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In RE: https://blog.stackoverflow.com/2009/01/accept-your-own-answers/

No change in sort order. Normally, accepted answers are “docked” under the question. This is not true for owner accepted answers; they stay in standard sort order like any other answer.

This seems to be outdated, and while I can see where there might have been benefit at first, it seems to confuse even those of us who have been using the system for a while.

Can we remove this "restriction" on when to dock the accepted answer?

Related: Accepted answers don't float "on top" when self-answered? (marked )

Related: Vote ordering of accepted answers has changed: Accepted below top voted (marked )

Related: Accepted answer not listed as first answer (marked )

So yes, I realize this is by design. My point is, I want to see that design decision reversed. I realize I probably won't get much favorable traction, but those decisions initially were made in January 2009, over two years ago. Self-accepted answers are first class citizens here, right?

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  • Has anything changed on the behaviour of those who self-accept?
    – random
    May 30, 2011 at 21:23
  • What negative behavior?
    – jcolebrand
    May 30, 2011 at 21:23
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    So far the only reason you provide for this change is that it confuses people. I'd certainly like to see a much stronger argument for this change.
    – Pollyanna
    May 30, 2011 at 21:34
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    That and that it seems overly abitrary. And it's inconsistent UI. But yes. That's about right.
    – jcolebrand
    May 30, 2011 at 21:34

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Originally, you couldn't accept your own answer at all, for the following reason:

Although it’s fine to ask and answer your own question — this is specifically encouraged in the faq — you’ll have to rely on the community to upvote your answer and validate it as correct. You, sir (or madam), are biased. Of course your answer to your own question will be the best possible answer. You wrote the darn thing!

After some arm twisting, Jeff relented and they changed the code to allow one to accept their own answer, however, the community still had to vote that up as the "best" answer.

If you write the play, you can give the first billing to whomever you want, but if you want to give yourself first billing you're going to have to prove to your underwriters (the community) that you deserve it.

You should read the whole blog post, including the comments, to better understand why this is in place.

https://blog.stackoverflow.com/2008/11/why-cant-i-accept-my-own-answer/ <-- LOTS of discussion on the sort order issue

And the follow-up where he relents:

https://blog.stackoverflow.com/2009/01/accept-your-own-answers/

Practially speaking, though, it's not an issue. Few questions have more than 4-6 answers, and anyone interested in the problem is going to read all the answers until they find the one that solves their problem.

Perhaps if you gave some examples of questions where it's obvious that not having the author's accepted answer at the top renders the question damaged, or leads people trying to solve the same problem astray.

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    +1 for "if you want to give yourself first billing"
    – jcolebrand
    May 30, 2011 at 21:40

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