The Vanishing Feature: Why Can't I Suggest Edits for Comments on Quora Anymore?

Quora, one of the leading public question-and-answer platforms, has made several changes to its functionality over the years. One such change that drew significant attention was the removal of the 'Suggest Edits' feature. This feature, once seen as a valuable tool for improving content, has been Quora edits. In this article, we will delve into the reasons behind this decision and explore why it has left many users frustrated.

Official Explanation

According to official statements from Quora, the decision to remove the 'Suggest Edits' feature was driven by two primary concerns:

Difficulties in Cross-Platform Maintenance

The official reason cited by Quora was the complexity in maintaining seamless Suggest Edits feature across all platforms. Developers faced significant challenges in supporting this feature consistently across different devices and operating systems. The company stated, 'We need to centrally manage throughput, response times, and overall performance while supporting a wide variety of devices and formats.' This technical challenge was seen as too complicated to maintain effectively.

Abuse and Harassment Concerns

There were also internal issues regarding the misuse of the 'Suggest Edits' feature. Some users were using this feature to rewrite entire answers, which often led to unwanted changes and potential quora edits abuse. Additionally, there were reports of harassment through suggested edits, despite the official stance that such incidents were rare. Nonetheless, the perceived risk was deemed too high to justify the feature's continued presence.

User Perspectives

Many users, however, disagree with these explanations and believe that the feature's removal was a convenience-driven decision by Quora. They argue that the feature was effectively designed to be a user-friendly method for Quora user feedback and improving content. Here are some key points from user feedback:

Convenience and Norm

Several users, like User-13686587348007472880, pointed out that comments now serve as a more intuitive and widely accepted method for providing feedback. They stated, 'Commenting with suggestions seems more intuitive and is more of a norm on the internet.' Additionally, the process of suggesting edits became more cumbersome on mobile devices, requiring users to navigate through separate screens and risking the easy promotion of writing changes.

Minority Over Compromised Majority

One user highlighted the inconvenience that Quora made for the majority of its users to suit the needs of a minority. They argued, 'The reasoning that they give to support their unilateral action is spurious. They are passing along what is a minor difficulty for them by making it a major difficulty for Quora users.'

Impact on Content Quality

Another perspective is that the removal of the 'Suggest Edits' feature has led to a decline in the quality of content. Some users have noticed a trend where edits are now made via comments, which are typically not as well-thought-out as suggested edits. The lack of structured feedback has resulted in less cohesive and less accurate answers.

Conclusion

The removal of the 'Suggest Edits' feature on Quora highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing user convenience with developer complexity. While the official stance is rooted in technical and administrative concerns, the user community's response suggests that there is a need for a more balanced approach. The feature, designed to enhance content quality and user interactions, found itself in a less favorable position due to the complexities of maintaining it.

As Quora continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how the platform addresses the needs of its users and balances the demands of usability and functionality.