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Why do people keep editing my questions?

I'm a new user on Stack Overflow and I'm confused about the ability to edit other people's questions and answers.

I asked this question, and someone edited it to add the tag.

Why did they feel the need to do that? How is it that others are allowed to edit people's posts?

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    Actually in this example, he tagged your question as homework, which it is. A better question is why you removed it.
    – Blindy
    Jun 28, 2011 at 17:18
  • Six edit revisions on this question. Oh, the irony.
    – user102937
    Jun 28, 2011 at 17:28
  • I've had the homework tag ignored for so long I didn't realize it was still around. Is it even encouraged anymore?
    – user7116
    Jun 28, 2011 at 17:33
  • @sixletter: Everyone is quite sure they are right about its appropriateness. Including me. So there has never really been a conclusion.
    – dmckee --- ex-moderator kitten
    Jun 28, 2011 at 17:37
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    @sixlettervariables: The homework tag appears to be used in two different ways: First, to mark questions that the OP has said are for schoolwork, so that people know answers should focus on understanding more than direct solutions and that arbitrary restrictions might be valid; second, as a not-terribly-subtle insult to plz-send-the-codes type questions that could conceivably be homework (but with no significant evidence that they are).
    – McCannot
    Jun 28, 2011 at 17:49
  • @Robert and by 6 different people at that, it's setting its own example
    – Daniel DiPaolo
    Jun 28, 2011 at 18:15
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    @Won't: 7-hit combo! Flawless victory.
    – McCannot
    Jun 28, 2011 at 18:16
  • @Won't: You missed one.
    – user102937
    Jun 28, 2011 at 18:19
  • @RobertHarvey: I'm resisting the urge to lock this.
    – user1228
    Jun 28, 2011 at 18:20
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    As a further insult, your question is about Visual Basic, but got closed as a duplicate of a C# question. And when you ask for an explanation on meta, your question gets another dubious duplicate close by the insider crew. SO is becoming less welcoming to new users every day.
    – Andomar
    Jun 28, 2011 at 18:21
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    @Andomar: The fact that the question is tagged C# might have something to do with that.
    – user102937
    Jun 28, 2011 at 18:22
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    @Andomar: For a simple question like that, the languages are basically the same anyway. VB.NET has more in common with C# than with VB6.
    – McCannot
    Jun 28, 2011 at 18:26
  • @Won't, sorry I screwed up your perfect game; the grammar of the last sentence of Guthwulf's post was too much temptation for my editing finger. I see you've restored your coverage, however.
    – jscs
    Jun 28, 2011 at 18:44
  • @JoshCaswell: YESSS! I shall always revisit this question to claim my right as last editor!
    – user1228
    Jun 28, 2011 at 20:22

6 Answers 6

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Stack Overflow is a collaboratively edited site, so users that have the appropriate level of reputation can modify questions and answers if they believe that doing so will increase the quality and clarity of a question or answer.

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The person who tagged your question as [homework] in response to a comment you made. This isn't a negative reaction to the fact you were asking for help on a homework question, it just allows people who answer your question to understand where you are coming from. Perhaps you shouldn't have rolled back that edit?

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Just to be clear, this question was never actually edited. It was retagged (correctly) as [homework], since the OP mentioned in a comment on an answer that their teacher wanted the results in a certain way. The duplicate link was added automatically by the Community user after it was closed.

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To make it more readable and to correct syntax highlighting, normally. Just things that will help you get your question answered or your answer accepted.

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Sometimes questions get edited with simple spelling and grammar improvements. It is common for users who are not native English speakers/writers. It helps to make the question more readable for other users. For instance, I would edit your question to read "Why do people edit my questions?"

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You seem to be a touch upset that your question got edited. There is nothing wrong with having your question edited. We don't always make our questions as clear as we could when we are writing them. Combine that with the fact that English is not a lot of people's primary language and it's bound to happen quite a bit.

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