Post Edits: Why The Explanation?

[Laurajean]

I've always wondered this. People will add a note: "Edited for misspelling", or "edited for grammar", etc. Why the explanation? Are we afraid that people will think we edited our posts for some sneaky reason or something? I don't get it. I re-read and edit my posts a lot, due to a typo or whatever, but it never occurred to me to explain why I edited.

Just wondering...

 

[Tiramisu]

2 reasons. It is a forum feature and some people like to say why they edited their post.

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

It's all OCD.

ETA: To correct spelling.

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
But WHY? Why do some want to explain why they edited, I don't get it.

There's lots of forum features we use and don't explain, quoting people etc. I have never looked at one of those notes about editing for grammar and thought, "Oh, thank god they clarified this, I was getting concerned!"

 

[redhen]

Tis true...i wondered the same thing myself..

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:

If you can't spell OCD you have a more serious problem!

 

[HEChicken]

Most of the time its probably not necessary. But if a topic is contentious, while one person is typing up a response to something already posted, if that OP goes back and edits their post, by the time the new poster submits, if the original post has been edited, it isn't clear what was being responded to. So as a courtesy, the person editing should explain WHAT they were editing. If it is a typo, rather than content, why not say that. For example, say I wrote:

"The grass is blue and the sky is gren"

And sat back to wait for everyone to chime in and tell me how wrong I am, and THEN edit my original post to say:

"The grass is green and the sky is blue"

Then all the people who posted in response to my original post, look silly. But if I go back in and say "Edited to correct typo" and they see that my OP now says:

"The grass is blue and the sky is green"

Then its clear that I am not backtracking but simply making it easier to read.




IMHO

 

[ranchhand]

It's often called good manners to let the listener/reader know why you changed your original statement. I wouldn't want someone to think that I had responded and only then reread their post, so if it's an obvious error on my part I'll say so. If the edit is due to a change of attitude due to further reflection on the subject at hand, I will clarify that as well.

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
Made more sense with the typo and the sky being blue, not the grass.

Okay, I get that, but I still think it's clarified arbitrarily more often than not.

 

[redhen]

Yeah..sometimes i'll say i edited because i made a mistake or something like that, to clear up any confusion....i do that too.