OP, we got an official response from super mod MJ50 on the "Oil pump solenoid" thread:
https://mbworld.org/forums/w212-amg/...ml#post8954249
https://mbworld.org/forums/w212-amg/...ml#post8954253

To sum up, can edit within 240 minutes of posting. If wish to edit afterwards need to report your own post to a mod to modify.

Reason this was implemented was to stop abuse and responding to reports on this is easier than to check every post that is edited in an abusive way apparently.

 

I would probably not make any bigger an issue since I like going back to the beginning of time and being able to edit. If we make too big a deal, they'll find the bug and we'll all be screwed.

 

Well, let's leave it at that then.

 

It’s definitely a really scummy practice to remove features and charge for them. But this is the way of the world, charging more for nothing, more for less, and lowering the quality all at the same time probably while working at home in their underwear. I wonder if they’re ever going to get rid of all of these crappy scammer vendors that rip people off constantly or if that’s just about money too. This sounds like this money grab because mods don’t want to do their work. If their issue is pay, create a forum with fees that offers more options and a better user experience and have people employed by this process. I don’t want to hear anyone complain that they are doing something for free because that is their free will…and complaining is not justifiable because they can just not do it anymore, thanks bye.

I agree with the poster that mentioned looking “unprofessional” by his writing and I absolutely feel the same way. If the phone changes didn’t to did, the whole point of what was written is now incorrect, it is of no use to other users and actually might be quite detrimental to progress. It’s a technical forum but we are all not technical writers and writers or native English speakers, and deserve a chance to correct ourselves in time. If there’s abuse, ban the ip address, do your job. Sometimes I go back and read posts and wish I could edit but I’m not gonna pay for that privilege to drive traffic to a website.… perhaps we come up with a plan where we get paid for our technical postings and traffic that we generate by clicks to our names then they can pay us for each click generated by our original click…that actually sounds really douchey, just like this cash grab.

Heated seat subscription anyone, I know you have the hardware, but do you want them to work, lol! I also have a bridge to nowhere for a really good deal.

BOO mbworld Boo (in my best princess brides voice))

 

It really is not clear what happened. I can go back two YEARS (and maybe longer) and edit one of my old posts. It sounds like the 4 hour time limit was always in place but just never worked. And as I said above, the paid membership supposedly has nothing to do with being able to edit. And I hardly think this was any kind of cash grab since there was no announcement that you needed to join to edit. The MBWord+ membership was first announced back in December and there was no mention of enhanced or extended editing.

Having managed software programs (the old fashion way, not the stupid Agile approach), this recent development seems too much like an improperly tested website update that was rolled out.

 

In that case, does anyone have a list of what the fee enables and provides as an extra to normal forum members? Most professionally run forums have that info.

I lost my ability to edit, and find it hard to believe that a glitch allows some to edit and not others, though not being a programmer, I have no idea what separates me and you in the back world of the interspace on mbworld.