Edit is essential

There is something that bothers me a bit. When someone writes a PM to you and then, it's removed before you open it.

I don't think gaslighting is a good enough reason not to allow us to edit posts. Sometimes I post stuff when I'm very tired (like right now) and it's not very coherent, so I would like to be able to expand on it later. Also, sometimes I post things in a fit of emotion and when I calm down it makes me feel vulnerable that they're still there.

Another problem I have with that is that people can comment on really old posts because there's no way to remove them. A while ago someone commented on a post I made on the depression forum two years ago and it was pretty upsetting. It felt patronizing to be admonished on what I should have done at that time.

Apropos of nothing, I really like your avatar. I don't think I've ever seen this illustration of Alice.

Thanks! I've been on this site on and off for three years and I only uploaded an avatar the other day, thought it was time. It was drawn by Arthur Rackham.

Well....

I can understand the reasoning behind limitations on posts. Especially the gaslighting. If space were not an option, I'd like to see a much longer (or indefinite) edit window, and have it like FB where you can see the edit history. That would easily preserve any abusive posts but allow those of us who don't see our typos to fix them at our convenience, and amend old posts, for that matter.

Thanks, Lady Mondegreen.
I've googled the artist. I probably have encountered his work at some point, but now I'll remember.

It is an interesting picture because the scene depicted is funny in absurd way, yet it actually looks melancholy and sad.

I wish a mod or admin would answer and let us know why the edit policy was changed and if we will get edit back. I don't even remember when it was changed. Was there and announcement or post notifying us that the edit rule was changed? Or am I imagining that we used to be able to edit. I see this from 2009:

Postby salted lipstick » Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:49 pm

Editing/deleting posts: For an extremely short time there may be a window of opportunity to edit your post for the purposes of correcting spelling and clarifying meaning. Beyond that time you will not be able to alter or delete your post and you have in effect conveyed a license in perpetuity to use that content here at Psychforums.

But I remember back when I joined in 2007 I could edit a post even weeks later. In fact I remember deleted a bunch of posts when some jerk came in and started trolling me. That was 2009. Was that rule changed back in 2009?

Hey guys

The timeframe for post editing was changed some time back. I'm not certain of exactly when- possibly before my time as a mod. As it says in the rules, there is a short window for editing that you can use- it's long enough that when reading back through a post you've just made, you can go back and edit spelling, punctuation etc.

The timeframe was changed as people were abusing the privilege- editing all their posts to dot posts, and when others go back looking for info or something similar to what they're going through, posts are gone, or a thread becomes totally meaningless because someone has edited every second post from it, which is hardly helpful in a community. Especially when people have put time and effort into responses.

There won't be any changes made to lengthen the edit times. Sorry.

lilyfairy wrote:The timeframe was changed as people were abusing the privilege- editing all their posts to dot posts, and when others go back looking for info or something similar to what they're going through, posts are gone, or a thread becomes totally meaningless because someone has edited every second post from it, which is hardly helpful in a community.

I wouldn't call it abusing the privilege. We have avpd. As you can see by the poll we like being able to delete. If we would we might write more.

i voted no because i think lily's right that threads would lose coherency and be destroyed. Also, it would probably drive me insane because I would never stop editing posts. I would still be editing my first post from 2012 if i had the option. Before i submit something i usually delete and rewrite a hundred thousand times. It's almost a relief for me once i send it and can no longer edit.

Or, i also voted no because i personally wouldn't write more if i could edit/delete posts...