15

I flag extensively each day, and most of the post*(answers)* starts with "I've the same problem" or "Can you help me".

So what if we throw a notice box before the user submits an answer which says "If you have a similar doubt, please consider posting this as a question rather than questioning as an answer"

This will be really helpful if it prevents some users from posting the questions as an answer.

I'll share some screens of recent flags :

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I am not saying to completely prevent users from posting, but we can atleast warn them, also, we get Thank you posts as an answers extensively, so we can warn them for that as well.

Common terms used by these users:

  • Thank you! You solution helped me fixing this problem
  • Thank you
  • Any advice
  • Same issue here
  • Did you find any solution?
  • I ran into same problem
  • I have similar issue
  • I have the same question
  • Please help
  • Can you help?
  • I have the same problem
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6
  • How many of the posts you flag are not already up for review as first posts from new users? If it's almost exclusively a new user problem, consider limiting this request to only affect new users when they're making their first posts. (BTW, I'm assuming there isn't anything like that implemented already...I may have forgotten if there is.)
    – Nick Stauner
    Mar 4, 2014 at 7:06
  • Should answers without code prompt the user as well?
    – bjb568
    Mar 4, 2014 at 7:07
  • @NickStauner To be true, first posts review que exhausts in no time, users are quick in reviewing, if they do review nicely, these answers won't come up much.. Also, while they post for the first time, they are notified, but no one reads it, having a barrier like JSfiddle types would help as well...
    – Mr. Alien
    Mar 4, 2014 at 7:10
  • 5
    @bjb568 No, they shouldn't, many a times answer is a pure explanation without code, they shouldn't be prevented.
    – Mr. Alien
    Mar 4, 2014 at 7:10
  • @Mr.Alien How about answers without code that are less than 400 characters long posted by a user with less than 20 rep?
    – bjb568
    Mar 4, 2014 at 7:14
  • 1
    @bjb568 - Nope IMO. It will be a Stack Overflow only request.
    – Himanshu
    Mar 4, 2014 at 7:17

2 Answers 2

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9

Most users do not ask questions as answers deliberately. They just do not know how Stack Exchange works. Mostly (and obviously) such users are new to Stack Exchange. So it's better to ask them to take a tour at least if they do not have the informed badge or they are new users.

Also, before asking him to post another question we should advice him to search for the similar question.

If you have a similar problem and you can't find in this question, please consider searching for the similar questions or post this as a question rather than questioning as an answer.

P.S. I endorse this request. This will reduce not an answer flags. Overall it will help cleaning the site.

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5
  • These sound like things that could be done automatically too. Is that your suggestion? Or that people who flag should also check badges or rep and suggest a tour or similar question search if appropriate?
    – Nick Stauner
    Mar 4, 2014 at 7:20
  • 1
    @NickStauner - This could be automatically. This is an additional suggestion for what Mr. Alien has asked here.
    – Himanshu
    Mar 4, 2014 at 7:23
  • To be true, they just scroll down the tour page to gain a badge, no one will read that, especially users who want quick help..some users end up asking a question and won't return back, so its better to warn or prevent posting right away when the user clicks a button rather than writing these rules in FAQ..
    – Mr. Alien
    Mar 4, 2014 at 7:35
  • 2
    @Mr.Alien - Regarding tour suggestion, that should be an additional message like: "If you have a similar problem and you can't find in this question, please consider searching for the similar questions or post this as a question rather than questioning as an answer. Also consider taking a tour."
    – Himanshu
    Mar 4, 2014 at 7:39
  • 1
    @hims056 Yea that's perfect..
    – Mr. Alien
    Mar 4, 2014 at 7:40
0

There are much more "common terms" and you have to add abbreviations and wrong spellings like "thx", "plz"...

While I see that is not easy to implement this (false positives can surely be reduced if the warning only appears for low-reputation) I'd like to see this network wide implemented. Question on meta SO discussion some of the issues: "Thanks in advance" - Automatically hint user

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