Should I re-ask a question if I have edited it beyond recognition?

Question

My question has a massive edit history, as I struggled to explain my idea (making this, yes... I know...) and how it was different from the proposed duplicate.

Since editing my question to clearly explain my idea, I realised that what I have now as a question that barely qualifies as the same thing as my original post.

The question, because of the down-votes, will likely disappear within 30 days. Should I:

• Delete my question, and ask it again with much better explanation and clarity, like an improved version of my most recent edit?
• Leave the question for 20+ days for the question to be deleted, then re-ask with improved clarity at a later date?
• Re-post on Discuss Area 51, where it might be better suited?
• Leave the idea, and stop asking about it?

Answer 1

Your question has an answer. Edits that invalidate answers are always a bad idea. IF you now have a clearer and more useful question to ask, that is separate and different from the one you asked before, and clearly isn't a duplicate of what your question was marked a duplicate of, then ask that.

Don't feel you have to delete one to ask another. Ask your question.

Now, as for the old, much-edited, duplicate-marked, disagreed-with thing, there's no real need to delete it. It's not hurting anyone, is it? Leave it in a state where it's coherent enough that other people can understand it, and the answer makes sense, and being marked as a duplicate makes sense, and then leave it alone. If some automated system deletes it, well then that happens, but there's no pressing need for you to do that.

Answer 2

I don't think the same deletion rules apply on this meta as are in effect on main sites. Also, the downvotes are likely representative of people thinking the idea is not a good one rather than anything to do with the question editing.

In any event with an answer it is no longer in any danger of being deleted, so you don't have to do anything at all. Just leave it be.