When is an answer not an answer?
As any Bart Simpson fan can tell you, “a burp is not an answer.” Neither is idk. If your only response to someone’s plea for help is “I don’t know” (and with an abbreviation no less), then please refrain from chiming in. It’s not only annoying to other people, it could be considered point-gaming, which is in violation of the Community Guidelines. A popular variation of idk occurs when the responder has nothing to contribute and just expresses the wish to know the answer as well. Still useless and still a violation.
Another “non-answer” is a rant that offers no advice or solutions. Let’s say you are going to make fondue tonight, and you’re looking for the best cheese to use. You get: “I hate cheese. Cheese is evil.” That’s really no help at all. Now, “Cheese is disgusting but use Gruyere.” — that’s something you can use.
Is it OK to just answer with a yes or no? Yes. If it makes sense in the context of the question, that is. Of course, it’s better if you can elaborate a little and let others know the reasoning behind your answer.
One last thing — if you discover a violation and “call out” the abusive post or member, you become part of the problem. It may be tempting to leave an insult or “reported”; however, it’s not an answer and it’s against the Community Guidelines. Take the high road on this one—just report it and leave it at that.
Bart Simpson may come up with some smart-alecky answers, but at least they’re answers. The reality is that people come to Yahoo! Answers looking for…well, answers. So please keep that in mind the next time you find your cursor hovering over that big blue button. We’d all really appreciate it.
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Another “non-answer” is a rant that offers no advice or solutions.
Let’s say you are going on a hiking trip for the first time, and you are looking for the best footwear to use. You get: “I hate boots. Boots are evil.” That’s really no help at all.
Now, “Boots are disgusting, they cause blisters and are too heavy. Shoes are much better for all types of hiking and backpacking.” — that’s something you can use.
http://suggestions.yahoo.com/detail/?prop=answers&fid=113703
It doesn’t matter, because you ask questions to get useful answers. That’s what Y!A is for.
If you specify “I only want Boots, not Shoes.” — tough, you get information about Shoes too. That’s information other readers may be able to use as well. That’s what Y!A is for.
Agreed. It’s so annoying when I receive answers like that.
i had asked a question and then i said that i checked the tv station’s website and it didn’t help, the first response i got was back to the tv station’s website. That really doesn’t help anyone.
I like the fact that it was pointed out that extraneous information which may be annoying or superfluous to the original questioner may be exactly what someone else needs….Good stuff-maynard!!!
Yes.
Here Here! I’m so glad to see that some else feels this way besides me! I don’t know what is wrong with people sometimes! What really gets me upset is when someone is asking a serious question about something that is going on in their life and someone has a smart A** response. This person may not have anyone to talk to about this. Haven’t some of these people ever heard if you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say it at all. In this case we should add important to that! Yahoo answers is a great community please everyone lest keep it that way!
I agree with the non-answerers whom give a useless answer to a question ( mine ) and the answer that came 4 weeks later. This answer was chosen as the best. Baloney ! I had a serious query and I saw the other answerers who had much better solutions . I had extensive details and I received an reply of ‘too little info’. Voted as best?
Yahoo answers seems to have declined as a shopping mall-ish uncontrolled classroom of 5th graders. A community ? Rather a cacophony of twitter-ites Committing excessive SMS. I was disgusted at the manner of how my question was voted best. The aanswers site isn’t user friendly or informative. I ‘d rather not use the Answers forum anymore as it’s has turned my stomach. Brainstorming is just one thing that is supposed to be informative. I find no use in the process of voting as well as the infantile questions posed.
An answer is not an answer, if it comes in the form of a question, like … Why, do You ask!?
An answer is not an answer, if it comes verbatim from wikipedia.org.
What if they ask ” what do you hate about glue?”
Can you then say ” Urgh!! I hate glue!”?