Marking a topic as "resolved"

[pwillener]

One of the positive sides of using the "Correct" link on a post is that the topic gets marked with a green bullet; indicating that we don't need to look at it again.

However, doing so inserts the "correct" answer into the original post, even if it does not contain any info how the original problem was resolved.

An example: http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1036936

Now I am wondering, what is more important

• to mark a topic as "resolved", even if it does not contain an actual resolution?
• to mark a real resolution as the "correct" answer?
• or leave a topic that is resolved, but without an actual resolution, as unresolved?

[John Hawkinson]

Claudio:

The same thread also shows the OP marking his own messages as Helpful which, > in my opinion, shouldn't be possible.

There is considerable difference of opinion on this, so I think it's important for you to recognize the other side:

. Moderator-marking requires a high degree of moderator involvement and review. That may be appropriate in some forums, but many other forums can't guarantee that level of attention. It would mean many threads would have no correct answer marked, when they should.

. When I ask a question, personally, I want to own designation of the correct answer. Because what a moderator thinks is right may not be correct for me, perhaps because they haven't realized the full significance of the details of my situation, or read the thread as closely as I have (because it affects me and not them!). (There is the risk of questioners mismarking answers, of course; it is a balance.)

. Related to the above, questioner-asking scales better and is a more efficient use of human resources.

. Allowing the questioner to mark encourages a degree of participation and self-ownership of the process. This makes people happy and encourages further participation.

[Claudio_González1]

John, it would seem that I am not expressing myselg clearly. My objections are to people marking their own messages as Correct or Helpful.

[RickCP]

RickCP wrote:

  - Erroneously marked 'Correct' posts should be addressed by Moderators A.S.A.P.

We would still need to know 'who' marked it as 'correct', in order to be able to go ask the proper person directly, whether it was a Mod or the OP...

Without such feature, we'd all continue to be 'arando en el mar'.

[Claudio_González1]

Rick, I have always complained abour the unnecessary secrecy surrounding mods and their actions. It would seem that not even they know who is a mod and who isn't.

[Jacob Bugge]

Claudio,

No, there is certainly no pleasure in a thread like the one you linked to. I have never seen anyone like it before. The OP is obviously convinced of the Correct/Helpful markings.

Any OP can mark own posts as Correct/Helpful, in which case(s) no ponts apply, regardless of posts by others. It may may sense to mark in that way.

The amusement value comes in threads where the mistake/misunderstanding is obvious.

[Jacob Bugge]

I agree with John about the importance of ownership.

Basically the OP should have full ownership of the thread, for better or worse.

As mentioned a few times, I believe that wrong designations should be left as they are, not only because of the amusement value, but also for the sake of that ownership.

It will also allow moderators to limit their special tasks to other issues where their action is necessary/crucial, and otherwise be able to participate just like the rest of us, as equals.

[Claudio_González1]

Jacob, I am amazed. I think I had never seen in this forum a thread that has received such a wide spectrum of varying opinions. The funny thing is that everyone of us seems to think thaty one's opinion is "the" Correct Answer -at least I know that I do . Fortunately, I was taught to respect the opinions of others, specially when one is on the verge of becoming a minority of one, as I seem to be in here...

Unfortunately, it also seems that there is no Correct Answer to this dilemma. Which would explain why nobody is convincing any other participant of his/her views .

[Phillip_M_Jones]

I say add a choice. If one finds no answer to fit or you found the correct answer. You be required to Mark as End Thread. A peson should be forbidden from marking his/her own reply as the answer.

[Claudio_González1]

You are proving my point by adding one more different option .

[Phillip_M_Jones]

Glad to Oblige.

[the_wine_snob]

Along the lines of this thread, an OP just marked their Reply "thank you for your instructions... " as the "Correct" answer in a product forum. I posted, and asked if they were sure that they meant to do that, as one contributor had given them the correct answer, at least from where I sit. Do not know how that will work out.

Odd "stuff" happens in the forums.

Hunt

[Jacob Bugge]

an OP just marked their Reply "thank you for your instructions... " as the "Correct" answer

That is one of the threads with amusement value.

[the_wine_snob]

Jacob,

I agree. When I contacted them, the reply was, "Oops. I will correct that now." And, they did.

Hunt

[Jacob Bugge]

Claudio,

Fortunately, I was taught to respect the opinions of others, specially when one is on the verge of becoming a minority of one, as I seem to be in here...

If you really are, you are not alone in being alone here.

It seems that agreement within larger minorities is restricted to aspects of the matter.