-4

Why would someone delete a post with a score of 3 or more?

Improve this question
2
  • 1
    I did when I saw that my rapidly upvoted answer was essentially the same as another even more upvoted answer. And there was nothing I had to add to make my answer better.
    – Bart
    Feb 14, 2013 at 12:53
  • 5
    Because it's incorrect and several people upvoted it despite that?
    – ben is uǝq backwards
    Feb 14, 2013 at 12:54

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
7

Sometimes, you write an answer that at first looks good. Other users see it and upvote it.

But then you get a sudden surge of wisdom. The answer is wrong, maybe even harmful.

So now you are on the crossroad:

  • I can delete the answer, but I lost the rep...
  • I can leave the answer, shame it is bad...

If you choose the first option, you did the right thing. And the system rewards you with a badge.

Improve this answer
6

I have deleted a couple of answers with a score of three or more because they were wrong (yes, I'm not infallible), and I couldn't fix them without completely changing the answer, so the contents people voted on would vanish and the answer would then duplicate another existing answer; or, in one case, I didn't know the right answer after realising that the initial answer was wrong.

Instead of having a wrong answer staying around, I prefer deleting them. Having a badge as consolation for the first time is nice.

Improve this answer