54
votes
Accepted
Should users refrain from answers (or partial answers) in comments?
You should not answer in comments.
Not partial answers, not full answers. Not "leads on" an answer. Not "I would answer but I'm tired/just woke up/am drunk so I'll just say this...&...
- 176k
34
votes
Should users refrain from answers (or partial answers) in comments?
I'll step in and provide some background here -- the reason why you see things that resemble "partial answers" in other Stacks is because troubleshooting is an iterative process. "Try turning it off ...
- 11.1k
19
votes
What is the best way to respond to an incorrect answer when a comment is not enough?
Downvote it. Leave a concise comment. If I can, write a better answer.
Downvote because I find the answer unhelpful: this gives the writer a signal that there's something wrong, and more importantly ...
- 53.4k
17
votes
A question has some facts majorly wrong: should I be correcting them in comments or an answer?
I suggest the guideline of asking yourself this question: to what extent is correcting the errors itself solving the problem they're facing?
If you're substantially solving their problem by ...
- 36.6k
15
votes
what button makes a comment appear as an answer?
If I post a question then someone answers said question as a comment how do I say that’s the right answer, (what button do I click) so that they get the proper recognition?
You cannot mark a comment ...
- 36.6k
11
votes
I have a partial answer or useful response to a question, but I cannot create a full answer out of it. What should I do?
Normally, you would make it a minimally complete answer.
But if we take the question at face value and you literally cannot expand it to a minimally complete answer…
There is only one place to put ...
- 244k
10
votes
what button makes a comment appear as an answer?
Normally, yes, put it in an answer and then accept that answer.
However, in this case those comments are trying, with some difficulty, to figure out what the question is asking. The question itself ...
- 244k
9
votes
I have a partial answer or useful response to a question, but I cannot create a full answer out of it. What should I do?
You put in the additional work so that you can create a full answer out of it!
You mention that you "...can immediately think of one or two insights that would be useful in constructing or ...
- 1,064
8
votes
Is a "Frame Challenge" really only valid as an answer or can it be a comment as well?
You’re using “frame challenge” to mean something different than what normally gets called a “frame challenge” here. Let’s get our terms on the same page first.
The usual meaning of “frame challenge” ...
- 244k
7
votes
Accepted
Are comments an appropriate place for tidbits that would be bad answers, but good info for the asker to know?
No, these aren't acceptable. These are partial answers in comments.
A "lead", an "idea", and something that starts with "not an answer but..." are all answers in comments.
Your options are:
Take ...
- 176k
6
votes
what button makes a comment appear as an answer?
The person posting an answer in a comment is doing things wrong. They’re not supposed to do that, and there are good reasons they’re not supposed to do that, and so they get no “credit” for doing that....
- 357k
6
votes
Is a "Frame Challenge" really only valid as an answer or can it be a comment as well?
Frame challenges are generally about solving problems which is not the job of a comment
I'm not going to say that frame challenges can never be part of a valid comment, but the form of a frame ...
- 95.3k
6
votes
Accepted
I have a partial answer or useful response to a question, but I cannot create a full answer out of it. What should I do?
I agree with existing answers saying either to get a complete answer together, or walk away; that is generally what your options are. To be more general, basically, a partial answer can’t just be put ...
- 357k
5
votes
A question has some facts majorly wrong: should I be correcting them in comments or an answer?
I'll contribute my thought - there's not one right answer.
It's a matter of degree. If it's a short thing, put it in a comment, as it certainly improves the question to correct a clear error in it....
- 176k
2
votes
I have a partial answer or useful response to a question, but I cannot create a full answer out of it. What should I do?
It's up to you
Knowingly putting up an incomplete answer may net downvotes. But if you think that the information is good for the querent and/or answerers, then you can accept the downvotes and feel ...
- 126k
2
votes
Should users refrain from answers (or partial answers) in comments?
Answering questions can be a collaborative process
Banning users from working together or sharing information leads to lower quality answers. Information is good and useful and can be used to build a ...
- 22.1k
2
votes
What's with the policy on deleting answer comments on closed questions?
Answers in comments are never acceptable.
See Should users refrain from answers (or partial answers) in comments? for the full reasoning, but comments are simply not for answers. If the question isn't ...
- 45.6k
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