New feature! "View previous versions"

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Fred Miranda
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p.1 #1 · New feature! "View previous versions"

I want to let everyone know that we have a new "View previous versions" feature.

You can still edit your post and remove/change its content but now once your post has been edited all members can retrieve its previous content. The new edited post format is:

"Edited on 'date' at 'time' · View previous versions"

This was implemented to decrease confusion when reading long threads. Sometimes members would radically change the content of their posts causing a disruption of the logical flow. Some examples of this are when they remove the entire content or replace it with "Deleted" or "...".
With this change, if you want clarification, you may see the previous version(s) by clicking on the link.

Best.
Fred

Edited on Sep 18, 2008 at 03:00 AM

Sep 13, 2008 at 07:02 PM

Sunny Sra
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p.1 #2 · New feature! "View previous versions"

soweeeet

Sep 13, 2008 at 07:15 PM

Jack M
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p.1 #3 · New feature! "View previous versions"

When there are multiple edits, will we see just one or will there be one for each edit?

Sep 13, 2008 at 07:42 PM

eos-m42guy
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p.1 #4 · New feature! "View previous versions"

Thanks Fred. That's a great feature.

Sep 13, 2008 at 07:43 PM

John P Mulgrew
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p.1 #5 · New feature! "View previous versions"

Great Fred now when I choose to edit because of spelling mistakes people will be able to see. I think that's a feature that we don't need.

Unfortunately I edit a LOT because of mistakes

Sep 13, 2008 at 07:59 PM

MSC
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p.1 #6 · New feature! "View previous versions"

John P Mulgrew wrote:
Great Fred now when I choose to edit because of spelling mistakes people will be able to see. I think that's a feature that we don't need.

Unfortunately I edit a LOT because of mistakes

I agree...I go back a lot to fix speelling errors and sometimes just tighten up thoughts...but not change them, is this really a problem? Anyway, if someone wants to change what they said, so be it...why not just let them. Now people will go back and see what someone said and wants to take back...hmmm, not sure I like it.

OK, so now I just added to this post and it says I edited it...no, I don't like this feature...sorry. It is a distraction, not a help, IMO.

In fact...I don't like it one bit.

Edited on Sep 13, 2008 at 08:23 PM · View previous versions

Sep 13, 2008 at 08:20 PM

voodoo1694
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p.1 #7 · New feature! "View previous versions"

I'd have to agree with the 2 others above. I think this "feature" should be optional. My 2 c's

Edited on Sep 13, 2008 at 08:40 PM · View previous versions

Sep 13, 2008 at 08:35 PM

MSC
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p.1 #8 · New feature! "View previous versions"

If you are going to do this, we need the option to simply delete posts as well.

I'm just going to end up posting a lot less if I have to know that it is just right before sending. Internet forums are not like writing a business letter...it is more of a conversation that does not take a lot of time to do. If I have to check everything I type before I send it, there will be a lot less appeal to doing it in the first place...IMO.

Sep 13, 2008 at 08:37 PM

MSC
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p.1 #9 · New feature! "View previous versions"

And really, so what if someone wants to change an earlier post? 9 times out of 10 it is better to change it...why do we want to discourage this

Sep 13, 2008 at 08:39 PM

Fred Miranda
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p.1 #10 · New feature! "View previous versions"

Jack M wrote:
When there are multiple edits, will we see just one or will there be one for each edit?

When clicking on the link, a new tab will open with 'all' edits.

Sep 13, 2008 at 08:52 PM

Fred Miranda
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p.1 #11 · New feature! "View previous versions"

I misspell a lot of words too!

Members have to intentionally check your previous post by clicking on the specific link. They probable won't even check unless they need clarification due to a radical change in the original post.

Sep 13, 2008 at 08:56 PM

Fred Miranda
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p.1 #12 · New feature! "View previous versions"

MSC wrote:
And really, so what if someone wants to change an earlier post? 9 times out of 10 it is better to change it...why do we want to discourage this

In fact, I don't even care if someone edits the post...what is useful about knowing that? Sorry, don't mean to be argumentative, but I don't want to have to work at posting nor be distracted by knowing that people changed a post...and especially with ability to see the changes made.

Ugh.

This is a very small feature. Previously when editing your post, you would still see the
"Edited by..." message. The only difference is to be able to keep the original(s) for reference. Members will only check on previous versionst if they take the extra step of clicking on the 'link'.

Usually people will only click on the link if it's pretty obvious the content was either erased or changed radically. I don't think members will waste time checking your edits for minor changes. We all make small edits from time to time.

Also, we don't allow deletion for the same reason we added this feature. On big threads, the flow gets disrupted when members delete or radically edit earlier posts...

Best,
Fred

Edited on Sep 20, 2008 at 01:30 AM

Sep 13, 2008 at 09:11 PM

thedigitalbean
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p.1 #13 · New feature! "View previous versions"

Very cool Fred. Thanks for implementing this.

Sep 13, 2008 at 09:51 PM

Scott Sewell
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p.1 #14 · New feature! "View previous versions"

I think it's a great feature. It seems that more and more people make some radical or goofy post, then when people are coming down on the OP in the thread, the OP goes back and deletes that they originally said.

Great feature, Fred!

Sep 13, 2008 at 11:06 PM

cgardner
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p.1 #15 · New feature! "View previous versions"

Nothing here, check the audit trail

Edited on Sep 14, 2008 at 03:53 AM · View previous versions

Sep 14, 2008 at 01:59 AM

MSC
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p.1 #16 · New feature! "View previous versions"

Well I'm not going to fuss much more about this...but really, I just don't see the problem that everyone else is. I'm on this forum as much or more than most people and I don't recall ever seeing anyone dramatically change a post. I do sometimes to tone down a thought that was too harsh now and then. Or to add a comment or add context or add an additional thought---like this one for example (see edit histroy). If other people are doing this too, good grief, let them do it. But more often than not, it is because I type something quickly and hit send. Maybe later I'll happen to re-read it and notice some mistakes, typos, etc...and go back to change it.

How about this, can we have a real preview/edit feature with a real spell checker?

Anyway, that's the last thought on the matter.

Edited on Sep 14, 2008 at 03:22 AM

Sep 14, 2008 at 03:18 AM

Fred Miranda
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p.1 #17 · New feature! "View previous versions"

Shane, I always appreciate your feedback!
When you insist on something, I know that the job is not 100% complete.

A small change was made to this feature. Now the 'previous version' is recorded only if the edited message was not the last.

So when people input a new message, and see some typo, they fix it. This won't be recorded.
However if the message is not the last - another message exists later in the thread - the change is recorded.
That is close to the previous behavior and I'm hoping it may be a compromise.

Fred

Sep 14, 2008 at 04:23 AM

rico
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p.1 #18 · New feature! "View previous versions"

Fred Miranda wrote: So when people input a new message, and see some typo, they fix it. This won't be recorded.

In this case, the "Edited on ..." annotation should be dropped entirely.

Sep 14, 2008 at 06:04 AM

57suzi
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p.1 #19 · New feature! "View previous versions"

THis is a great feature. I have seen quite a few threads that are upsetting and confusing because someone will post something that stirs up feelings, and then change or delete it.
The new aspect is fine, but I wouldn't have minded if people wanted to click and see my typos!

Sep 14, 2008 at 07:09 AM

Fred Miranda
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p.1 #20 · New feature! "View previous versions"

rico wrote:
Fred Miranda wrote: So when people input a new message, and see some typo, they fix it. This won't be recorded.

In this case, the "Edited on ..." annotation should be dropped entirely.

Agree! Done..

Sep 14, 2008 at 04:42 PM

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p.1 #21 · New feature! "View previous versions"

This will be very helpful; as often people make comments which cause the poster to change the picture, making it difficult to follow the thread. Also, being able to see changes and adaptions will be very useful as part of the learning we get from other peoples' posts.

Sep 14, 2008 at 05:44 PM

Fred Miranda
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p.1 #22 · New feature! "View previous versions"

MartinMcl wrote:
This will be very helpful; as often people make comments which cause the poster to change the picture, making it difficult to follow the thread. Also, being able to see changes and adaptions will be very useful as part of the learning we get from other peoples' posts.

We won't be able to see previous 'pictures', only text.
The Buy and Sell board will also benefit from this. I often get complaints about posters deleting their listing prices or entire listing when their items are marked as sold. Now members will be able to track prices, etc..

Edited by guardian on Sep 15, 2008 at 03:13 AM

Sep 14, 2008 at 06:16 PM

gowhow
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p.1 #23 · New feature! "View previous versions"

Fred Miranda wrote:
I want to let everyone know that we have a new "View previous versions" feature.

You can still edit your post and remove/change its content but now once your post has been edited all members can retrieve its previous content. The new edited post format is:

"Edited on 'date' at 'time' · View previous versions"

This was implemented to decrease confusion when reading long threads. Sometimes members would radically change the content of their posts causing a disruption of the logical flow. Some examples of this are when they remove the entire content or replace it with "Deleted" or "...".
With this change, if you want clarification, you may see the previous version(s) by clicking on the link.

Best.
Fred

Fred, another (nonphoto) forum I use only allows you to edit your post for a few minutes (in case of spelling etc). Would that be a better solution? That way threads don't lose their flow if people go back and edit later.

Sep 15, 2008 at 06:55 AM

John Power
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p.1 #24 · New feature! "View previous versions"

With all due respect Fred since you run the best photo forum on the net, I don't see the necessity for this additional feature. Who really cares how many times a post is edited and what it said before? It's not like anything critical depends upon it.

Sep 15, 2008 at 01:46 PM

rachp
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p.1 #25 · New feature! "View previous versions"

Fred Miranda wrote:
MartinMcl wrote:
This will be very helpful; as often people make comments which cause the poster to change the picture, making it difficult to follow the thread. Also, being able to see changes and adaptions will be very useful as part of the learning we get from other peoples' posts.

I think this is a great feature for the Buy/Sell forum. This will keep the original item description in case there is a disagreement and also keep the listed price for future reference. I don't know if it is something I care about in the other forums but I don't think it will be a bad thing.

Sep 15, 2008 at 03:34 PM


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