Ask HN: Why does HN not allow you to modify your comments after 1 hour?

2 pointswyw16y ago10 comments

I don't know of any other sites that do this. Just wondering what the rationale is.

10 comments

9 comments · 3 top-level

pg16y ago· 3 in thread

You need to be able to modify comments for some amount of time to correct typos, but if you can modify them for too long you can rewrite history. The current time limits are arbitrary but seem roughly correct, judging from the fact that users complain roughly equally about missing typos till it's too late, and people they're arguing with rewriting their comments.

wywOP16y ago

It seems the assumption is that after you make a comment you are actively checking the thread for some time afterwards. Perhaps this works here because of a correct assumption about how people use HN but a time-constrained lifestyle might prevent this in some other groups.

jacquesm16y ago

All lifestyles are time-constrained, it is just a matter of scale.

shachaf16y ago

What about letting people append to comments after the time limit? I've always thought that would be sensible: People could add to what they've said before in a visible way, but not "rewrite history".

After all, additions are already frequently marked as such (e.g., "EDIT:").

stijnm16y ago· 3 in thread

I think the main reason is to keep the context of a discussion in a thread.

Turning your question around: Why would you want to modify a comment after one hour?

Read your comment before posting and be happy with it at that time of posting. If you come to new insights later then post another comment. There's no shame in that.

wywOP16y ago

I might want to modify it after one hour for the same reason I might want to modify it after one minute.

Perhaps I'm not checking HN regularly that day and make an offhand comment. In that case, if I come back a few hours later and recognize a boo-boo, it would be nice to be able to correct my mistake to avoid a permanent record of my foolishness.

stijnm16y ago

I think your last sentence "and recognize a boo-boo, it would be nice to be able to correct my mistake to avoid a permanent record of my foolishness"

How can you make a mistake in a comment? If you don't mean what you write don't post it... And don't worry about people calling you foolish (I am sure there is a famous quote for that to put it more eloquently).

Also, note that there is no post preview when you submit so being able to modify after you post fills that functionality gap.

1 more reply

tokenadult16y ago

Another way to avoid a record of foolishness is to think before posting foolish comments. I think the defaults here are set to provide an incentive for that behavior.

jacquesm16y ago

It's to make sure that history does not get 'revised'

As it is there is already plenty of that going on.

I'd be fine with locking a posting or only amending it after it gets 1 comment or upvote (or downvote).

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10 comments

9 comments · 3 top-level

pg16y ago· 3 in thread

wywOP16y ago

jacquesm16y ago

All lifestyles are time-constrained, it is just a matter of scale.

shachaf16y ago

After all, additions are already frequently marked as such (e.g., "EDIT:").

stijnm16y ago· 3 in thread

I think the main reason is to keep the context of a discussion in a thread.

Turning your question around: Why would you want to modify a comment after one hour?

Read your comment before posting and be happy with it at that time of posting. If you come to new insights later then post another comment. There's no shame in that.

wywOP16y ago

I might want to modify it after one hour for the same reason I might want to modify it after one minute.

stijnm16y ago

I think your last sentence "and recognize a boo-boo, it would be nice to be able to correct my mistake to avoid a permanent record of my foolishness"

Also, note that there is no post preview when you submit so being able to modify after you post fills that functionality gap.

1 more reply

tokenadult16y ago

Another way to avoid a record of foolishness is to think before posting foolish comments. I think the defaults here are set to provide an incentive for that behavior.

jacquesm16y ago

It's to make sure that history does not get 'revised'

As it is there is already plenty of that going on.

I'd be fine with locking a posting or only amending it after it gets 1 comment or upvote (or downvote).

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse