6
$\begingroup$

There is a user that is modifying a lot of question in the last couple of hours, in particular, converting to latex any plain text that he considers that should be in math mode. It is getting annoying because some of his changes are objectively wrong. For example, see the last changes made to this question:

How are the two natural ways to define ''the category of models of a first-order theory $T$'' related?

What can be done? I think that the op has the right to choose her/his style of writing.

$\endgroup$
14
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ There are several things to consider. For example: Is this a kind of edit which helps users who use screen readers? Are those edits to recent posts or to old posts? Is it only a minor edit, or did the edit correct some other important problems with the post? Is the user bumping many old posts at the same time? $\endgroup$
    – Martin Sleziak
    Commented Jan 10, 2020 at 1:08
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ There are several related discussion on this meta - I'll mention a few, you can certainly find more: What's our consensus on people resurrecting old questions just to edit formatting?, Minor edits, subject to review, Editing titles to include $\mathfrak{LaTeX \; Math}$, Do we have an unofficial quota on how many old questions one should bump for minor edits in a single day?, Editing etiquette. $\endgroup$
    – Martin Sleziak
    Commented Jan 10, 2020 at 1:08
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Thanks fot your comments @MartinSleziak. He is noy helping with his minor editions, he is just transforming plain text to math mode. I have already negatively reviewed some of his edits, but for some reason some of his edits have been accepted. $\endgroup$
    – efs
    Commented Jan 10, 2020 at 1:17
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Since I was also criticized for being too active in editing, perhaps I could have also linked to my answer in that thread: Restriction on Number of edits. (Although in that thread mostly other topics are discussed, not LaTeX-ifying posts.) Since I have mentioned screen readers, here are two posts on Mathematics Meta related to the topic: To what extent is Math.SE accessible to a blind user? and Is Mathjax accessible for people using screen readers? $\endgroup$
    – Martin Sleziak
    Commented Jan 10, 2020 at 1:26
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ BTW I have edited into your post link to the list of revisions of the linked question - to make it easier for others to see what was actually changed. If you prefer, you can use link directly to the suggested edit. (Although the link to the suggested edit is available in the revision history, too.) $\endgroup$
    – Martin Sleziak
    Commented Jan 10, 2020 at 4:57
  • 11
    $\begingroup$ This may be a distraction, but I note that the user being referred to has done of the things that drives me up the wall about a certain kind of MathJaxHappy edit: namely, to change something like Mod(T) in plain text to $Mod(T)$ when it should be $\operatorname{Mod}(T)$ (using \operatorname for semantic purposes and not just writing 'M' times 'o' times 'd' $\endgroup$
    – Yemon Choi
    Commented Jan 10, 2020 at 5:11
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ Disclosure: I have negatively reviewed several suggested edits by this user. I would feel more kindly disposed if the user had first contributed some answers or some mathematical comments on this site $\endgroup$
    – Yemon Choi
    Commented Jan 10, 2020 at 5:14
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ In the linked post's edit, what's converted in math mode is should indeed be in math mode. The main problem is indeed, as Yemon Choi mentions, that it's badly done and makes output worse at some places. (I also agree that I'm not sure such edits, if well done, are so opportune: better do them when the question is bumped to the front page.) $\endgroup$
    – YCor
    Commented Jan 10, 2020 at 5:20
  • $\begingroup$ I posted a comment on this user's question to let them know about this thread meta. (Even if the discussion on meta typically tends to be about more general issues than about one specific user, I still consider making him aware of this thread useful.) $\endgroup$
    – Martin Sleziak
    Commented Jan 10, 2020 at 5:56
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ I took the liberty to fix the post in question. The original edit can be found in the question history. $\endgroup$
    – Emil Jeřábek
    Commented Jan 10, 2020 at 6:21
  • $\begingroup$ @YemonChoi I totally agree with you. By the way, in Logic, isn't it common to use "plain text" for some concepts (metaconcepts?)? $\endgroup$
    – efs
    Commented Jan 10, 2020 at 11:07
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ In the past, I have had some success by leaving a comment on a question to notify a user that 13 edits in the span of a few minutes is way excessive and it's better to do three or four a day. On other occasions, I have flagged a question for moderator attention and pointed out in the flag that a user was on an editing spree. $\endgroup$
    – Gerry Myerson
    Commented Jan 10, 2020 at 14:02
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @EFinat-S $T$ in the question is not a concept, it's a mathematical object. $\endgroup$
    – YCor
    Commented Jan 10, 2020 at 17:46
  • $\begingroup$ @YCor. Well, I'm not a native english speaker, and in spanish "mathematical concept" can be understood as "mathematical object" in the context of my question. My mistake. $\endgroup$
    – efs
    Commented Jan 10, 2020 at 22:01

0

Reset to default

You must log in to answer this question.

Browse other questions tagged .