allow comments to be edited/deleted by unregistered commenters

[TTom911]

 I can not allow unregistered users to edit their own comments...?

How that? That does not make sense to allow someone to post a comment (which is possible to do for unregistered users) but then not being able to allow them to edit it!?

Same thing for deleting messages. This can also not be enabled for unregistered users which does not make sense either.

I suggest to enable these options also for unregistered commenters.

[Tattoo3641]

why would you want someone who is unregistered to be allowed to edit comments?  How would you know if they are editing their own comments or someone elses?  This doesn't make sence.

[TTom911]

ahh yahh, I overlooked that this "shortcoming" actually comes from the issue of user identification, not from the use case itself. Sure that is a problem not so easy to solve. I guess many people thought about that issue for a long time already, but here are my thoughts, for what its worth:

- 1st: "identification "with an IP check. If IPs of the originator of the uuregistered posts don't match up or are not traceable for some reason then "no editing" (which still cold mean it is the same user but that can't be helped then for obvious reasons)

- 2nd: one could implement that this IP address of an unregistered user can only edit ONE comment (the most recent submitted by that IP address), not more. If no matching IPs recorded or if someone want to edit more then it is no hardship to also register first.

- 3rd: the two above should solve most common situations. But additionaly one could also consider a time window (maybe  24hrs) within which an anonymous comments can be edited (maybe 24hrs)

All not perfect and seeing the context of identification i see the problem. The suggestions above (and I do not know what the implications/complexities of such implementation would be) would only aim to allow for the most likely case: editing shortly after posting (stupid mistakes, or regrets) while not registered.

anyway, I see the issue coming from of id-ing and maybe people think its not worth the effort in implementing that. I could understand that also. Its always possible to not allow unregistered comments in the first place...

[smart]

- 1st: "identification "with an IP check. If IPs of the originator of the uuregistered posts don't match up or are not traceable for some reason then "no editing" (which still cold mean it is the same user but that can't be helped then for obvious reasons)

- 2nd: one could implement that this IP address of an unregistered user can only edit ONE comment (the most recent submitted by that IP address), not more. If no matching IPs recorded or if someone want to edit more then it is no hardship to also register first.

In my office all users has same external IP and how we would identify them? With security reasons our server doesn't provide any additional information about IPs. So JComments don't know who have posted comment - I or my collegue.

[TTom911]

I know.... no way to come up with a perfect solutions... Before thinking about the identification issue I was just wondering why that function is not there... now its quite obvious why!

[smart]

In my mind if you're affraid that your site visitors could be confused this that you could place some explanation message inside comments form - and wrote there that if users want to have ability to edit their comments they are needed to be registered.