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is there an normal window for users to accept? hrs? days?

i have found some users never accept answer on some sites, others are judged by those who think it looks like a good answer even if they do not know the bigger picture. I think what I want to know is, what if a community consistently accepts simplistic answers that are either technically incorrect or at best are just guesses with pretty pictures in simplistic 101 style that shows less wisdom expected from seasoned professionals. What advice do you offer?

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e.g. A user accepts an answer within 30 minutes meanwhile others are preparing exquisite answers that become a waste of time. Do all exchanges behave in similar ways of improving the best answer is it a cuthroat, improve your own answer type world? Is there teamwork? Do people just want to get the most points for themselves or what is best for the asker or what is best for the community. Some sites do not seem to collaborate. I guess each are different. I am struggling with the motives of others.

It seems experience is not a requirement or even an advantage. To make matters worse if you are just a graduate with limited scope, how could you know, yet their points count as equal to those with experience. It would be like an eye doctor voting on a heart doctor's opinion without the experience or wisdom. It can be particularly frustrating if newbies vote on popularity and simplistic answers rather than content with more depth but harder to understand. Is it normal for the community to judge based on written answers and criticize harshly without asking questions for clarification?

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    An answer is "Accepted" not by "the community", but by the person who asked the question. It is entirely up to them which answer, if any, to accept. Voting is a different story. What, exactly, are you asking about here?
    – Andrew Barber
    Aug 15, 2012 at 18:43
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    OK 1) Normal Answer period 2) abNormal Voting patterns?
    – Tony Stewart EE75
    Aug 15, 2012 at 18:45
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    1) whenever the user wishes
    – Bart
    Aug 15, 2012 at 18:46
  • This would be a lot easier to respond to if you linked to specific example(s) of questions where you think this has happened.
    – Ernest Friedman-Hill
    Aug 15, 2012 at 19:02
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    Meta downvotes express disagreement, by the way.
    – Rob W
    Aug 15, 2012 at 19:03
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    When some users consistently downvote without explanation, because it is anonymous, is that just being a troll?
    – Tony Stewart EE75
    Aug 15, 2012 at 19:44
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    Votes (either up or down) are anonymous by design. Comments are nice, but they're not necessary. (Plus there have been plenty of cases of someone taking the time to make a comment and being chastised for their reasoning.)
    – ale
    Aug 15, 2012 at 19:47
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    It's worth noting that accepted answers aren't permanent. You can answer a question that has already been answered. The OP will be notified, and they can change the accepted answer to be yours if they feel it is better. This happens often enough.
    – Servy
    Aug 15, 2012 at 20:51
  • Thanks BTW what does OP mean other person?
    – Tony Stewart EE75
    Aug 15, 2012 at 21:42
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    Original Post(er)
    – Bart
    Aug 15, 2012 at 22:11
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    I see as a new user here I cannot vote on a comment yet. Thanks for your patience and that I need to make better questions.
    – Tony Stewart EE75
    Aug 15, 2012 at 22:32
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    @Happy_Harry - In your user profile one can see what other Stack Exchange sites you contribute to. Look towards the bottom left of any user account. Good luck!
    – jmort253
    Aug 16, 2012 at 2:52

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I think what I want to know is, what if a community consistently accepts simplistic answers that are either technically incorrect or at best are just guesses with pretty pictures in simplistic 101 style that shows less wisdom expected from seasoned professionals.

For starters, the community can only upvote answers, not accept them. The Author of the Question (sometimes called the 'OP', for Original Poster) is the only person who can accept, and they will most likely accept the answer that worked for them. Whether it be the first-year uni approach or the 30-year veteran approach.

e.g. A user accepts an answer within 30 minutes meanwhile others are preparing exquisite answers that become a waste of time.

Stop right there. Who said your 'exquisite answer' is a waste of time? Remember that questions and answers on Stack Exchange are meant to be useful not only for the Author of the Question but anyone who might stumble across the question in the forseeable future.

If, for example, there was a question that you and "Steve" answer. Steve answers first, but it is a link only answer. The Author accepts it however.

Your answer is a lot more fleshed out, but the Author has 'gotten his result' and ignores it. That doesn't stop the community from upvoting your answer.

Imagine now, "Tom" stumbles across the question. Clicks Steve's link only answer (which doesn't have many votes) and realises the link is broken. He then moves down the page, sees your answer, the solution works for him, and he upvotes your answer (earning you 'rep').

It seems experience is not a requirement or even an advantage.

Experience is not a requirement of answering, but it is definitely an advantage. If you have more experience with something, it will shine through in your answers and the community will recognise that and upvote it (assuming you're right AND not a jerk about it).

To make matters worse if you are just a graduate with limited scope, how could you know, yet their points count as equal to those with experience.

I've known people with years and years of "experience" who have absolutely no clue what they're talking about and teens barely out of primary school showing them up.

We also don't discriminate. Age, experience, gender, race, country, planet, favourite colour etc etc, None of it matters. What matters is someone has a problem, and someone else has a solution. That's Q&A Yeah! * fist pump *

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    #they will most likely accept the answer that worked for them.# This is CLEARLY not the case for newbies who have not even proven the false assumptions nor have they succeed in resolving the problem. In many cases the PO accepted the answer with the most votes because of less skill , and then later responds "It still doesn't work"
    – Tony Stewart EE75
    Aug 16, 2012 at 12:12
  • We all know people who are trolls and undermine experienced responders with sarcastic irrelevant comments that undermine the advice which require decades of depth and breadth experience. WHen MODS have no experience of this nature, it leads to major discontent and frustration by those who earnestly want to share their experience and get berated for bragging when they simply want to justify their experience is real. In this light inexperience breads contempt and those who are undermined unfairly by such trolls, are treated as if they are the problem.
    – Tony Stewart EE75
    Aug 16, 2012 at 12:21
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    when I had 15 professionals reporting to me , I treated people fairly and trusted seasoned techs more than junior engineers but of course expected junior engineers to learn faster when given assignments that were challenging. In a manufacturing Test Engineering Environment we had over 50 mainframes of dozens of types, 12 ATE, and hundreds of custom product testers. Shipments are 100% ontime was our motto and our plant was awarded for this and survived long than 100+(137 of 144) other plants that were closed. This does not negate your experience with people, but it simply does not apply to me.
    – Tony Stewart EE75
    Aug 16, 2012 at 12:27
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    @Happy_Harry, you have probably also met lots of technical managers with 5 or 15 or 25 people reporting to them who had not a clue what was going on. Here, when a new user starts contributing to a StackExchange, we don't know which type they are, brilliant or clueless. Except that their answers tell us over time.
    – The Photon
    Aug 16, 2012 at 16:34
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    Wow, what a wide and diverse experience base you have! Supervisor in test engineering! In a different comment on EE.SE (now deleted) you said that you have lots of experience in aerospace. But your website, happyharry.com is says that you have been working for the past 30+ years in the recycling industry with lots of stuff in the residential contractor/renovator industry. In fact you seem to have enough experience for TWO people! I propose that you are not in fact Happy Harry, since you obviously are not a happy person at all! Quite grumpy, actually. I suggest Antagonistic Anthony.
    – user193477
    Aug 16, 2012 at 16:41
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    I should also point out that Identity Theft is a serious crime-- and one that is super easy to verify given that "our" Happy_Harry says in his profile that he is the same as "happyharry.com". And on happyharry.com there is a phone number for the real Happy "Harry" Bohna. Two phone calls (One to the recycling company) and another to the Canadian authorities could straighten this matter out quite quickly.
    – user193477
    Aug 16, 2012 at 16:53
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    David your bias exceeds you ability for rational judgement. Harry & I are like brothers. Just tell him "Super Sunny" is here. Mr Kessner with an attitude like yours who needs any more trolls?
    – Tony Stewart EE75
    Aug 16, 2012 at 21:49
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    Harry & I are buds. It is by design that stackexchange is anon. and also ironic you mention hidden identify. The EE stack's most senior Moderator is an ex-pat Turk with an American name barely out of school working his 1st job. He does very well considering English is not his 1st language and for that he has my respect, however the poor judgment of skill vs going over newbies heads and not asking for clarification on complex concepts and comparing skills with other green grads is just a sign of inexperience. Your attitude and many others of similar slander has no place for professionals.
    – Tony Stewart EE75
    Aug 16, 2012 at 21:59
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    With regards to qualifications and skill having no requirement, it does not always help those who feel answers go over their heads. I was designing/testing systems for NASA/GOES Aerospace before our favorite Turk Mod was even born.
    – Tony Stewart EE75
    Aug 16, 2012 at 22:04
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    It does not help communication when those remove credits in stack create a one way unilateral decision. Thank goodness some EEs appreciate my skill. electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/38077/…
    – Tony Stewart EE75
    Aug 16, 2012 at 22:09
  • Ok. So you admit that you are not Happy Harry Bohna, even though you have attempted to use his name, identity, and credentials. And with your attempted defamation of @Kotuk you are in violation of Canadian Criminal Code, section 300, defamatory libel, which is punishable by up to 5 years in jail. I suggest that you give up now before you dig yourself a hole that you cannot get yourself out of.
    – user193477
    Aug 16, 2012 at 22:25
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    Let's wrap this up, folks. Personal insults, unsubstantiated allegations, etc. aren't welcome here. @TonyStewart, if you have issues with EE.SE or a specific moderator, feel free to contact us by email ([email protected]) for an independent review.
    – Adam Lear StaffMod
    Aug 16, 2012 at 23:38
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    TY Anna. If I can get a historical record of events, to clarify it will take much time. In the meantime, I will keep trying again to search for mindful judgements over biased slander and games like let's play the Bobbit game and where's waldo and other alias sock popup wham games. Toothless threats do not work for me Mr Kessner.
    – Tony Stewart EE75
    Aug 16, 2012 at 23:57

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