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Recently an old question that I had posted was edited (by someone with sufficient privilege to do so). They didn’t leave a comment, so I only became aware of this when I noticed it high on the list.

One edit was valid (a spelling mistake) but the other were gratuitous subjective typographical changes, merely reflecting the sytlistic preferences of the person making the edits. One removed an italic I was using for emphasis and the other put a full-stop outside of the parentheses the sentence was in (which ‘correction’ is against most house styles — I would say wrong).

I was annoyed.

I was also annoyed that I hadn’t been notified automatically.

Should I have received an automatic notification that I somehow missed? If not, surely it should be SE policy to inform authors of edits so they can check for damage etc.

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    $\begingroup$ I though we were automatically notified. If not, I agree that we should be. $\endgroup$
    – canadianer
    Jul 27, 2017 at 17:22
  • $\begingroup$ Very interesting point. For what it's worth, I get notifications but that may have to do with mod privileges. And yes, sometimes these edits are annoying indeed. $\endgroup$
    – AliceD Mod
    Jul 27, 2017 at 17:41
  • $\begingroup$ @AliceD — Perhaps someone could set up a test post and arrange for someone else to edit it to check whether my experience is typical or just a computer blip. $\endgroup$
    – David
    Jul 27, 2017 at 18:12
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    $\begingroup$ Actually I think it was a computer blip. I now see it in my inbox as an old notification of a suggested edit. Somehow it didn't show up or I confused it with another notification. Sorry. I suppose I should answer my own question on this. Will do when I have a mo. $\endgroup$
    – David
    Jul 27, 2017 at 18:15
  • $\begingroup$ @David no sorries! I was actually wondering if other hi-rep users got notifications. And lo-rep for that matter. $\endgroup$
    – AliceD Mod
    Jul 27, 2017 at 18:56
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    $\begingroup$ @AliceD Users usually get notifications if their questions or answers are edited. I cannot exclude that the notification is not visible due to a technical glitch. I get these. $\endgroup$
    – Chris Mod
    Jul 30, 2017 at 18:47

2 Answers 2

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When any of my content (Question/ answer) edited, I get notified.

Notification in inbox

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Answering my own question, it seems that I was victim or perpetrator of a computer foul-up, and had, in fact, received a message in my in-box informing me of the edit. Perhaps if I had responded I could have reviewed the edit myself.

So the system would seem to work satisfactorily.

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  • $\begingroup$ Don't worry, these are manual mistakes, and not only on computer but on daily life such mistakes can take place. (And as I saw, the "guilt" after a mistake indeed induce many more mistakes, and in positive feedback loop). So feel free to do unintentional mistakes. $\endgroup$
    – Always Confused
    Jul 30, 2017 at 17:59

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