Posts: 3,035
Threads: 201
Joined: Aug 2006
There is something that seems to happen here every once in a while: a new person stumbles upon punaweb and hit the ground running with multiple posts and start multiple topics and then, when they do not get the response they anticipated, edit their original posting to such a degree that it makes all the responses seem completely illogical. They are literally "taking back their words."
To me there is something fundamentally dishonest about rewriting history that way. If people would just stop and think and maybe reread before posting, as well as taking the time to get a sense of the Punaweb community, they might be able to stand by their words, instead of having to edit them out of existence.
Carol
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
Posts: 485
Threads: 49
Joined: Dec 2006
Yes, clarity and integrity in the written record does matter. Thanks to the keyword search function for sifting through the archive of inactive discussion a wealth of useful information posted years ago in Punaweb discussion can be called up in moments. If portions of the discussion (especially one long ago, not fresh in memory) have been erased without a trace then the disappeared portions can render the entire record less useful or even distorted and misleading in some ways.
To avoid this happening, whenever I see I have made a significant typo (such as one which accidentally reverses the meaning of a statement) then I make sure to use a different color for the correction and note it as such at bottom. Amended statements which clearly indicate that which has been changed still have integrity. I like it when statements have been altered after the fact to change their meaning with no trace of what has been changed; as Carol observes, this seems trustworthy -but may in fact just be new users becoming familiar with the social norms and technical procedures of this online community.
If I decide (usually after some education on a matter by other Punaweb participants) that I was just out to lunch --or maybe had one martini too many during that lunch before posting the first time-- then a completely new follow-up retraction post in the same discussion thread, saying something like "OK, OK, thanks for the education- points well taken, I hereby abandon that flawed former position" is in order (and honorable in every way) rather than messing with the record to make some portions disappear.
)'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'(
MSP's wingsuit segment from "Seven Sunny Days"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0tU3Hy7et8&feature=related
)'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'(
)'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'(
Astonishing skill! This archer is a real-life Legolas and then some!
http://geekologie.com/2013/11/real-life-...rs-anc.php
)'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'(
Posts: 485
Threads: 49
Joined: Dec 2006
"To avoid this happening, whenever I see I have made a significant typo (such as one which accidentally reverses the meaning of a statement) then I make sure to use a different color for the correction and note it as such at bottom. Amended statements which clearly indicate that which has been changed still have integrity. I
dislike it when statements have been altered after the fact to change their meaning with no trace of what has been changed; as Carol observes, this seems
untrustworthy -but may in fact just be new users becoming familiar with the social norms and technical procedures of this online community."
Hey, where did the editing function button go? I posted the quote above with the intention of returning a moment later and amending it as an example of that which I meant. Am not spotting the editing button, so will repost with correction this way.
Edits in red.
)'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'(
MSP's wingsuit segment from "Seven Sunny Days"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0tU3Hy7et8&feature=related
)'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'(
)'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'(
Astonishing skill! This archer is a real-life Legolas and then some!
http://geekologie.com/2013/11/real-life-...rs-anc.php
)'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'(
Posts: 2,653
Threads: 42
Joined: Sep 2006
Log in again.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
Posts: 1,059
Threads: 97
Joined: Mar 2009
I don't think this is special to punaweb - it's just something that happens due to human nature. Personally I only edit if no one has yet responded and I still will write why or what I edited. Just seems like a nice thing to do bc the site will mark the post as edited and confusion will ensue. AlohaSteven, I like the color idea. I also got a smile out of the fact that you attempted to demonstrate editing yet couldn't use the edit button.
Somehow that reminded me of two things... this came out of my mouth one day: "What's that word for always knowing what word to use?" and the time I came across, in print, "typnographical errors." I'm sure there's some fancy-schmancy word for that kind of thing. "Irony" maybe.
Posts: 2,490
Threads: 222
Joined: Dec 2005
But that would take all the fun out of it! [:o)]
Edit! Oooops!
Posts: 485
Threads: 49
Joined: Dec 2006
Thanks, oink. This is a new tidbit of technical lore to me regarding Punaweb's operating idiosyncrasies.
Even though I was actively logged in the edit button was not showing after I made my first post in this discussion thread. After logging in again now the edit button is available for modifying my earlier posts.
This (rather ironically, as rightly observed) underscores the point about there being a technical learning curve as well as a social norms learning curve.
)'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'(
MSP's wingsuit segment from "Seven Sunny Days"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0tU3Hy7et8&feature=related
)'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'(
)'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'(
Astonishing skill! This archer is a real-life Legolas and then some!
http://geekologie.com/2013/11/real-life-...rs-anc.php
)'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'( )'(
Posts: 1,099
Threads: 6
Joined: Nov 2010
I hadn't even realized until today that someone could edit the thread subject; that's pretty annoying. At least the OPs are quoted.
Posts: 3,035
Threads: 201
Joined: Aug 2006
Eric,
How does going back and erasing earlier posts limit debate? I will not knowingly participate in a debate with someone who stoops to that sort of thing, because they bait others into responding and then make the responder look irrational by removing the post that motivated the response. Good debate is about honest opinions, not writing something incendiary to get people all charged up, and then eliminating the evidence.
If you write the words stand by them, if you change your mind do the honorable thing and cop to it, admitting when you are wrong is an admirable adult characteristic. Pretending you never said it by erasing or editing is childish.
Carol
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
here's a good one --
quote someone and then change the words in the quote to make it look like the other person said something lame (untrue, obscene, etc..). And yes, it has happened to me here.
I don't think it's necessary to keep a record suitable for scholarly archives. It's a message board. But if you substantially change something, yes, explain, or better yet, don't do it and write a second post saying you realized you were wrong or rethought it, checked the facts, regretted being sarcastic, whatever.
"And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody, outside of a small circle of friends ~ Phil Ochs
