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Possible Duplicate:
Distinguish votes to close by reason

It has been requested several times to list all reasons along with the user names who voted to close the question for those reasons, for example here: Distinguish close votes by reason (and in other posts linked in that question and comments).

The current state in not satisfying because the statement in the text box in a closed question is simply wrong, like here: https://stackoverflow.com/q/8301054/270591 I voted to close the question as a duplicate and not as not a real question. The message says I voted to close as not a real question which is not true.

I would also like one of the solutions mentioned in the other question above but if that doesn't get enough acceptance here are alternative proposals:

  • Change the message from closed as not a real question by... to closed as not a real question by the majority of... or similar.

  • Don't mention the users at all who voted to close for other reasons than the majority or say: closed as not a real question by Jim, Hannah, Bob and two other users. (The "two other users" refer to "closed", not to "as not a real question".)

  • Change the message to: closed as not a real question by Jim, Hannah, Bob. Jane and Bill voted to close for other reasons.

  • Change the message to: closed as not a real question and for more reasons by Jim, Hannah, Bob, Jane, Bill ...

The arguments I saw mainly in the other posts against listing all reasons and users in detail said that such a change would invite discussion and arguing about closing the question. I'd say it doesn't. If a question gets closed for two different reasons it is twice as bad as a question which gets closed for only one reason. It basically means that the question has been closed because it is duplicate and not a real question (and not or). (Sidenote: The duplicate in the link above got downvotes to -4 while the original (which hasn't been closed as not a real question) has +5 upvotes, but that's another subject.) So, there is even less to discuss about the fact that the question has been closed.

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    You think this is really necessary? Community actions are driven by consensus... The given close reason is the consensus reason (and the official close reason) because it got the most community votes. I'm not sure we need to always explain minute details like this just because we can.
    – user102937
    Commented Dec 2, 2011 at 18:58
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    @Robert: Yes, I think it's necessary or I'd like it at least. If you elect the Democrats but the Republicans win the election would you like to read: "Robert Harvey elected the Republicans" instead of "The majority elected the Republicans"? It's fine to say that the community or majority had chosen the following reason to close, but in the message a list of five users is mentioned and not the community.
    – Slauma
    Commented Dec 2, 2011 at 19:11
  • That's a little bit of a straw man, but you made me laugh. :P
    – user102937
    Commented Dec 2, 2011 at 19:13
  • @Robert: I was afraid that the example could destroy the seriousness of my request :) Given that this is probably a minor change I'm wondering what is better or the reason to hide this detail. (We are talking about a few words in the text.) I'm pretty sure that if someone reads that X1,X2,X3,X4,X5 closed the question for reason Z he believes that X1,X2,X3,X4,X5 have closed the question for reason Z, and not that the community did it or that a majority is behind that - unless he knows that already. I didn't until the linked question, and that was after more than 1 year activity on SO.
    – Slauma
    Commented Dec 2, 2011 at 19:44

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