[Finnster]

Hmm.. my response I guess would be the intent is whatever you want it to be ;) :)
As far as fairness goes, I don't see how that makes it unfair. Not arguing it can't, just saying I can't see how it works like that, or really what is exactly unfair.
At least out of the RC realm, thread editing seems to help out a bit and reduce clutter of repeat posts.

Eg. I also visit a News& Events forum. Instead of lots of posts discussing news events, and new threads as the situation changes, there is one "official" thread for the topic, and the initial poster updates the 1st post (or even title as relevent) but the conversation continues on in the thread. for example:
Presidential Election Day results thread:
OP: Obama wins PA
later, Obama wins OH, FL
later, McCain wins MO
later, CA polls close, Obama Pres-elect.

OP updated for the relevent info of a dynamic topic, but conversation continues in thead. New thread viewers see the relevent info in title, but jump to pg whatever to discuss, but mostly knowing state of the conversation. If title doesn't get updated, new viewers see old info and tend to start new threads (Hey yo, OBAMA won OH! --->not a newsflash)

I mean I guess there are some fairness issues, as OP has a responsibilty to update the thread OP, but if they don't, thread tends to die off and a new one starts, or it sometimes doesn't a matter and thread goes on regardless if the OP tries to steer it.
For the most part I don't see this as a problem here esp as OP's for build threads want and should be able to control the direction of their own build thread, and be able to update w/ current info. If they really want to be thread hogs now, they can still do it by just constantly bumping their own thread w/ useless info ("hey, I bought a new shock spring"-->bump)

Maybe there is some value to limiting editing in the general areas, such as "General Discussion" and even the "Brushless" areas, but on the lesser visited sub forums, like Truggy or Mini-Trug, Savage or Revo where build threads dominate the discussions, there seems to be good opportunities to allow editing so posters can create really top-notch dense and detailed conversion how-to build threads that can be used more like reference material. IMO, what really sets this forum really apart is the vast wealth of knowledge and experience contained here. In some sense too, there would be an incentive to posting build threads in the relevant, if lesser visited sub-forum. EG, some people post Trug build threads in "Truggy" while others post in the higher traffic but less specific "brushless" area. IDK, is that fair? Is that the best use of the forum, and is that most helpful to people trying to search for a veh specific conversion to have to search a bunch of different areas b/c god knows where others decided to stick it?

Active OPs and outstanding threads will always get more attention regardless, but info can be presented in a more organized way.

Lastly, as far a ghost quoting goes, as far as I've seen its not really an issue. If somebody writes something, gets quoted and later edits out, the quoted post still has a edited by: dude on 12/1/01 at 4:39pm. Its pretty easy to see it got edited out and where it fits w/ the timestamps.

Long as hell post, but something I've been thinking about for a while, so might as well throw it all out as the topic is up.