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Encouraging people to explain down-votes

Is there any way to complain about users who downvote my answer without providing a reason? For example, take this question and my answer: Remove the Text in C#.net

Given that my answer is 100% correct, why have I so far been downvoted twice?

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  • Anyone with enough reputation can downvote - there appears to have been a spate of downvotes on the question and all answers given to it.
    – Oded
    Mar 29, 2012 at 13:00
  • It was really strange!! every post was downvoted without a reason! Mar 29, 2012 at 13:00
  • @MrLister, take a look on that link mentioned by OP in his question. Mar 29, 2012 at 13:01
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    One of those downvotes was from me. Look at my comment. It's quite justified. This thread is unnecessary. As mentioned - learn to live with the reputation system. If I had the necessary reps - I'd down vote this thread too.
    – SkonJeet
    Mar 29, 2012 at 13:05
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    @infantprogrammer'Aravind' Keep in mind that there is absolutely no requirement to leave a reason for a downvote.
    – Bart
    Mar 29, 2012 at 13:06
  • @Bart, thats what the cause for this problem here!! Mar 29, 2012 at 13:07
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    @SkonJeet: the user has a personal concern and is expressing it in the right place, how is that worthy of a downvote?
    – Matt
    Mar 29, 2012 at 13:09
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    @infantprogrammer'Aravind' That (perceived) problem has been discussed at length here on Meta. This is one such example: meta.stackexchange.com/questions/135/…
    – Bart
    Mar 29, 2012 at 13:09
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    @Matt - He's not just expressing his concern at all!? He's enquiring about how to make a complain about a member. That's ridiculous, he should first know that it is best practice to ask about the down vote, or at least give it a few minutes for the down voter (myself in this case) to elaborate. See Diago's answer "nor do you have any reason to complain...". You're wrong Matt.
    – SkonJeet
    Mar 29, 2012 at 13:10
  • @Bart,@Matt agreed!! Mar 29, 2012 at 13:11
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    @SkonJeet: He's asking how to complain about what he thinks (rightly or wrongly) is injustice. It's not ridiculous at all. If he doesn't ask, he won't know and he won't learn. There's no such thing as a stupid question right?
    – Matt
    Mar 29, 2012 at 13:17
  • Wrong. He got impatient and didn't like the fact he received 2 down votes. Instead of enquiring about why and asking who did it (and give it enough time for a response), he came straight to meta to waste threads about complaining.
    – SkonJeet
    Mar 29, 2012 at 13:19
  • @Matt for the record he isn't expressing it in the right place. It was migrated to a more right place :) The right place to discuss an answer is, I believe, the comment section under the answer. There is no actual problem beyond it, I think that's what SkonJeet means. Mar 29, 2012 at 13:21
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    Exactly. This is no personal gripe against him that's meant I viciously down voted him. I've provided a perfectly acceptable reason as to why. He just doesn't like it and can't seem to cope with down votes. It's not all plain sailing on SO, you get some things right, some things wrong, it's a learning curve for every member on there (apart from Jon Skeet), if he expects that he should be 100% right 100% of the time and immune from down votes then he should click log out. "Given that my answer is 100% correct, why have I so far been downvoted twice?" - need I say any more?
    – SkonJeet
    Mar 29, 2012 at 13:23
  • if you get -5 for the answer, here you reach the -50 :) Keep your breath, and start learn something from the critic that they give you.
    – Aristos
    Mar 29, 2012 at 13:30

4 Answers 4

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No

There isn't. Voting is anonymous, and for a reason. If someone decides to give you a down-vote, it's their right to do so, and they are under no obligation to give a reason. Nor do you have any reason to complaining about down-voting.

Considering you gave an answer that will require me to search for documentation, while all the other answers provided actual code samples, I am not surprised your getting down-voted. Furthermore, the user involved actually did explain why he down-voted, and you decided to get into an argument with him. Honestly, grow up, take your down-vote like a man, and move on to the next question.

Yes, I know this is a duplicate question and I am posting a duplicate answer

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    +1 - apart from the fact that I'd have thought people have bigger things to worry about - it was actually justified and doesn't warrant a complaint.
    – SkonJeet
    Mar 29, 2012 at 13:14
  • @SkonJeet, lol :) Mar 30, 2012 at 12:24
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No - down voting doesn't warrant a complaint. The rep system is anonymous, it's often seen as justified to those voting and this is open to opinion which implies there's a huge opportunity for discussion, something you need not fear to the point of filing complaints Mr. Shahid.

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  • 2
    um... is your nick a pun of some sort? Mar 29, 2012 at 13:30
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    Maybe it is, maybe it isn't.
    – SkonJeet
    Mar 29, 2012 at 13:30
  • 1
    @Dha-Sow-Aiz-Wad - yea... I think it is :P
    – Lix
    Mar 29, 2012 at 13:35
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    @Lix haha don't you think you are funny ‮ P-:
    – Naftali
    Mar 29, 2012 at 13:36
  • Red Dwarf too??
    – SkonJeet
    Mar 29, 2012 at 15:47
  • @ShaDowWizArd, I thought same thing too :) but later realized (after observing his conversation) it's not :)) Mar 30, 2012 at 12:28
  • @SkonJeet, It looked like a legend's name JONSKEET :) well. never mind that, I know it's not :) Mar 30, 2012 at 12:29
  • @infant you mean this comment? :) Mar 30, 2012 at 17:28
  • @ShaDowWizArd, yes! Apr 2, 2012 at 7:36
  • @MrLister, ok I won't involve furthure :) Apr 2, 2012 at 7:36
  • SkonJeet did get his nickname from Jon Skeet! Also, there is a user here at Stack Overflow named JON SKEET. How much proof is that?
    – user287624
    Sep 5, 2013 at 0:48
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No, there is no way to complain about it or directly address the downvoter about it. There has been ample discussion here on Meta before, looking at whether or not requiring the downvoter to provide a reason is a good idea. One such a discussion can be found here: Encouraging people to explain downvotes

The concensus seemed to be that it would cause more problems than it solved.

So what can you do?

If the answer you've given gets a lot of upvotes and all of a sudden an isolated downvote, don't sweat it. Strange random downvotes happen. And even "wrong" downvotes. It's simply part of the "game".

But what if you get a significant number of downvotes and you don't really know why. First of all don't necessarily assume you're 100% correct. You might not realize that there are some problems with your answer. You could always inquire in a comment whether or not someone could explain what the problem with your answer is. And not in a hostile way. As much as you have tried to teach or help someone with your answer, be willing to learn.

"But I've tried this and it works perfectly" you might say. Well, that might be true. But is it a good approach? Is it safe? There are many ways in which code can be written and apparently work. But techniques might have been updated. Your code might have unsafe side-effects. There might be simplier/easier/more reliable ways to solve the problem. Etc. etc. Learn from it.

In short, downvotes happen. They are not an attack on you, but a way to tell you and the question's OP, that there might be problems with the given solution. Try to learn from them and you might actually get more out of the question than you have put in.

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  • Instead of learning, he's decided to leave "I am leaving stackoverflow just delete my comments and Questions and answer from it. no one care what you are saying leave it i am really feeling bad after this behavior no body care what dam i am saying just come and give -1" - ridiculous.
    – SkonJeet
    Mar 29, 2012 at 13:31
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The polite thing to do if you are downvoting is to leave a reason as to your downvoting in the comments. However, there is NO requirement that you leave a comment as to why you are downvoting, and often people forego leaving a comment on their downvote, fearing the question (or answers) writer may start hating on them (for lack of a better term). There is a way to complain about being downvoted, and that is editing your question, either to be whiny (why am I getting all these downvotes?) or to actually improve your question so that people take back their downvotes (you can do that, you know). But, complain all you want, you are probably still eventually going to be downvoted.

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