Who should decide the best answer?

Who should choose the best answer to the OP's question?

  • The OP with a button of some kind

    Votes: 4 44.4%

  • The members via a ratings system of some kind

    Votes: 5 55.6%

  • Some other way (please specify)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    9
Stuart Wright

Stuart Wright

Well-known member
In the proposed functionality where a best answer is selected to the original poster (OP)'s question, who should choose it?
Because not all threads are suitable to have a 'best answer', I think the OP (or moderators) should enable the selection of the best answer for a thread, and that should be displayed under the question in post #1.
But some people think the OP should choose the best answer and some people think the readers of the thread should.
Personally I think the readers should. I mean how would the OP know which is the best answer if they had to ask it in the first place?
But obviously opinion is divided.
I'm interested in your thoughts.
Thanks
 
I think possibly, not definitely one with most ratings but then you have factors to consider. Let's say Brogan posts a good solid response answer first and I get beaten by a second with the same response then the best answer should go to the person who responded first if both answers are equally as good.

Then with most ratings there a downfalls. People could rate a answer because they like this person better when the other answer was technically better then i would say this comes down to discretion. But then the OP would be the best person to decide but it falls to that friend factor, did they rate that post best answer because they liked that person better? when the other answer was actually technically better or came first.

It's a tough one, I'll say. I never voted because there are so many factors to consider with this and it could all come down to the owner/admin using their discretion and that even depends if they have knowledge of what actually is the better answer.
 
Black and white for me.

If the OP asks a question, it is logical to assume that they will know which answer best responded to their query.
Let the OP mark the thread.
 
We could have the best of both worlds and show member's top rated and OP's choice.
I would suggest asking Luke to tweak his post ratings system.
  • A 'Best Answer' type rating would only be available if a thread were marked as being suitable (i.e. a thread which is a question). Either the OP or a moderator would decide this.
  • Allow admin to set some ratings so that they can only be awarded once per thread. So a member can change their mind. Voting 'best answer' to one post would remove their best answer rating from any other post they may have previously awarded it to in that thread.
  • A particular reply could be rated as the best answer by members (we could have a minimum 'best answer' rating requirement. E.g. must have more than 3 Best Answer ratings)
  • Also a particular reply could be chosen by the OP also by voting it Best Answer.
  • If either the members or the OP have voted a reply as best answer, then we could show a highlight for either or both under the first post. E.g.: Members' chosen best answer. Shelley's chosen best answer.
  • Clicking the highlight would open a drop down (a bit like the post edit history drop-down) which shows that post. Or a link to it.
Et voila. Best of both worlds best answer rating system. What do you think, @Luke Foreman ?
 
Last edited:
Stuart Wright said:
We could have the best of both worlds and show member's top rated and OP's choice.
I would suggest asking Luke to tweak his post ratings system.
  • A 'Best Answer' type rating would only be available if a thread were marked as being suitable (i.e. a thread which is a question). Either the OP or a moderator would decide this.
  • Allow admin to set some ratings so that they can only be awarded once per thread. So a member can change their mind. Voting 'best answer' to one post would remove their best answer rating from any other post they may have previously awarded it to in that thread.
  • A particular reply could be rated as the best answer by members (we could have a minimum 'best answer' rating requirement. E.g. must have more than 3 Best Answer ratings)
  • Also a particular reply could be chosen by the OP also by voting it Best Answer.
  • If either the members or the OP have voted a reply as best answer, then we could show a highlight for either or both under the first post. E.g.: Members' chosen best answer. Shelley's chosen best answer.
  • Clicking the highlight would open a drop down (a bit like the post edit history drop-down) which shows that post. Or a link to it.
Et voila. Best of both worlds best answer rating system.
Click to expand...

Is this currently being developed and/or confirmed for Post Ratings or still pending as a suggesting awaiting whether Luke will develop such a feature with PR?
 
Stuart Wright said:
I put the ideas together just now, Shelley. Hopefully Luke will think it's worth considering :)
Click to expand...

I personally like the idea. ( i'll venture in that thread and like your suggestion). Hopefully, and my concern is it's developed in a way that it doesn't get confusing for people and that the post ratings doesn't lose what it is set out to be. I personally see best answer threads as support threads (I'm sure there's a million other criteria other than support related) so a good option would make "best answer" ratings selectable by the admin on a per forum basis imo but I haven't thought too much on potential issues, confusion that could occur but what I do know it needs to be a simple, easy understandable implementation to users.

Luke is a great developer so I'm sure if he accomodated this it would be developed in a way where usability wouldn't be compromised. :)
 
Good point just made by the wife. If someone's reply is rated the best answer, then they could get trophy points. We reward people for posting useful information.
Also we could have reports listing the members with the most best answers.
 
Shelley said:
Just curious Stuart. Any reason why you've not considered this Best Answer add-on? http://xenforo.com/community/resources/mark-posts-as-best-answer.2107/
Click to expand...
Well I think the best answer should be decided by the community first and foremost and maybe optionally also by the thread creator.
In that addon, the thread creator chooses. Which is fine as an option.
That addon assumes it is appropriate to have the best answer functionality in every thread. I don't agree with that.
I also don't like the way it moves the best answer from its original position to under the first post instead of copying it there. By moving it, you're moving the post out of the context of any surrounding posts. I think the best post as voted by the community and/or selected by the OP should be displayed under post #1 *and* in it's proper position in the thread.
I do like the Best Answer banner in that addon.
 
I would be surprised if these requirements could not be added to that addon.
I think that the community should choose the best answer. Though it would be nice to give the OP's vote extra weight.
Best answers are nice, but only as part of a bigger questions system though.
 
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