In DIY Q&A I wonder something?
Question:I find it humorous, and wonder of others experiences. Perhaps I'm stepping on others opinions? Perhaps I'm offending with no intent? I do know that I'm only in Q&A to add help and support to ANY I submit an answer to.Most recently I notice so many negative ratings, and wonder if others, especially those with higher scores or the note that we are major contributors, actually give detailed, VALID, advice based on experience and skill, still seem to garner negative ratings. I wonder too if those who rate negatively might IN ALL DUE RESPECT, state WHY they rate in the negative.Certainly it might be that MY opinion challenges another, but I want to believe that the 1st. ammendment to the constitution of the USA, allows differences of opinion.In any case I find it more comical, that very often my BEST vote happens even after Negative ratings.I've been in the trades a LONG time, and given that everyone has freedom of choice and opinion, I have to wonder if I'm being rated by competition? :)
Answers:
Steven...You do a wonderful job answering questions. I have been contributing for some time now, and always watch for your answers. There are times when I rue you having beating me to an answer, and others when I think your solution is better, or simpler than mine.
Do not let those silly ratings dissuade you. There are some silly people giving those silly ratings. There are others, who find this category a true place to learn, and help others.
I'll be watching for your answers, and will keep trying to beat you to the punch.
I rate neg if I disagree or if the answer posted is just wrong. Plus I also give thumbs up if I agree or if I would have answered the exact same thing. If two people give the exact same answer and one has a top contributor on their avatar - I give a thumbs up to the one that is not the top contributor (I don't however give the TC a thumbs down I just don't vote).
You'll notice I gave Diana a thumbs up, that's because I agree with her post. The only time I give thumbs down in a DYI category would be if something were so blatantly wrong it would risk personal injury or major expense to repair.
I also give thumbs down to not only what is described above but to smart aleck or abusive answers. I have reported a few questions.
I am not a prude by no means but if this is supposed to help us we need to monitor ourselves.
I do suspect some people might rate other answers thumbs down to assist in running up their score.
I prefer to look at the total of answers and the total of best answers, that is what tells me someone has it going on.
i gave chock a thumbs up because, in my opinion, he is right on. the only time i give a bad rating is if the answer is dangerously wrong.
I some times give thumbs down if that is what you are talking about and what I wonder is I know that closes that answer so that I can't see it, but does it do anything else? Does it take away points? I have had so many thumbs down it is not funny, but I try my best as well to give good answers. If giving thumbs down is like some kind of a punishment or something then I will quit that, but I never understood it to be that only that "I" did not paticularly find the answer helpful or yes in some cases wanted to close it because I did not want to see it. I have tried to read up on it and I have not read where it was really a bad thing to do or that it made any real kind of a difference. If I marked an answer with a thumbs down it was because I didn't like it not just to be mean to any one or hurt you all in any way. Let me know about this, does it do something to you if you get thumbs down and why do people do it to me? I don't know?
I keep forgetting about the rate the answer option lol
Your question intrigued me, so I scanned through a bunch of your answers. After looking over some of your answers I think that you're negative ratings are mostly on answers that you go into great detail with. A lot of people (the ones doing the rating) don't want to spend the time to read your whole answer, it's just too much. On the other hand, for the person who asked the question, your answers are complete, concise, and detailed. You give complete answers, real help, good advice. Considering your level on Answers and your top contributor rating, maybe competition or jealousy... Kudos to you Steven, your are obviously a great asset here, to hell with what the "easy way out'ers" think...There's no substitute for experience, You're the real deal! Keep it up...
"Yick" made you think of your wife??? LOL
The First Amendment also gives me the right to rate "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" without explaining why. Good question.
I haven't the faintest idea what happens when you give a thumbs up or down rating but I think some people are jealous and figure if they thumbs down an answer to a question they also answered, it will lower your chances for a best answer. I, personally, don't care for long winded answers or "copy and paste" answers but I don't "have" to read them and some people really need everything explained. I only give the thumb to dangerous or totally false answers. I report bad posts. I also give a thumbs up to good answers and don't try to compete with them by giving the same correct answer.
hey steve, i think that your answers are good, i like to compare mine to yours, in fact. i think some people will give all a thumbs down, then post their answer. i have noticed that on some of my best answers, voted by the asker or voters, that i had received one or more thumbs down. i have even given what i know to be the only answer, with the information that none of the others had, name, address, and phone number, and not received the best answer, go figure. i just chalk it up to the asker not giving all of the information, and just missing out on that one detail, that they forgot to mention. keep up the good answers, i think most of us think yours are pretty good.
I personally don't care if I get a best answer or not. I only offer advice based on experience. As far as thumbs up or down, if it's a good answer I give it a thumbs up and don't answer the question myself, it's already been said why repeat it? As far as a thumbs down, if it's a bad answer without a doubt, thumbs down. That's the one thing that I think really annoys me most, the repetitive answerer. As far as voting on unresolved questions, I vote for the FIRST correct answer, regardless of status.
I have noticed (electrical questions especially) that people ask a simple DIY question, like how to wire a ceiling fan wall switch, that some answer with an ungodly diatribe on electrical theory, safety, etc.
How about answering the question, period. Don't baffle with bullsh**...Keep it simple. a paragraph or 2..not a term paper..
Just answer the question..
this yahoo site is many things - including people out for points - Giving you a negative rating or reporting you for some abuse. helps them knock out the competition. It is like a TV game show if you get a chance to eliminate a competitor - will you pick a weak player or a stronger competition to yourself. If you know you are correct - take the negative as a positive
It's like my ebay account.
"Product arrived quickly, great condition"...3 stars
WTF.
People are idiots, you should know that after dealing with the public.
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