Fluther query: Should there be a function to allow users to see when other users are editing their answers?

Interesting idea. I know some of my posts look terribly out of place because a prior post had been edited, although sometimes my posts are way out there without any “help” whatsoever. If feasible perhaps consider three designations. First would indicate that the post is still subject to editing, the second to indicate it is currently being edited and then the final where no additional editing is possible. I doubt, however, that I would pay much attention to the designations. If I were to feel compelled to clarify why a post seemed out of whack, I would just post another comment of clarification. See ya…..Gary/wtf

I for one would like privacy while formulating my answer. If everyone could see the stupid stuff I type at first I would just open notepad to formulate my answer there and copy past it back here. Although I think I heard someone say the mod’s can do this already (or they were kidding, couldn’t tell).

There could be a couple of disadvantages, like the topic might derail a little. If someone responds to something you were crafting but decided to take out at the last minute you could get some weird conversations.

Someone changed the Q all together after 5 or 6 responses were made , the responses looked stupid and out of place .

Actually if a question was changed it was likely held for moderation and then edited to meet guidelines. Sometimes this orphans a few answers in place.

There is a 10 minute window to change an answer or question. If you see the person “composing” and their answer is what you are responding to they are likely editing.
Wait then refresh your screen to see the latest revision.

wow, I cannot believe how I misunderstood your question. Did you edit it :P Anyway the issue you are describing doesn’t happen much to me, I thought you were talking about making the answer preview visible to the public. When someone starts editing the original question the thread is locked right? If not it should.

I have been involved with other sites that allowed edits but showed the changes, or inserted a permanent line of text that says “This text has been edited by [name] at [time] on [date]. I would like to see something similar here, as I have often answered a question only to find later that the question had changed and my answer no longer made sense.

@markyy Nope I didn’t touch it at all. =) I’m not saying that we see the words being edited in real time, just that we see the whole answer space giving off a signal while it’s being edited so that we know that the person is editing it.

I’ve edited my answers before, but only after seeing grammar and spelling errors. I have some awful answers from the beginning of my fluther career and I wish I could go back and edit them. I don’t know if I would want people seeing my embarrassing mistakes. :)

meh. it wouldn’t have much significance to me. if i reply and see that the person i replied to changed their original post, i’d just be like “oops, that doesn’t make sense now” or something. but i don’t know, it wouldn’t hurt i suppose, but i don’t think i’d really care one way or another. (:

I would like to see an accounting of the “edits” with dates and such. That way we can tell where there are changes.

I often edit for misspellings, or to add a short comment.
Perhaps just changing the color of the response portion that was edited would be workable.

I edit mostly to correct my spelling and punctuation malfunctions. I have been known to add additional information to comments and/or answers when I have sudden epiphanies or I can contribute significant material to make my outstanding entries even more incredible.

@Saturated_Brain till then, you can know that. Just look below your live preview where you’re typing your answer, when someone’s there at the very time, they’ll show up flashing.

If you find, they have changed their answer after you’re back, you can add another answer clarifying on changed ones.

@whatthefluther there comes a link “Edit this response” to the bottom right corner of your newly added answer. You may edit it until you find that link there. I guess “Edit this response” remains for twice or thrice you edit it; and it comes for multiple answers if you have typed two answers successively.