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I was looking at the description of the populist badge (SO) and was wondering, why not make it outscoring theaccepted answer by 2x (or if negative, (accepted answer) + abs(accepted answer)), but not less than 10 votes higher (which at the current description, is the minimum requirement in any case), as opposed to the other answer having to have at least 10 votes?

The reason I say this, is that for instance I have an answer that scored +21, versus the accepted answer of -15. Does this not epitomize the meaning of the populist badge? :)

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    Isn't that what it's doing right now?
    – Pekka
    Commented Apr 16, 2010 at 11:41
  • @Pekka - Nope :)
    – Kyle Rosendo
    Commented Apr 16, 2010 at 16:59

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No, I don't think that's what populist is supposed to mean. The minimum of 10 on the accepted answer means that answer has to be at least good, but yours is way more popular. Providing an answer which is simply better than a poor answer is not populist, it's just correct.

Also note that by your proposed definition, you could never receive populist against answers with a negative score. For example, to outscore -15 by 2x, you'd have to get -30 or lower. You could never be at least twice a negative score and 10 votes higher at the same time. :)

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  • Hehehe, fixed for negatives :P
    – Kyle Rosendo
    Commented Apr 16, 2010 at 13:43
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    @Kyle: So, by that definition, you must be higher than (accepted + abs(accepted)), but not less than 10 higher than the accepted answer. accepted + abs(accepted) is always zero for negative scores. Therefore, for the example given, at -15, you could simply score 1, and get populist, since 1 > 0 and (1 - (-15)) >= 10.
    – ベレアー アダム
    Commented Apr 16, 2010 at 14:01
  • Saw that logic too, but frankly, too tired right now. You know what what I mean though. Hows about if the score is negative, you'll need minimum the abs() value, but greater than 10 pos, or the like. So, if it's -15, you'll need +15. If it is however -2, you'll still need minimum +10. However, feel free to propose a solution too.
    – Kyle Rosendo
    Commented Apr 16, 2010 at 17:01
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It means you've got to be not just a good answer, but a good answer which is even better than another good answer. I quite like that aspect of it, personally. You have to be a Mozart compared with a Salieri, not just a "better than the other rubbish" poster.

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    I always thought it was more of an American Idol type of populist ;) Otherwise Tesla should have beaten Edison, not so? :)
    – Kyle Rosendo
    Commented Apr 16, 2010 at 13:44

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