tone or content.
I understand the reasons behind there being only 5 minutes. I think one such reason is to prevent people from being able to retract things they genuinely meant to say if someone later posts something that totally destroys the validity of what they said.
And please forgive my frankness when I say here that if you are not able to get even half of your typos in five minutes then you need to adopt a policy of constructing your posts in an external application (such as notepad.exe if you are in windows) and proof-reading your post in that before you submit it to the sdmb.
an edit (the irony!): I realize that whole post seems hostile. I apologise for that I didn’t mean it to.
One problem with that is that it gives a pretty big window for other posters to quote and respond to your post, which may refer to something you’ve edited out. Such things happen with some regularity even with a five minute window. In a fast moving thread, a long edit window could contribute to confusion.
I understand the reason for the 5 minute window, and I was just throwing out random numbers meaning just a little more time, so that the reasons would be preserved but dufusses like me wouldn’t come across as not knowing the difference between “to” and “too”. I trust that everyone here understands the little typos like that, but it still embarrasses me to no end to miss them in the edit window and find them just seconds later.
No apology necessary, I didn’t read it as hostile at all. The worst thing is though that I can catch at least half the typos in the 5 minute window (or before hitting submit) it’s just the pesky ones that I overlook until it’s too late (“to” instead of “too”, “it’s” instead of “its” etc.) that annoy and embarrass me. It is sad, but I really am just that bad of a typist and my fingers get too far ahead of my brain.
(Bolding mine) I was like this when I first joined the dope. Years of being berated by grammar nazis and having my right to exist as a member of the human race be questioned by my ability to create a perfectly grammatically correct post have toned my post making skills no end.
This is what the Preview Post button is for. You can go back and edit multiple times to your heart’s content, and when you’re finally satisfied, THEN submit.
Ummm…yeah…I know, thanks. I was just trying to explain that every time I think I have cleaned up all the typos and then hit submit post (after previewing) is when I spot the ones I missed. It’s not that big of a deal really, and I didn’t mean to hijack this thread to discuss how to use the board features, but thanks anyway.
Back to the OP, sorry about that! Obviously your suggestion for some kind of time reminder is better than mine for a few extra minutes.
CompoSe your reply
HoPe that it’s coherent
Review for spelLing mistakes
DecIde if your reply is OK
If it isN’t, time for an edit
Post your reply, happy in the knowledge that you haven’t made a mistaKe
I thought the reason for the limit was to keep people from saying one thing, and then coming back and changing it later to make them look inocent. I didn’t think that somebody replyong to it would factor it, as they would have the quote. Not to mention one time I tried to edit my post only one minute later, and couldn’t because someone else had already replied. (If it had just been a typo, it would have been fine, but it involved misreading a whole post, and getting way too mad.)
As for keeping track of how long you’ve got left, couldn’t this be done with a Greasemonkey script or something? All it would have to do is start a five minute timer after you submit a new post. Heck, you could probably do that yourself with a stopwatch program.
I didn’t mean it to.