Ability to mark the right answer...abused or best used...
I am interested in becoming an MVP, so I have begun to participate in more threads in varying topics. Sometimes I will pick up threads that no one else will answer and propose a solution. After posting, an MVP will come along, post an answer. Sometimes the answer is better and deserving, but sometimes it is not...and mark him/her-self as the answer, but doesn't mark my answer; even if it is equal in value or greater...
I fully understand that all my posts arenot award winners...but I feel slighted whenI believe that it is an MVP is annointing the answer and not the original poster, when my answer seems to be equal or better.
Hence one can feel frustrated if trying to show consistent answers in trying for the MVP status...if the appearence is thatmadeMVPs are getting the limelight. Big fish verses little fish. <g>
Just venting on my part. Thanks for reading, I don't have a solution, for I understand why the ability to mark an answer is there...its just that it sometimes can be misused.
advTHANKance
[1155 byte] By [
OmegaMan] at [2007-12-22]
Yournext step up the "corporate ladder" is probably to become a
moderator. When you've made "enough worthwhile" posts, you'll get
a friendly email from a MSFT employee, asking you if you want to become
one. I know there is a shortage and it isn't that hard to get
nominated. Once you get the invitation, you'll get major
priviledges like being able to mark posts as answers (including your
own). As well as delete posts, move them etc. I've seen
your answers and they are good quality.
Your post count right now is 182, probably not quite enough to get noticed. Hang in there and you'll be a moderator soon... are there no rules on marking one's reply as answer? i encountered a number of threads where a poster abandons the thread and i'm the only one who replied to it, is it ethical to mark my own answer as answer in that scenario just to lessen the unanswered threads. besides the thread starter or moderators can unmark it if they think that my reply is really not the answer.
thanks!
in that case no not really. really it should be the original poster marking the answer if they dont come back then you should leave it as is, unless someone else who knows about the problem and a solution, and if yours fits then he/she will mark it
I concur with your logic but suggest that one should look at the real goal behind marking as answer. It is to really to
rate the posts, so when someone searches for a topic, the answered posts rise to the top.
There is a fine line sometimes between being an answer and being a good answer and the devil is in the details. <g>
There have been many discussions, especially along the mod's about the whole answering system. To me, some people just want to mark mark mark so they are the "top answerer" - which is NOT true. I remember recently, last week actually, a certain user reported the actions of one member about this, to which I agreed personally.
At the end of the day, being a "top answerer" is not important, for me personally, its to HELP users in need, not to just mark away and think you are everything - no. To me personally, helping others, no matter how long it takes, is important and if it helps them succeed/fix the problem that to me is a personal goal and achievement.
Answers should be marked if it is the CORRECT answer. This should be done by either:
original posteryourself if you know 100% it will work from your experience or your testings.Thats just my POV :-)
I disagree. If there was no follow-up on your answer for three business days, give or take, and you feel pretty good about the your post, go ahead and mark it answered. It is quite common for a thread starter not to follow up when they got a good answer. And nobody wants to dig through threads that already have a good answer. yes I agree with that NoBugz...it's just one of those things unfortunately...
I was gonna start a new thread (Answer system gone to pot?) but this one seems a good place as my concerns are the same.
There are definately instances of mods marking their own posts as answers before the OP even has a chance to respond...
There are also posts marked as answered that seem to have no other purpose than to drive up a given user's answer count... For instance (without pointing fingers directly) I just saw a post related to a VB6 question - there was one reply (paraphrased): these forums aren't for VB6 questions and that post was marked as an answer. Wouldn't it be better for the mod to just send a generic notice to the user and delete the post? I mean, I know these VB6 issues come up all the time, but there are LOTS of posts (pinned too) that clearly state this is not the place for VB6. One of the mods who seems to do a real good job all the time even has a list of links that they post on most VB6 threads that point people in the right direction (I should note that I've never seen this mod mark those posts as answers).
I mean, if someone asks a question - off topic or not - and the only reply they get is "this post is off topic", then that doesn't really constitute an answer, does it?
I understand the desire to close threads. However, I think there should be a minimum time before a thread is considered "abandonded". And only after this time is it ok for a mod to mark their own answer. And then only if they indeed did answer the question.
Perhaps there should be a conglomerated forum (maybe called Stuff Nobody Knows 
) where unanswered threads go after some period of inactivity, and this forum is not part of a standard search. I mean, its only frustrating to search and find your question in threads that have not been answered.
All I know is that for a long time, this was not an issue; the answer system worked great and was quite useful. But suddenly it seems it is becoming practice - and that appears to be because a few abusers have not been repremanded so it now appears acceptable to others.
When I select 'only threads marked answered' and I see so-called answers that don't even address the question - it irks me badly... and I don't think I'm the only one (but if I am, let me know and I'll sit down and shut up).
Ok, end rant.
I do agree but again its one of those things unfortunately. Even though there have been stickies/announcements and previous threads having the same response, unfortunately some users just do not read them and ignore it (like when signing up to a forum and reading/accepting the T&Cs - they just agree to it but never read it)
It's one solid way, for now, for them to know that is the incorrect forum but I personally always make sure that they are supplied with the most accurate links possible or guide them to the correct place for posting their question than for several people saying "wrong forum". :-)
This is very debatable and can go on for many many pages and in great depths. I know, and has been shown and said as well as complained about in the past, the same points you have raised yourself in your reply - certain mods do mark the answer even though it has no relevance to the question which to me, is bad simply because perhaps they don't consider themselves (the mod) in the same position as the original poster - you should, as a decent person at least, consider OTHER people before yourself - what would YOU expect if you were asking that same question? You would then write down exactly what you would expect and making sure the original poster has some good satisfaction - that to me, is a goal and a win.
At the end of the day, marking answers can be competitive, and so it should be, but there should be a baseline - a line drawn where on what is a correct answer to make the search relevant but not otherwise, regardless.
Members should be reminded and strongly encouraged to mark/unmark and answer - the original poster should do this since it is their thread and they are the ones expecting for that answer they want, therefore any other answers posted perhaps which are marked as answer that are not an answer for their problem, should be untagged/unmarked
sorry...rambling on! My apologies
Why is it some posts get marked as incorrect forum but not moved when they could...but others are moved to the appropriate forum?
OmegaMan - in what sense? :-)
Do you mean for example the newsgroups/communities? So if we posted say, a technet scripting question here but the correct place would be over there at the communities? If this is the case then we unfortunately do not have that facility - its just a different layer/channel altogether. Believe me, if we had this feature, I personally would be using it alot to make sure that they dont get annoyed (the original poster) but also making sure that they don't have to do much work, in terms of going to the page, finding the right place to post, then pasting in the question again.
If here, generally if the post is in the incorrect forum BUT is relevant to this forum, then yes it should (and does) get moved appropriately
I understand why it can't be moved to the other outside forums, but internally.... It seems
some posts don't get moved when its obvious where the post should go and someone chimes in
wrong forum...or maybe I am seeing things.
in that case then yes, it must be moved correctly which is the job of the moderator. If it has not been moved correctly then you can suggest to move it which hopefully someone will pick up and move it. I personally do move threads to the appropriate forum and never leave it "left" as is. unfortunately some people don't move them but they should if they have the rights to do so
