Whenever a post is edited, the question is automatically bumped to the top of the category post list.

This is useful for major changes to posts because people can see that something has changed. However, it is a slight annoyance when the edit is extremely minor, such as changing the tags of a question or fixing a spelling mistake. In those touch-up cases, there isn't really a significant change that warrants the increased attention.

Also, I'm sure nobody needs to be subjected to ten posts being bumped to the top of the feed just because a new tag was created, and old posts were updated with it.

I personally have avoided editing old posts for exactly this reason; we don't have much activity as it is, so having already well-answered questions be bumped and push down more recent unanswered questions seems counterproductive.

Could we have a way to mark an edit as "minor" or something, or otherwise have an option to not bump the post? This mark would ideally be applied by the edit reviewers, who we trust to make these types of calls.

Note that other than not bumping the post, there would be no functional difference from normal edits. The edits would still have to be reviewed, would show the edited indicator that includes who edited, and would still appear in the edit history, as normal.

Possible concerns raised

It will allow malicious edits to go unnoticed

[H]ow do you get around the case where someone makes a major or malicious edit, then tries to hide that by claiming it was minor? — Olin Lathrop

The review system exists for a reason. If someone attempts to maliciously edit another's post, that should be caught by the review system.

If they are editing their own post, well, the only harm done is to themselves.

If they can edit others' posts without review, well... I'd be more concerned about how a malicious person managed to gain that ability.

Bumping gives unanswered questions attention

There are better ways of giving attention to unanswered or poorly answered questions. Since they mention SE, I will note they have a specific tab for unanswered questions. They also have a bounty system, though it wouldn't be easy to set up here due to Codidact being relatively less rep focused.

Besides, it's not like this suggestion is to remove the ability to bump; it is to add the ability to not bump. If someone wants to bump a post to give it more attention, they still have that ability^[1]

Edits should notify the author regardless of how minor

Edits to other people's posts should always generate notifications to the author, major or minor. — Monica Cellio

I certainly want to know about all edit anyone makes to my posts. — Olin Lathrop

I agree.

How would the minor label be determined?

We shouldn't try to programmatically determine what a "minor" edit is; in the right context, one character is a major edit. Designation as minor needs to be human-powered. — Monica Cellio

I personally think that the label should be applied at the time of review; We already trust reviewers to be able to judge good and bad edits, so it doesn't seem much of a stretch to let them judge whether to bump due to an edit.

posted over 3 years ago

CC BY-SA 4.0

3y ago

Moshi‭

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