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Old Versions?

Geek of Ages

I think this is probably my last question for a while (but no promises).

When a new version of a story is uploaded, is the old version kept around at all? And if it is, is there any way to access it?

I've done some looking around and don't see anything obvious, but I might have missed something. But I figure that the new version is all that's kept, along with a date marker for original post vs. last updated (so not even tracking all the updates along the way), to save space. Just wanted to confirm/deny my figuring.

Replies:   bk69  Switch Blayde
bk69 🚫

@Geek of Ages

I can't see any reason to have archived copies, once the site backup has refreshed to the new version. So if you want to undo updates, I'd think fast reaction would be needed.

Replies:   Geek of Ages
Geek of Ages

@bk69

My question isn't really about "undoing" at all. It's mostly just curiosity over whether or not it's kept around at all, particularly if it's accessible at all.

Mostly, I'm wanting to do some bigger edits on some of my stories, and I'm curious if people will have any way of accessing them as they are now, once I'm done posting those edits.

Replies:   REP  Dominions Son
REP 🚫

@Geek of Ages

IIRC my former company kept backups of their servers for several years. If Lazeez does something similar, it may be possible for him provide you with a copy of an earlier version of a story. Perhaps even the original post.

Dominions Son 🚫

@Geek of Ages

I'm curious if people will have any way of accessing them as they are now

Sure, if they've already downloaded the existing version.

Replies:   Geek of Ages
Geek of Ages

@Dominions Son

Sure, if they've already downloaded the existing version.

As in, they can still read it locally if it's downloaded? Yep, full agree.

Or did you mean that they have access to it on the site still?

AmigaClone 🚫
Updated:

@Geek of Ages

The only way for you to keep both a current and a "new" version of a story for people to read here would be to post the later as a new story.

Note: Not recommended unless there is a significant change in the storyline.

Replies:   Geek of Ages
Geek of Ages

@AmigaClone

To be clear, I am asking not because I want people to have access to an older version of the story—it's that I explicitly don't want them to.

The ease with which someone could get ahold of those older versions through the site affects how I think about moving things around vs. deleting and reposting.

Replies:   REP  Ernest Bywater
REP 🚫

@Geek of Ages

Many people download the current version of the favorite author's stories and archive them on their computers. They also share the stories they download with other readers. There is nothing you can do to stop them from downloading a new version and comparing it to the older version.

Ernest Bywater 🚫

@Geek of Ages

The ease with which someone could get ahold of those older versions through the site affects how I think about moving things around vs. deleting and reposting.

The readers do not have access to the older versions unless they downloaded them while they were still the current version.

When I first posted the Clan Amir stories I posted them as Ernest Edwards because my main publisher wanted the stories to not be associated with my other stories on their site. I was also restricted, by contract, as to how much of each of the 7 books I could post on SoL. After the contract expired I put the remainder of the stories up on SoL, all 45 of them. Some years later I got fed up with having to cut the files up into the individual stories and contacted Lazeez to have all of the stories moved from the pen name to my main account in my real name and also to have the bulk of the stories merged into a single story for each book, which is why the story title and file title no longer match. I then replaced those files with a file for each book that has every story within that book in it. Much easier to manage now.

When you go into the Posting Wizard and upload an updated file the current file becomes that file and that's what the readers see. The only difference between replacing the file via that system and the delete then repost as a new file system is the delete option also deletes all of the states related to the story while the update system and the admin story move system retains all of those stats and is less work for all involved.

The outcome is that all a reader can see on the site is the current file, and only the current file.

Replies:   Geek of Ages
Geek of Ages

@Ernest Bywater

Thank you. That's exactly the sort of information (and background!) that really helps and answers my question along with some attendant concerns I have.

Dominions Son 🚫

@Geek of Ages

As in, they can still read it locally if it's downloaded? Yep, full agree.

This.

Or did you mean that they have access to it on the site still?

Not that.

Switch Blayde 🚫

@Geek of Ages

When a new version of a story is uploaded, is the old version kept around at all? And if it is, is there any way to access it?

My guess is it's somewhere in the system backups but not accessible by you.

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