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Best Solution Picked ... not always the best...

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  • Tom's Hardware
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March 7, 2014 1:38:10 PM

If you start a thread, why can't you pick the best solution?

Sometimes I get a private message saying a best solution was picked for my thread, I'll go look and it's more often than not a solution that didn't work. Many times I eventually figure it out and post the solution to my own threads, which although fixed the issue, don't get picked as the solution.

I think the person who starts the thread, should be able to change what is picked as a solution, as well, be able to pick their own.

More about : solution picked

March 7, 2014 1:41:51 PM

Can't you unpick the solution? I've picked the solution that the user said worked as the best solution after the fact and gotten ripped apart by moderators on the other hand...I hear your frustration.
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March 7, 2014 1:43:04 PM

As it stands now any user with 5 BA's to their name can choose a BA. The user starting the thread can also choose a BA in that thread. If you think that an incorrect answer was chosen then PM one of the moderators and ask that it be unselected.
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March 7, 2014 1:46:33 PM

Yes, if you are not happy about a BA that someone else selected in your thread, please let the Moderators know about it.
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March 7, 2014 1:49:56 PM

This is a big problem but only one of many on this forum. As you point out, anybody (except the poster) can pick any post as the best solution. I believe individuals who are friends off board are picking each other's posts to score points which are far too easy to get anyway. Most of the "best answers" I've read are/were pure BS. I've thought about un-picking some but haven't as yet. I wish some moderator would make sense of the present situation. Come on mods. Where are you when you're needed.
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March 7, 2014 1:50:36 PM

Ah... more trouble than it's worth, I hate bugging the MODs they're pretty busy as it is.

Just looking through my messages and saw a few where the best answer was my own, and always felt it was strange you can't pick your own... though I suppose some people here would pick their own regardless just to get their numbers up. :D 
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March 7, 2014 1:59:36 PM

ram1009 said:
....I believe individuals who are friends off board are picking each other's posts to score points which are far too easy to get anyway....

If you suspect this is happening use the alert button in the thread to get our attention. We do police such 'gaming' of the BA system.
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March 7, 2014 5:29:38 PM

THRobinson said:
Ah... more trouble than it's worth, I hate bugging the MODs they're pretty busy as it is.

Just looking through my messages and saw a few where the best answer was my own, and always felt it was strange you can't pick your own... though I suppose some people here would pick their own regardless just to get their numbers up. :D 


Ya think???
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March 7, 2014 5:31:58 PM

ex_bubblehead said:
ram1009 said:
....I believe individuals who are friends off board are picking each other's posts to score points which are far too easy to get anyway....

If you suspect this is happening use the alert button in the thread to get our attention. We do police such 'gaming' of the BA system.


It could never be proven. The best anybody could do is to cite bad answers and there are plenty of them. Surely you don't doubt it's happening.
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March 7, 2014 6:54:22 PM

ram1009 said:
ex_bubblehead said:
ram1009 said:
....I believe individuals who are friends off board are picking each other's posts to score points which are far too easy to get anyway....

If you suspect this is happening use the alert button in the thread to get our attention. We do police such 'gaming' of the BA system.


It could never be proven. The best anybody could do is to cite bad answers and there are plenty of them. Surely you don't doubt it's happening.

We have access to information that you regular users don't. Believe me, we can tell.
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March 7, 2014 7:22:09 PM

^ We sure do look for and catch people gaming the best answer system. We are actually quite good at it. ;) 

Trust me when I say not all the mods like the new best answer system but the power that be like it as is and all we can do is enforce the rules as they are.

If you see best answers being chosen then you have the power to change them. If the OP selects a best answer I usually leave it as is but if some random person especially someone not posting in the thread picks it then I don't feel bad about changing something obviously wrong. Any long term member should feel the same way. We as mods will never condemn that behavior.
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March 7, 2014 9:28:09 PM

THRobinson said:
I think the person who starts the thread, should be able to change what is picked as a solution, as well, be able to pick their own.


You can change a BA selection within your own thread.
Picking your own post as a solution... leaves a lot of room for abuse. If you feel you have answered your own thread or have the best post, you can contact any one of the Mods and we can review the thread and make the decision. Its not really bothering us, its our role here to solve these issues.

ram1009 said:
I believe individuals who are friends off board are picking each other's posts to score points which are far too easy to get anyway. Most of the "best answers" I've read are/were pure BS. I've thought about un-picking some but haven't as yet. I wish some moderator would make sense of the present situation. Come on mods. Where are you when you're needed.


There have been a couple of occasions where people who know each other have selected BA's between them, and others where they just make two accounts and do it that way. It is being monitored and we are catching people doing it.

Tom's Hardware is pretty much the largest tech forum, there is a lot of ground to cover and we are a volunteer force, we cant be everywhere.
Previously only the OP and Mods could select a BA, which didn't work out too well as most OP's abandoned the forum once their question was answered and never set a BA, and there are way too many threads for Mods to keep up with. This new system has led to a massive increase in numbers of BA's set, which has positive knock-on effects to search rankings and such.

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March 9, 2014 10:42:23 AM

anort3 said:
^ We sure do look for and catch people gaming the best answer system. We are actually quite good at it. ;) 

Trust me when I say not all the mods like the new best answer system but the power that be like it as is and all we can do is enforce the rules as they are.

If you see best answers being chosen then you have the power to change them. If the OP selects a best answer I usually leave it as is but if some random person especially someone not posting in the thread picks it then I don't feel bad about changing something obviously wrong. Any long term member should feel the same way. We as mods will never condemn that behavior.



I wonder how you define long term members. My profile says I joined in 2007. the truth is I joined when Tom was still in medical school. What's the deal?
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March 9, 2014 1:17:25 PM

I believe various software overhauls have made it so the oldest it will list you is from 2007, which is old enough to get an Ancient badge.
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March 26, 2014 7:44:49 AM

Ahh yes, Tom's also has a team of a select few who go back to review old posts and select a best answer from them, so at least someone gets credit. Too many people don't bother selecting a best answer. Like at least half of my best answers came from the guys who go back and look at this stuff.
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March 26, 2014 8:01:23 AM

Yeah, JP's minions have given me quite a few BA's lately. I'm glad they're spreading that joy around to many people, and a lot of it.
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March 26, 2014 8:08:28 AM

It has actually been a pretty effective practice. As it turns out, getting credit when credit is legitimately due tends to bring those same experts back with greater frequency. That means more people answering the questions of more users, and a growing core of notable, recognized, badged individuals. :) 
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March 26, 2014 8:12:49 AM

"Badges?..... We don't need no stinking badges!!" :lol: 
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March 26, 2014 8:22:35 AM

ex_bubblehead said:
"Vadges?..... We don't nee no stinkin' vadges!!" :lol: 


ftfy

(my dad used to say that all the time)
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