Best Answer

[MissTerious]

Hi Spare Ed. Is a Best Answer feature really necessary. We can always thank people and, quite honestly, so many people choose those who agree with them. I have stopped giving Best answers now and I never look at my Best Answer count.

[Bazile]

It might mean something , depending on the category

[jno]

BAs are okay in highlighting the responses to, say, what's the best cleaner for your TV. In News they're just for mutual back-scratching.

[Zacs-Master]

MissT, just to chuck my two-penneth-worth in.....
I think 'best answer' was intended for people seeking factual answers to be able to rate the success of the advice being given e.g. someone asks 'what's the best toaster' and 7 people make recommendations. The poster then goes out to buy one of the toasters and if satisfactory, may award the person who recommended it a 'BA'. Then people coming to the site could use the search facility (I know....no one does) and obtain an opinion as in the site is an Answer BANK.
It is a bit silly in News etc as people will always award BA to someone with the same views.

[MissTerious]

But do people go back to the site to give a Best Answer after buying an item. Its like all the amazon emails that ask if the transaction went well, I just delete them. I just like thanking all who try to help and then opening a new thread to give a personal thank you if someone has given an answer which proved successful. If ten people in the quiz section all give you the right answer, you just thank them all and also all those who gave you the wrong answer and tried to help.

As I said, just a thanks at the end of the thread would do.

[naomi24]

It doesn’t really matter. If people like the best answer facility, fine - if they don’t, ignore it.

[douglas9401]

You could just ignore it/them.

[MissTerious]

Or could it be like Facebook

Love
Like
Bigger off

[Ken4155]

There are those who just love collecting their Blue Peter badges. I have a few best answers, but i never seek them out.

[MissTerious]

I just think it's superfluous Naomi. I've no worries about it! I don't take take any notice of it any more.

[jno]

you had one as recently as Monday, Ken...

[Canary42]

The thumbs up or down icon against an answer has been a requested feature (similar to the "like" feature elsewhere), but there has been quite a negative reaction to this also expressed here on Ab.

[MissTerious]

Ooooh, I've just looked at mine and I'm gutted. I'm off to sulk! ;0)

[Canary42]

When I first joined I admit that as a newbie, getting a BA pleased me a bit, but as an old hand now I no longer bother to check.

[Canary42]

In the early days I used to carefully go through all my questions after a while and award BA to every one, but once again I no longer bother.

[naomi24]

Canary, I don’t remember having Best Answers that far back. I recall we had a system where we could award one, two or three stars to contributors to our own threads. Anyone else remember that?

[Ken4155]

Jno "You had one as recently as Monday, Ken."

Yes, jno. I said i've had a few - actually 201 since 2010. I also said i don't seek them out. I don't give them, either.

[MissTerious]

I don't remember that Naomi. Was it prior to 2004? Actually on a grown up site I don't think we need any sort of feature like that.

[Canary42]

I don't remember the stars naomi, seems quite a good alternative.

[naomi24]

I can’t remember when it was, Canary. This is my second incarnation here so it might have been that far back.

[jno]

I share your modesty, Ken

"BAs, I've had a few
But then again too few to mention"