Drafts feature randomly resets the input field

Hmm the code does an async request when the editor opens, and then inserts any drafts text, once it's been loaded. I was thinking this'd happen within a second, before one had had time to type anything. ... I didn't test this on a slow network connection and then yes it's possible that one has started typing, and one's text gets overwritten later when the draft has been loaded.

So rolling back / disabling this feature, for now, seems like a good idea.

• Another thing that annoys me with drafts, is if I start editing something, then close the editor, and restart editing a bit later — then I have forgotten about the original edits, which I maybe didn't want to keep. But now they get loaded again, via the drafts feature. And then I might accidentally included the old edits although I didn't want to.

@chrscheuer I've fixed this now, meaning, drafts can no longer overwrite text one has started writing.

I disabled the input textarea, with a message "Loading any draft...", until any draft has been loaded. That normally takes less than half a second. (Unless that QoS issue with too-many-open-tabs and additional-connections-prevented, is happening.)

if I start editing something, then close the editor, and restart editing a bit later — then I have forgotten about the original edits

if the drafts were more opt-in maybe?

Yes I'm thinking about making drafts for edits, opt in: They'll be saved automatically, and later on resuming editing, one will see a dialog with something like: "You have old unpublished edits. Do you want to continue editing? [Yes, continue] [No, start new] [Start new, delete old draft] [View edits]"

when you come back you'll see your reply draft (in the location where it would be if you had published it, but clearly stated "Draft" and maybe only a summary available)

I like this idea :- ) I have in mind to do the same thing, for flags, and other people's posts that are pending approval — so staff see those things too, although no one else does. Hadn't thought about handling drafts, in a similar way.

Hmm I think people fairly often wouldn't look below the post they're replying to — they wouldn't see their old drafts a bit below, and forget. Maybe the most recent draft should be auto-loaded anyway, + maybe a "You have drafts" indicator icon, next to the Reply button.

the current editor code design is architected around a single editor instance [...] For new posts they could turn up as drafts as well (of which you would then also have many lying around).

Yes, and ... Later when there's a rich text / WYSIWYG editor, then one could edit these "previewed drafts" directly by just placing the cursor inside, and continuing typing.

I thought the drafts were only saved once per editor

Actually there's a list of one's drafts, if you click your username menu (upper right) and then click Drafts, bookmarks, tasks. And if you click a draft, you'll jump to that page and the editor auto-opens. I use this drafts list as a todo list, to remember to reply to people (I click Reply, then type "r" in the editor, close the editor, and then a draft with the text "r", meaning "Reply later", appears in my drafts list).