18

Answers being posted before closing invalidates the closing mechanism

Quite often, I see the issue of a stackizen posting their answer while question closure is being discussed in comments or has recent close votes. This isn't always a problem, but it can cause issues when the question is off-topic, or lacking in details.

Unlike some other questions1, 2, 3 this isn't about duplicate posts, nor about saving the answerer from wasting effort when they don't post quickly enough.

It's related to the FGitW problem, in that where I see this being an issue is when the answerer is quicker than the close-voters. I don't think this is wholly solved by reducing the number of close votes, my concern there being that we'd see too many false positives.

Examples

So where do I see this being an issue? There're three main stacks that I see this on, but I'm sure examples could be drawn from many more sites on our network.

RPG

Questions are often closed here when they lack details, or are recommendations (AKA Shopping Questions). The former question can be re-opened, but only once enough details are provided by the question asker. When answers are posted before a question is closed, we get the awkward state of affairs where we have answers that need to be overhauled or deleted when more details come in. On the side of recommendation questions, if the querent gets their recommendation question answered then the whole purpose of closing becomes invalidated.

Sci-Fi and Fantasy

Some questions on this site, need more details before being answerable. By and large these are story-identification questions. We also get a (now) smaller share of recommendation questions, which are not on-topic but have in the past been quickly answered. Sometimes it's not clear a question is generating recommendations until it's too late.

Puzzling

One unique use of this warning, on Puzzling specifically, is that askers wanting a puzzle solved, that they didn't make themselves, need to provide a source. If they don't the question is often closed, to prevent people from using the site for exam help, or sharing puzzles without permission, for instance. But puzzle solvers can get pretty excited about solving puzzles, and don't notice that the question looks like it needs to be sourced or about to be closed. It's quite a skill/art to spot questions that need to have a source provided, so you may only get 1-2 close votes initially before more notice the issue. Then you have the issue that the asker now has an answer, despite not being on topic.

Any actions taken after the closure, short of deleting all answers, is not effective.

Can we warn answerers, who are going to end up circumventing question closure, in these situations?

7

0

You must log in to answer this question.

Browse other questions tagged .