Should I edit a post when it’s poorly typographically styled and formatted?

Question

The reference question

for people wondering what the best practices are when editing posts

contains almost all kinds of reasons when an edit is encouraged, but it doesn’t mention if users should edit a post – question or answer – when it’s poorly typographically styled and formatted.

Since the graphicdesign.SE (or short GD.SE) is Q&A site for

for professional graphic designers and non-designers trying to do their own graphic design

it would make a good (public) image when most of the posts on this SE site are well styled and formatted.

On the other hand there are many questions and answers to edit and it’s the question if this is really necessary, since correct typography is not very common on the internet – at least in chat forum like sites when things should go fast and don’t need to be (typographically) correct … :)

We would also need a so called "Manual of Style" for questions and answers to achieve that the correct style and formatting is consistent at least within a post an perhaps throughout GD.SE.

What’s your opinion?

Answer 1

I almost rejected your suggested edit on this answer.

Your summary said:

corrected typography: em-dash, apostrophe and ellipses

You actually changed the hyphens for spaced en-dashes, not em-dashes—which shouldn't be surrounded by spaces. But that is my opinion and favoured style. There is no correct style.

The apostrophes are ok to change, but is it really needed?

You also changed "labelling" to "labeling", which I thought was incorrect—but apparently you changed it from British English spelling to US English spelling (I often use American spellings on the internet—not really sure why—but I am British).

I approved the edit in the end, but I don't think it was needed.

From the Help page on edit privileges:

Tiny, trivial edits are discouraged - try to make the post significantly better when you edit, correcting all problems that you observe.

Generally speaking, if a larger edit is needed, correct typography along with tags or spelling or whatever else but otherwise theres no need. In an ideal world, yes, I would love for everything to be formatted in correct typography and follow a well thought out style guide but I don't think anyone has got the time or desire for a style guide to follow and enforce.