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I asked and answered my own question on Stack Overflow. Both question and answer were immediately downvoted (I suspect because it was a premeditated Q&A). I have now provided links in both question and answer to the FAQ and a question on here. One of the downvotes was subsequently reversed.

Is it OK to add some info or a link when posting answering one's own question to help educate against the prejudice against knee jerk downvoting?

Which brings me to:

Is it possible to create a tag or have a link specifically for use when intending to post a question and answer simultaneously?

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  • When self-answering, both the question and answer have to be good enough to stand on their own. The linked question appears to be a "Can I have teh codez?" request, which is not acceptable on SO. Do you have a way to rework it to match the site standards? For example, "I tried foo but it didn't work because bar. How can I correct this?"
    – George Cummins
    Commented Jul 21, 2013 at 16:15
  • @GeorgeCummins yes that was an issue I had when writing the question, as this is pretty much how is was worded in the student forum.. except he made reference to the mirror image across a diagonal.. I used my own code.. I do think the question is poor, yes, but I will need to think about how to reword it..... however quality of these posts aside.. am interested in the whole Q&A thing, as where I'm from it would be particularly shunned and downvoted.. I only, recently became aware it was encouraged on SE
    – user310756
    Commented Jul 21, 2013 at 16:19
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    Those links to the "policy" don't belong either in the question or the answer. At best, in a comment to the question. Please edit them out.
    – Mat
    Commented Jul 21, 2013 at 16:19
  • @Mat yes it's done.. if this is going to turn into another battle, I will just delete the question. Users have been trolling my posts on here with a view to downvote
    – user310756
    Commented Jul 21, 2013 at 16:22
  • And you're sure it's not a dupe? stackoverflow.com/search?q=bresenham Bresenham is a pretty trivial and widely used technique...
    – Bart
    Commented Jul 21, 2013 at 16:25
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    As to your actual problem: you say this in the comment "I do think the question is poor, yes." - why post it then, and why expect positive votes for something even you believes is below-par?
    – Mat
    Commented Jul 21, 2013 at 16:25
  • @Bart he is struggling with python and scared of failing the exam. We have to be careful what code we can share on the student forum.. can you please explain to Mat, my issue is not about downvotes for poor quality posts, but trying to bring out the policy on posting and answering questions, I am striving to avoid conflict here, and I really want people to look at the issue I am asking about not side issues that are all art of the system.. this question was an example only..
    – user310756
    Commented Jul 21, 2013 at 16:29

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Is it OK to add some info or a link when posting answering one's own question to help educate against the prejudice against knee jerk downvoting?

That's pretty simple to answer. Is it part of the question? Is it part of the answer? The answer to both those questions is "no". And as such you should not make that part of either of them. It's meta-commentary at best. Maybe add a comment, if you wish.

But you have to ask yourself if that is the true reason for the downvotes. The question itself, by your own admission, is not a great one. And the topic is a fairly widely discussed one as well. So not everybody might see the value in the post. Even if it were not a self-answered question.

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