-
After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.
Help Why we can select Best answer in the post which were not asked by us?
- Thread starter wseng92
- Start date
I think of it like this. There are hundreds of knowledgeable folks here, but we all have strengths in different areas. So if I go into a thread where the OP asks a question and someone has given the correct answer, I'll tap the "Best Answer" button so the OP knows that the advice in that post is good.
That sounds perfectly reasonable, but what if the person marking it is actually clueless? I've never paid attention: do readers know who marked a 'best answer'? If so, and if the OP recognizes them as knowledgeable, that works out great. But if it doesn't...that's a problem.
I routinely see posts with completely erroneous answers getting a lot of 'likes'--which kind of proves my point. Someone who up-votes a WRONG answer could just as easily mark as 'best answer' something that's totally wrong.
For that and other reasons, I think it may be better if only the OP could pick a thread's 'best answer.'
Mods can fix that when we find it. It is also a meritocracy, so the post with the most "Best Answer" votes is marked best answer, so one idiot post can also easily be overridden by the masses.
You get an alert that says something like "Unforgiven marked a post of yours best answer" with a link to the post, so yes, you do know who marked the post.
It happens all the time.
What if the OP is clueless themselves and don't know what is the right answer? The OP also has the option of editing in what worked for them into the OP.
I don't mean that to discredit your observations, as they are completely valid questions. There are other weaknesses, such as a solution that spans multiple posts. Which one should be the "Best Answer?" What if the OP is itself the answer, as in I had this massive annoying thing on Samsung phones, but here is how I fixed it. The OP itself cannot be marked as the best answer.
At the end of the day it works as is so long as you understand the shortcomings. Plus, we can't change it, LOL.
If you see any threads that need attention, as always, report and let us know what's up.
Daniel Fernandes
Android Enthusiast
Follow up and hat tip to @Daniel Fernandes for giving me a screenshot opportunity.
View attachment 143023
Thanks for your thoughtful response, @Unforgiven.
Wasn't sure if I should start a new thread...
In this thread, a reply has been marked as 'best answer' which, in turn, shows the thread as 'answered.' In fact, the 'best answer' is another comment from one of the people seeking help, and states that he doesn't know what else to try.
Also, since they see an 'answered' thread for a problem they're having, other people are popping in...only to end up asking for a solution.
How are situations like this handled? Can/should it be unmarked as 'best answer?'
In this thread, a reply has been marked as 'best answer' which, in turn, shows the thread as 'answered.' In fact, the 'best answer' is another comment from one of the people seeking help, and states that he doesn't know what else to try.
Also, since they see an 'answered' thread for a problem they're having, other people are popping in...only to end up asking for a solution.
How are situations like this handled? Can/should it be unmarked as 'best answer?'
Daniel Fernandes
Android Enthusiast
I'm not super sure but I think this shouldn't be marked as the best answer. In situations like this I would just report it to the mods and they'll do what's right.
