If I amend the post of someone else, I need to give a reason. This reason needs to be at least 4 characters long or the amendment isn't accepted. Once the reason has been given and the change submitted, there is a text below the post saying who amended the
post and for what reason (the more than 3 chars "reason" text)
If however I amend my own post, I don't need to give a reason. If I don't give a reason there is no record after the post that I have amended my own text.
I used to think this was useful as I could snap off a quick reply and know I could - unseen - correct it shortly afterwards, but now I've seen the negative consequences of this.
A poster re-posted a long text containing the identical question (and text) that had already been answered in another thread from him. Right at the end of that new text there was a new question.
So I added a Moderator Note at the top of the post saying to readers that this text was a repeat of an earlier post and that the question in it had already been solved, so they should jump right to the end of the post where there was a new question. This
Moderator Note was in Italic to separate it off from the poster's text. I also added a reason for the change ("Moderator's Note added")
Next time I looked at this thread, the post had my entire Moderator Note removed and yet there was no record of the post having been edited. Because of this the line below the post "Edited by ... Moderator Note added" seemed nonsense. Of course the OP can
edit a post and remove a Moderator Note and give a reason "text improved" but at least then there is a record that the OP *has* made such a change.
Please re-introduce the need to give a reason for an Edit for all (preferably for all except Moderators (!) but for all solves the above problem) so that there is a visible record of when a change has been made and by whom.
Note that the only other place I know of where it is impossible to track who has done what and when is unlocking - but I have that problem in another thread.
SP 2010 "FAQ" (mainly useful links):
http://wssv4faq.mindsharp.com/default.aspx
WSS3/MOSS FAQ (FAQ and Links)
http://wssv3faq.mindsharp.com/default.aspx
Both also have links to extensive book lists and to (free) on-line chapters