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I recently commented on this answer. I wanted to share how I think the answer can be improved, but I evidently did something wrong. Since there is no deletion notice, I have to ask here: What did I do wrong?

  • Was my feedback too long? (4 comments in total)
  • Did I offend/insult someone? If yes, I am truly sorry and it would be important to me to talk to the person.

Here is an outdated link to one of my comments.

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    \$\begingroup\$ For what it’s worth—and to anyone else considering a comment on that answer—that is, I’m fairly sure, my most-heavily-downvoted contribution to this site. (It is also, I would note, fairly-heavily upvoted, as well, though at present the balance is down.) My choice not to edit is not in any way due to a lack of awareness of the things various people have suggested. I have my reasons for my position, and since the question seems to be well in hand anyway, it doesn’t seem worth the effort/bump to clarify them, nor do I expect that such clarifications would satisfy most. Hence not engaging. \$\endgroup\$
    – KRyan
    Commented Dec 17, 2020 at 2:52
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    \$\begingroup\$ I appreciate the level of effort this has cost the mods, and I am quite sorry for that—I hope this Q&A, and the comment on the answer itself, will help to mitigate that. Again, to anyone considering leaving a comment, you can be quite sure that your suggestions have already been offered—there have been a lot of them. Your addition will not change matters—it only creates more work for the moderators, so please don’t. Take solace in the answer’s heavy downvoting, and feel free to add to that if that is your position. \$\endgroup\$
    – KRyan
    Commented Dec 17, 2020 at 2:55
  • \$\begingroup\$ I emphasize, that I did not downvote your answer because of the position you're taking and I can only assume that holds for many other commenters/voters. \$\endgroup\$
    – Rayllum
    Commented Dec 17, 2020 at 10:23

1 Answer 1

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You did nothing wrong, but the answerer didn't want to make those changes

Hi, I'm the mod who deleted those comments (and others) in response to NLN flags from the post owner. We generally take those as "I've decided not to implement these suggestions" (in the case of no edits) and delete the comments (suggestions which will not be acted upon are obsolete).

In some cases we might post a comment saying suggestions have been rejected and removed, and encouraging users to use their votes, post an opposing/better answer, and/or just moving on, but that's also an effort and noise consideration. We generally expect users to understand that comments are temporary and to move on in response to rejected suggestions, and so would usually only post it in response to repeats. But don't worry, everyone has to be taught this at some point, and we teach/remind of this fairly frequently.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Thank you for the quick and elaborate reply! I'm very relieved that I was not by accident insensitive with this topic. \$\endgroup\$
    – Rayllum
    Commented Dec 17, 2020 at 0:29
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    \$\begingroup\$ Good answer/explanation of the reasoning, but it's a bit concerning that this is the interpretation being applied; criticisms/counter-suggestions to specific answers are usually not substantive enough to exist as their own answer, but do hold value even if an answerer chooses not to implement them. If someone has a misunderstanding in their answer or an incorrect claim, etc. that is pointed out by a comment, and refuses to acknowledge it, the comment can stand as a beacon for discerning/unsure readers "OK, this commenter also identified this error; I'm not imagining it/the first to see it". \$\endgroup\$
    – TylerH
    Commented Dec 29, 2020 at 19:54
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    \$\begingroup\$ Granted, I don't know what suggestions OP made, specifically, so I can't say for sure if they were worthwhile in their own right. But as a standard, considering comments as NLN just because the intended recipient disagrees with them is dangerous and harmful, in my opinion (and I say that as someone who has flagged (helpfully) many thousands of comments across the network as NLN). \$\endgroup\$
    – TylerH
    Commented Dec 29, 2020 at 19:56
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    \$\begingroup\$ @TylerH We don't do it uncritically though I can see how my answer can read that way. Most of the comments there were just disagreeing with the answerer on various points, not usefully pointing out a criticism or which otherwise deserve to stand despite disagreement. \$\endgroup\$
    – Someone_Evil Mod
    Commented Dec 29, 2020 at 20:06
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Someone_Evil Fair enough; thanks for the response! \$\endgroup\$
    – TylerH
    Commented Dec 29, 2020 at 21:20
  • \$\begingroup\$ @TylerH I didn't repeat my comments here, because I wanted to prevent a discussion about my points. If it is of interest, my 6 points looked at the following aspects, respectively: 1. Understandability of the answer 2. Disagreeing about some of the content 3. Understandability of the answer 4. Disagreeing about how to communicate 5. Understandability towards Lemon 6. Disagreeing about how to communicate \$\endgroup\$
    – Rayllum
    Commented Jan 4, 2021 at 18:52
  • \$\begingroup\$ To be clear on my first sentence in my most recent comment: I am not against a good discussion, but (as we all know), that would be more fitting to another place e.g. chat. \$\endgroup\$
    – Rayllum
    Commented Jan 4, 2021 at 19:06
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Rayllum TBH I think what weighed more on the mods' decision was the fact that was a very hot question, in every sense of the word. A charged, sensitive topic, with charged language and very pointed answers on way or another, getting lots of activity. Mods on any site tread lightly in such situations, so any opportunity they get to cull discussion or say 'take it elsewhere', they usually take that opportunity. :-) \$\endgroup\$
    – TylerH
    Commented Jan 4, 2021 at 19:08

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