Solved Threads (1 Viewer)

deletedT

Guest
Local time
Today, 16:19
Joined
Feb 2, 2019
Messages
1,218
Recently we have a Solved button in each thread and the OP is supposed to close the thread and mark it as solved when his question is answered. I've done it here and in previous software too. But marking a thread as solved may help other experts not to spend their time to reply to an already solved question, but doesn't help the others who have the same question in future.

Imagine I have a problem that it's been asked before. I search for it, find it, but I can't understand which solution has solved the problem. I have to go test every and each given solution to find out it doesn't help. But if the OP could mark a specific answer as the one who solved the problem, I could jump to it and voala.... I have my answer too.
The harder the question is, the more the count of replies. which sometimes goes over to several pages and makes it harder to find which one exactly solved the case.

So if possible, I appreciate if the Admins can do something about it.

Edit: At the very first days of this new software, I read somewhere in a thread that several experts here were against this idea. Because marking a specific post as the answer, may cause and seem other experts have not contribute to the question or their solution has been wrong.
But don't forget please, for us who have questions, it's more important what solved the problem than who solved it.
For sure we appreciate all who had put their time to help, but finding the best solution doesn't mean other's posts has been worthless.
 
Last edited:

zeroaccess

Active member
Local time
Today, 11:19
Joined
Jan 30, 2020
Messages
671
I personally do not like it when threads get "solved" and are closed.

It cuts off further discussion. If someone finds the thread and needs clarification, or can't get it working for them, it's more helpful to post to that thread than to start a new one that is lacking any context. Of course there is a point where someone's case is different enough where they should start a new thread, but that is a judgment call.

My .02...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jon

deletedT

Guest
Local time
Today, 16:19
Joined
Feb 2, 2019
Messages
1,218
I personally do not like it when threads get "solved" and are closed.

It cuts off further discussion. If someone finds the thread and needs clarification, or can't get it working for them, it's more helpful to post to that thread than to start a new one
My .02...
When a post is marked as Solved, it's not closed and still it's possible to ask more questions if necessary or even if an expert feels he has a better solution, he can post it in the same thread and ask for trying it.
 

zeroaccess

Active member
Local time
Today, 11:19
Joined
Jan 30, 2020
Messages
671
When a post is marked as Solved, it's not closed and still it's possible to ask more questions if necessary or even if an expert feels he has a better solution, he can post it in the same thread and ask for trying it.
That would be ideal :)
 

namliam

The Mailman - AWF VIP
Local time
Today, 17:19
Joined
Aug 11, 2003
Messages
11,696
The route to the solution can be as important or more important than the solution itself, also while the question is the same the required solution can be (very) different. I know people prefer cookie cutter prefab answers, but there is something to be said about teaching a man to fish, instead of handing him a fish.
 

deletedT

Guest
Local time
Today, 16:19
Joined
Feb 2, 2019
Messages
1,218
but there is something to be said about teaching a man to fish, instead of handing him a fish.
I understand your point but most of the threads are about the expert asks OP to do something or answer several questions, either the OP doesn't understand what's going on or what he's been asked for, or he's insisting on his method or he does it wrong and he's asked again. Meanwhile other experts suggests something different, OP is trying whatever he can answering different solutions. And it goes over and over.
When a third person reads the thread it's not learning. It's only confusion.
 
Last edited:

NauticalGent

Ignore List Poster Boy
Local time
Today, 12:19
Joined
Apr 27, 2015
Messages
6,281
Some forums asks the OP to mark which solution is the "Best Answer". I personally liked that feature. Wonder if we should explore that?
 

isladogs

MVP / VIP
Local time
Today, 16:19
Joined
Jan 14, 2017
Messages
18,186
Or consider the up/down votes approach used at e.g. MSDN forums and Stackoverflow.
The advantage of that is that more than one person can rate which answers are best and those which are unhelpful.

We also used to have a Rate Thread feature. Whilst not as often used as the old Thanks and Reputation points, it was useful for marking threads which are of particular value
 

NauticalGent

Ignore List Poster Boy
Local time
Today, 12:19
Joined
Apr 27, 2015
Messages
6,281
Or consider the up/down votes approach used at e.g. MSDN forums and Stackoverflow.
The advantage of that is that more than one person can rate which answers are best and those which are unhelpful.

We also used to have a Rate Thread feature. Whilst not as often used as the old Thanks and Reputation points, it was useful for marking threads which are of particular value
Never noticed that, but agree that would be good too. Maybe our Drone pilot has survived the storm and will comment...
 

deletedT

Guest
Local time
Today, 16:19
Joined
Feb 2, 2019
Messages
1,218
We also used to have a Rate Thread feature. Whilst not as often used as the old Thanks and Reputation points, it was useful for marking threads which are of particular value
Yes we had it. But the rating belonged to the whole thread, not specific posts. If it's going to happen, I prefer rating on posts not threads. Though threads rating will be helpful too, but my priority is best answer posts.
 
Last edited:

isladogs

MVP / VIP
Local time
Today, 16:19
Joined
Jan 14, 2017
Messages
18,186
Both rating individual answers and whole threads have their uses...but serve a different purpose.
Doing one doesn't need to preclude the other.
 

Jon

Access World Site Owner
Staff member
Local time
Today, 16:19
Joined
Sep 28, 1999
Messages
7,304
I quite like forums when they have a Best Answer thing. There are also drawbacks. If someone else wants to continue the discussion and for them the best answer differs from the thread starter, what happens then?

Moving threads out of order from the discussion is not something I am keen on. Maybe further down the line we can look at this again, but I have more important fish to fry at the moment. But it is something I have considered and looked at.

I can answer this thread now that I am back in the 21st century.
 

Minty

AWF VIP
Local time
Today, 16:19
Joined
Jul 26, 2013
Messages
10,354
I think votes as best Answer would work as per stack overflow.
It does tend to highlight the better answers over time. Not sure how easy it would be to implement.
Downvotes would be really handy for certain cases :unsure:
 

isladogs

MVP / VIP
Local time
Today, 16:19
Joined
Jan 14, 2017
Messages
18,186
Welcome back Jon. I hope you are now warm and your freezer now cold again.

Rating threads or posts wouldn't mean putting anything out of order.
The old rating system just displayed a number of stars up to 5 max based on average rating
 

deletedT

Guest
Local time
Today, 16:19
Joined
Feb 2, 2019
Messages
1,218
but I have more important fish to fry at the moment. But it is something I have considered and looked at.
I hope the fish waiting down the line, fry as soon as possible. I'm waiting for this fish to be fried as soon as possible.
 

NauticalGent

Ignore List Poster Boy
Local time
Today, 12:19
Joined
Apr 27, 2015
Messages
6,281
I hope the fish waiting down the line, fry as soon as possible. I'm waiting for this fish to be fried as soon as possible.
It might happen soon Tera, with his freezer OOC the past few days, it might already be thawed...
 

jdraw

Super Moderator
Staff member
Local time
Today, 12:19
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Messages
15,364
Welcome back Jon-- I'm sure McDonalds will miss you. Some indication of solution or best answer seems warranted. First, no one wants to be working on a post/response that has been "solved" or where the poster has moved on (or is actively pursuing dialog on a different forum/cross posting).
In many instances the poster's question and the resultant "solutions" can be questionable (poor requirement definition, ambiguous, responses are "best guesses by responder" , good approximation but not complete...). Some indication/rating of proposed solution with ability to add comments seems a good idea. Some forums do not allow a Solved button/comment which I find a little frustrating --OP and others do not know for sure if response met the situation. If code or approach is present you can certainly test it, but it can lengthen the approach to resolving an issue or knowing if that "solution" is applicable with other parameters.
 

Jon

Access World Site Owner
Staff member
Local time
Today, 16:19
Joined
Sep 28, 1999
Messages
7,304
Which forums don't allow Solved?

What happens if a post is marked Solved and another poster carries on the discussion? Will that thread not then be ignored?
 

jdraw

Super Moderator
Staff member
Local time
Today, 12:19
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Messages
15,364
Early on at U/A I asked why threads were not marked Solved. I was advised that that was a feature that was not agreed upon. I have seen it placed in comments, but there is no feature for same (as far as I can see).
I don't necessarily ignore threads that are marked Solved. They can be useful --as are Similar Threads -- if you are searching for responses/dialog/ideas on certain topics. Comments, after a Solved or highly ranked response (can offer insight on approaches, logic, naming, functions....) Several replies on SO can show very different solutions.
 

isladogs

MVP / VIP
Local time
Today, 16:19
Joined
Jan 14, 2017
Messages
18,186
That reminds me. Where have the similar threads gone. They reappeared a few days ago and have since gone again.
Would like to see them restored
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom