New text: in hope to be clearer and better explained...
After using Stack Exchange for many years now, having received absolutely great answers and hopefully asked some good ones. I consider that some of the greatest comments I kept in mind are not the ones in direct regards to my questions, but general comments from people who tell users, mainly me, on how to act properly on Stack Exchange's websites. Some people who have taken times to bring me in the right direction to improve my question and/or clarify it. Those who took time to tell me rules and/or good advice.
Based on that, I want to reiterate a very common suggestion. Although it is a redundant subject for which I already asked a question. I feel there are few huge differences between now and two years ago when I asked something similar which worth another try:
- My state of mind.
- My experiences based on many interactions with people here and on other websites.
The question/suggestion is about forcing downvotes with comments. I got more experience to express my thought clearer, with less offending text and being more positive. I do not pretend to have the perfect solution, I simply express a problem I see and a potential solution:
My experience shows me that there are some people who think they can downvote and go... I’m not really agree with that. There is my main reasons:
- It could kill a new question. For example: for a new complex question, some people will read it with the intention to answer, but they do not have the full knowledge to answer or just don't understand fully the question. They could become disappointed and/or frustrated. Some of them will just vote down that new question. A question with "-1" or less is likely to have a lot less attention and lot fewer chances to be answered appropriately... All of that for a user who could have taken an action just a little bit too quickly.
- For a new user to Stack Exchange, which does not know all rules, he could have more chances to be a little off when asking a question. Having some feedback would help him a lot to improve his questions and increases chances to have better one in the future. He will learn rules quicker and better.
- Many users do not have English as their first language (like me) and does have some difficulties to express themselves as clear as those which have English has their first language. Some question is very good, but just misses come clarity. Lots of persons who are not English born users could benefit from feedback to improve the way they ask and/or express themselves. Those people are also essential because they could bring nice answers too.
- Voting down is often perceived as a violent act that attack anyone who asked a question the best as he can with the best intention. It could stop him/her to ask any further good questions or just leave Stack Exchange. It could also lead to lose some good answers, in the meantime.
- People do not always read question entirely. Some questions take all their meaning when they are fully red. Some author intentions are hidden in the last lines of their questions. Some people vote down too quickly without taking time to read everything.
The bug:
But there is a problem when we add comment actually when we vote down: comments are actually signed. Comments could not be anonymous. Because it is often perceived as an attack to the author, there is always a risk of vengeance. I understand that people could be reluctant to add a comment when voting down in order to not being attacked back by a frustrated author being voted down.
The solution I see: Voting down could require a comment, but not a regular comment, a special comment in a special place: an “Anonymous” comment. It could be either visible or hidden by default, but always accessible to anybody. Forcing a comment should not prevent vote down. It should have a very little impact and should be mainly due to the time required to express the reason to vote down.
What will forcing a comment to a vote down bring?
- Respect. People will be less prone to vote down a question quickly without ensuring it really worth it.
- Community improvement. People will improve themselves quicker due to feedback.
- Website improvement. Because Stack Exchange people will improve themselves, asking better questions and giving nicer feedback to users, the overall website will just get better.
- Increase the chances to improve awareness of people to reading completely in order to justify their down vote. It could by the way, slightly prevent some down vote.
- Add some time between the intention and the action which could help prevent some decision done too quickly.
At last, if not forcing anonymous comment when down vote, perhaps just adding the possibility of doing so, without forcing, would also help have better questions and answers?
Original question text...
For those who like to downvote. Stop reading and down vote now... it is quite faster that taking time to read.
For all others... Based on When is it justifiable to downvote a question?, There is many of you who think you can down vote and go... All of that based on either your opinion or the Stack Exchange rules.
There is a difference between the two. But on the name of respect and to improve the quality of this website and its children, I think you should never down vote and go.
If it is based on Stack Exchange rules, close vote it. It will automatically help the author the understand its mistake. It will also help to clean and improve this website.
If it is based on you own opinion or your not sure which Stack Exchange rule apply, then take the time to write a comment, or vote up somebody who write a comment that fits your idea before voting down. It will help the author to improve both its actual question and the next one.
In any cases, before down voting, always ask yourself, what was the intent of the person. If it was not really bad, does that person really deserve a down vote without comment. Always tell you, if that person would be my son, my daughter trying to learn something, what do I show when I down vote without comment? I don't say to not down vote, I say to be indulgent and vote down only with comments.
Anybody being really malicious will never survive any longer here anyway. But really malicious people are rare, really rare.
Why Stack Exchange don't prevent people from voting down without comment?
What a vote down without comment would bring to the community?
Notes:
- As additional reading... For those who think that anybody read all the Stack Exchange rules before asking question, you should read that: Myth #1. People learn this website rules by their previous experience and trial and error. But nobody like to be voted down. No one, particularly when the did their best. Any well constructed comment will help the author and probably few other to improve them self.
- The reason of this question is based on this question, down voted quickly without any answer or comments, leaving an empty question with -1. If you wonder if I'm frustrated, yes! Like many others who's written a question the best as they can, after many hours or unsuccessful research on the web and being downvoted without any comment. That kills a question straight and that does not bring anything useful to anybody.
