In a discussion forum, you will often see threads sorted by the last reply to that thread (please disregard the sticky threads in the image below).
What I'm beginning to wonder is what part editing a post should play in the sorting order. Shouldn't you rather sort by the last reply and last edit (whatever occurred later) than only the last reply?
Basically, if a user edits an original or reply post, the thread is pushed to the top, signalling that something in the thread has changed.
I can see the following advantages:
- When someone updates their post with useful or additional information, you are immediately made aware of it. This is basically the same as if the information had been provided as a reply.
- Moderators can quickly review edits and detect vandalism (i.e. a user posting an innocuous looking post that passes an initial review, then editing it to include links to malware sites).
I can see the following disadvantages:
- A user who corrects just a minor spelling mistake is pushing his thread to the top.
What are your thoughts?