Poll editing - add more options

Onikage · 14-09-2008 02:48PM #1

I'm sure this has been done to death, but search has been fruitless for me. It's obvious why they can't be removed but why can't you add extra options to a poll once it has been created?

Zaph · 14-09-2008 02:51PM

Adding extra options may give choices they would have voted for to people who voted when they were unavailable. Therefore it wouldn't give a true reflection of the poll.

Hagar · 14-09-2008 02:57PM

Distortion of results is one reason.

Take a simple poll such as what is your favourite colour?
Offer 3 choices, red, green or blue. After 200 posts you add yellow, now it looks like out of 200 posts nobody like yellow.

Not important in a poll like that but in a more serious context the distortion could affect people views of a serious subject.

turgon · 14-09-2008 07:36PM

What is you had like a 10 minute limit for people to edit the poll? I started on once and only realized I left out two (very important) options after I was promoted by two boardsies.

Onikage · 14-09-2008 07:37PM

How about a short window of time where you can add any forehead-slappers? For example I can still edit the opening post on this thread which could theoretically distort the meaning of the next two posts. But it seems to be accepted that allowing people to manage their posts for a short period of time results in generally better posts.

Edit:
Beaten to it by turgon. By 1 minute, no less

Victor · 15-09-2008 07:28AM

Moderators can (usually) edit polls.

Most polls here should be capable of being done with ten or fewer options

I think its good to force people to think out a poll before they create it - most don't.

faceman · 15-09-2008 02:03PM

It would make polls rather pointless if they could be edited after creation.

aidan_walsh · 15-09-2008 02:08PM

If, as has been said, the poll edit time was limited and (IMO) any votes reset when an edit is saved it might go someway to making people think out their polls before posting, and discourage people editing polls multiple times if they piss off too many people by resetting it all the time.

Bob the Builder · 15-09-2008 08:09PM

Hagar wrote: »

Distortion of results is one reason.

Take a simple poll such as what is your favourite colour?
Offer 3 choices, red, green or blue. After 200 posts you add yellow, now it looks like out of 200 posts nobody like yellow.

Not important in a poll like that but in a more serious context the distortion could affect people views of a serious subject.

Yes, should an opening poster have this ability, it would discourage me from ever voting in a poll. I'm all for a 10minute editing window though.

Poll editing - add more options

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