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Original poster

A Humble Suggestion For Improving This Wonderful Site.......

60 replies

EricL · 03/10/2007 11:08

(Did you notice the gentle introduction there - just to make sure i didn't get your hackles up straight away? Yes? Cool - lets continue nice and calm and relaxed now................)

I'm not talking about changing the look of the site or adding flashy movey winky wonky things (cos that is just childish and induces a nervous tick from me normally resulting in a broken monitor and sore knuckles) - i'm talking about a Quote and Edit function.

I see lots of daily posts where the poster is having to correct themselves for clarification or is having to explain who they were responding to. Having the abilty to edit your posts and also to quote someone you are responding to would make the site a lot more efficient. Less posts would be made as it would be clear from the outset what the poster meant and who a response was directed at.

Yes? No?

Whaddaya think?

OP posts:
zippitippitoes · 03/10/2007 11:09

no to editing

you can quote now unless you are lazy

Original poster
EricL · 03/10/2007 11:11

I know you can copy and paste - but it's just not the same really is it?

OP posts:
MerlinsBeard · 03/10/2007 11:12

you can already quote, its called cut and paste

MerlinsBeard · 03/10/2007 11:12

of course its the same, if you quote you are cuting it from one postand pasting into another!

daisyandbabybootoo · 03/10/2007 11:13

no to editing as well. This is a live chat site. If you can go back and edit your posts then the thread of the conversation would surely be lost.

why d'ya wanna keep changing things?

you can quote by copying and pasting, but i must admit quoting another poster and then proceeding to destroy/ridicule/villify raises my hackles in an irrational fashion.

getsonmynerves · 03/10/2007 11:13

I absolutely hate those sites where posts just become one long quote within a quote within a quote

no no no no

UnquietDad · 03/10/2007 11:13

Very interesting suggestion.

Yes to editing typos, but with a time-limit so that people can't "retcon" their posts to make themselves look more reasonable and discredit others. That works on other sites.

Quoting - I'm in two minds. It is sometimes useful to know who you are responding to, but that can a) make threads degenerate into two-person slanging matches and b) result in "fisking." This sounds rude but isn't - it's where people "deconstruct" arguments line by line and answer each point rather than the overall thrust.

nailpolish · 03/10/2007 11:14

editing\your own posts would be like covering your tracks instead of aplolgising

and whats wrong with copy & paste??

Original poster
EricL · 03/10/2007 11:14

(Cue Eric getting shot down in flames again for suggesting a change.................)

I'm donning my best tin hat and hiding under the table for a bit. See you in 5..........

OP posts:
zippitippitoes · 03/10/2007 11:14

it is spontaneous here hence the reason pi like it no moving posts around to more appropriate threads and such malarkeys..or ranting at diversions

zippitippitoes · 03/10/2007 11:15

nailpolish I was made to curl my hair on sat...so i have relented

Original poster
EricL · 03/10/2007 11:15

I've not heard fisking before UD.

I shall endeavour to use that more in conversation

OP posts:
BellaeCandelae · 03/10/2007 11:15

What do you mean, EricL? How else would you quote other than by C&P from the other post? To clarify you might C&P the header as well, eg By EricL on Wed 03-Oct-07 11:08:06.

But definitely NO to the possiblty of editing after you hit Post Message. That would make things very unclear indeed.

Surfermum · 03/10/2007 11:16

I like it just as it is. I've been on other sites that have that function, and I either get confused and part way through reading a post, think "eh? I've read this" and realise I'm reading the quote, or don't bother reading the quote at all.

I find the threads on mumsnet much easier to read and follow, even with the occasional misunderstanding.

themildmanneredaxemurderer · 03/10/2007 11:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
EricL · 03/10/2007 11:16

Time limit sounds a good idea.

OP posts:
daisyandbabybootoo · 03/10/2007 11:16

why do you need to edit typos?

so, you made a mistake with your spelling....who cares?

this sit is for having on-line conversations...you can't edit a real life convo, so why should you be able to edit a virtual one?

SaintGeorge · 03/10/2007 11:16

There have been more changes to MN in the last 5 months or so than in all the years previously.

Can people not just be happy with what we have without working poor Tech to the bone?

MN has always had a unique appeal because it is so different from the rest. Why make it just another clone of inferior sites?

NadineBaggott · 03/10/2007 11:17

Yes EricL I wholeheartedly agree but they're such stick in the muds around here

I thought it was only the geriatric who didn't like change?

I'd really really like an 'edit' function.

Hulababy · 03/10/2007 11:17

Editing for typos - use preview???

Quoting - can just cut and paste

I do use a site that I can do both of the above and it does work pretty well TBH. But you can do the same using the above suggestions too.

Twigaletto · 03/10/2007 11:17

No to quoting

and no to editing .. I rather like not being able to

themildmanneredaxemurderer · 03/10/2007 11:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

zippitippitoes · 03/10/2007 11:18

i don't like that crossing out business either

nailpolish · 03/10/2007 11:18

hi zippi
did you use heated rllers?
i might notbother takng them all the way to london so youd be off hook

daisyandbabybootoo · 03/10/2007 11:18

sit site

you could instead use tech's fab new strikethrough

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