10 minute "Buy and Sell" edit window

kahheng · 26th July 2005

I often make mistakes or typos when I post something for sale.

It's helpful if there is a temporary time window that allows the initial poster to edit his posting to correct the errors instead of having to do so by posting another message. This will keep the messages a tad bit cleaner. It also kinda make sense. It's in keeping with the spirit of ensuring that the for sale and want to buy notices are not unscrupulously manipulated because there'll only be a limited to edit the initial posts.

Note that I am only suggesting that the ability to change the post is given ONLY to the person posting the ad, not for posts appearing later in the same thread.

Is the forum software capable of this? I know, for example, Rob Galbraith's forum software is able to do this.

roygoh · 26th July 2005

Originally Posted by kahheng

I often make mistakes or typos when I post something for sale.

It's helpful if there is a temporary time window that allows the initial poster to edit his posting to correct the errors instead of having to do so by posting another message. This will keep the messages a tad bit cleaner. It also kinda make sense. It's in keeping with the spirit of ensuring that the for sale and want to buy notices are not unscrupulously manipulated because there'll only be a limited to edit the initial posts.

Note that I am only suggesting that the ability to change the post is given ONLY to the person posting the ad, not for posts appearing later in the same thread.

Is the forum software capable of this? I know, for example, Rob Galbraith's forum software is able to do this.

How about using the preview function?

You can preview your add for 10 minutes and make all necessary corrections before actually submitting it...

AReality · 26th July 2005

Originally Posted by roygoh

How about using the preview function?

You can preview your add for 10 minutes and make all necessary corrections before actually submitting it...

That's a good idea...

zaxh81 · 26th July 2005

10mins is alot to make 'critical changes'.

Buy and sell is a very sensitive sub forum,i prefer the way as it is.

kahheng · 26th July 2005

Originally Posted by roygoh

How about using the preview function?

You can preview your add for 10 minutes and make all necessary corrections before actually submitting it...

Roy, thanks for replying.

Yes I know there's always the previewing function ;-) But, previewing isn't quite the answer IMO since it's about being able to correct mistakes after they've actually been committed.

I guess like some people, I can keep previewing all I want and yet I still make typos and errors that I wish I could correct after I have clicked on "post".

Just think about my suggestion? I'd appreciate it. Thanks man.

kahheng · 26th July 2005

Originally Posted by zaxh81

10mins is alot to make 'critical changes'.

Buy and sell is a very sensitive sub forum,i prefer the way as it is.

What can be so sensitive about being able to correct the initial post?

I am also not talking about allowing subsequent posters down the thread the same power to edit their posts.

sumball · 26th July 2005

Many many things.... such as prices, the accesorries, conditions....

I find 10 mins is too long for it as well given the viewing rate is almost at least 60 and above at this sub forum.

kahheng · 26th July 2005

Originally Posted by sumball

Many many things.... such as prices, the accesorries, conditions....

I find 10 mins is too long for it as well given the viewing rate is almost at least 60 and above at this sub forum.

Yeah so you're suggesting that someone can do bad things within ten minutes?

Well, if he actually got asked about something based on the initial data he posted, and the person who's interested feels that something is amiss, then he just doesn't get the sale. So the only person who suffers is the 'bad guy' himself.

Anyway with '60' witnesses able to testify, the system is self-policing.

shinken · 26th July 2005

Given that the seller is not bound the the price and accessories offered anyway, I don't forsee a huge problem. How many times have we seen sellers (and buyers for that matter) backing out? Changing their mind? Reserving their "right not to sell if price is not right"? Revise their price?

Preview function, edit function or otherwise is not going to "bind" sellers to honour their initial offer anyway. Insisting upon having it only makes seller want to be more cautious in terms of raising their Reserved price and bidding period, and hence discouraging people who cannot afford the time and attention on the demands of a bidding system.

kahheng · 26th July 2005

Originally Posted by shinken

Given that the seller is not bound the the price and accessories offered anyway, I don't forsee a huge problem. How many times have we seen sellers (and buyers for that matter) backing out? Changing their mind? Reserving their "right not to sell if price is not right"? Revise their price?

Preview function, edit function or otherwise is not going to "bind" sellers to honour their initial offer anyway. Insisting upon having it only makes seller want to be more cautious in terms of raising their Reserved price and bidding period, and hence discouraging people who cannot afford the time and attention on the demands of a bidding system.

Precisely....

roygoh · 26th July 2005

Originally Posted by kahheng

Roy, thanks for replying.

Yes I know there's always the previewing function ;-) But, previewing isn't quite the answer IMO since it's about being able to correct mistakes after they've actually been committed.

I guess like some people, I can keep previewing all I want and yet I still make typos and errors that I wish I could correct after I have clicked on "post".

Just think about my suggestion? I'd appreciate it. Thanks man.

Your welcomed. Not knowing much about the forum software i can only give my best suggestion based on the existing system.

I make use of the preview function extensively for normal posts...and I agree with you that even with that I still need to edit my posts from time to time.

Let's see if the real gurus (i.e. the admins) can have a beter answer for you.

If in deed some conditions can be set to allow for ad posters to edit their first post, the conditions may have to include more than just the time after posting. For example, ad originator should not be able to modify the ad if there was a bid or offer within the first 10 minutes.

As much as we'd expect the potential buyers to honour their bids, we'd expect the sellers to honour their offers also. Does that mean that we should then also allow buyers to edit their bid/offer within the first 10 minutes?

Following that path, the conditions may eventually evolved to be complex enough to resemble ebay....In science the simplest theory is usually the correct theory, so I think the best system is still the one with the simple rule of no edits allowed.

Darren · 26th July 2005

Hi Kah Heng,

Thanks for your feedback and comments. The current software does not allow this on a per-subforum basis but we will look into adding this functionality (no promises) as part of our planned enhancements for the forums.

kahheng · 26th July 2005

Thanks guys, I appreciate your taking the time to reply, and even thinking about this.

kahheng · 26th July 2005

Originally Posted by roygoh

As much as we'd expect the potential buyers to honour their bids, we'd expect the sellers to honour their offers also. Does that mean that we should then also allow buyers to edit their bid/offer within the first 10 minutes?

Following that path, the conditions may eventually evolved to be complex enough to resemble ebay....In science the simplest theory is usually the correct theory, so I think the best system is still the one with the simple rule of no edits allowed.

Hi Roy

Well, there's no auction capability in the current forum software anyway. What's happening now is a form of pseudo auctioning that's subject to plenty of behind the scenes maneouvering via PM anyway.

The way it works now as I understand it, someone just states his 'start bidding from' price, and then people start bidding over quite a few days usually. With a ten minute window, he can't fiddle with prices past ten minutes, and hence the opportunity to be devious passes after a short ten minutes. The ten minute window to correct mistakes is quite a useless tool to manipulate auctions with given the usual few days that 'auctions' run for.

It doesn't have to resemble Ebay - Ebay locks the pricing and description the moment someone issues a bid on the item you're selling

As someone who read and debated topics in the philosophy of science in my varsity years, my opinion is that Occam's Razor is a dangerous prescription that often does nothing to 'save the phenomena'. A lot of people blindly apply minimalism for minimalism's sake, because as a process, it is assumed to have some kind of special merit. But the simplest, most elegant theory may not be the most useful one. ;-)

+evenstar · 26th July 2005

Originally Posted by zaxh81

10mins is alot to make 'critical changes'.

Buy and sell is a very sensitive sub forum,i prefer the way as it is.

I had experience receiving bids just 2-3mins after a post...

26th July 2005	#1
kahheng Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 1,380	10 minute "Buy and Sell" edit window I often make mistakes or typos when I post something for sale. It's helpful if there is a temporary time window that allows the initial poster to edit his posting to correct the errors instead of having to do so by posting another message. This will keep the messages a tad bit cleaner. It also kinda make sense. It's in keeping with the spirit of ensuring that the for sale and want to buy notices are not unscrupulously manipulated because there'll only be a limited to edit the initial posts. Note that I am only suggesting that the ability to change the post is given ONLY to the person posting the ad, not for posts appearing later in the same thread. Is the forum software capable of this? I know, for example, Rob Galbraith's forum software is able to do this.

26th July 2005	#4
zaxh81 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Earth Posts: 4,383	10mins is alot to make 'critical changes'. Buy and sell is a very sensitive sub forum,i prefer the way as it is. __________________ Nikon D150 \| 25mm F0.7 \| SB400

26th July 2005	#7
sumball Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4,224	Many many things.... such as prices, the accesorries, conditions.... I find 10 mins is too long for it as well given the viewing rate is almost at least 60 and above at this sub forum.

26th July 2005	#9
shinken Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Pasir Ris Posts: 1,271	Given that the seller is not bound the the price and accessories offered anyway, I don't forsee a huge problem. How many times have we seen sellers (and buyers for that matter) backing out? Changing their mind? Reserving their "right not to sell if price is not right"? Revise their price? Preview function, edit function or otherwise is not going to "bind" sellers to honour their initial offer anyway. Insisting upon having it only makes seller want to be more cautious in terms of raising their Reserved price and bidding period, and hence discouraging people who cannot afford the time and attention on the demands of a bidding system.

26th July 2005	#12
Darren ClubSNAP Admin Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: ClubSNAP HQ Posts: 7,617	Hi Kah Heng, Thanks for your feedback and comments. The current software does not allow this on a per-subforum basis but we will look into adding this functionality (no promises) as part of our planned enhancements for the forums.