What's the difference between a question and a discussion?

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And please, no pedants. This is a question with respect to Able2Know.

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Type: Question • Score: 5 • Views: 3,435 • Replies: 20

[+4] - Nick Ashley - 08/14/2008The threads don't close. We initially were going to make them close on selected answer, but changed our minds. Sometimes you will have alot of good information come out after an answer is chosen,...
[+4] - Nick Ashley - 08/14/2008Yep. Nothing big (yet, anyways) but for now, when you click on a user's profile, underneath their avatar it says how many questions they've answered. In the future we will show top answer-ers in a...

@DrewDad,

It appears that all of the historical threads were imported as discussions. The list of questions are all since last night. I'm guessing it's a way for those who want help to get it and those who want to chat can do so by categorizing the topic.

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@DrewDad,

In theory, I'd suspect that a question has 'an' answer that is being looked for.

Discussions, no particular answers are sought. Though you might learn something from a discussion.
~~~
At least that's how it works in my world. Sort of.

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"Questions" have an option to select a post a the answer.

Not so with "discussions."

But I can't select my own post as the answer....

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@DrewDad,

And when an answer is chosen I think the thread then closes. It's a way to close a thread (which we couldn't do in the old version).

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@sozobe,

So, I selected your post as the answer. Can you see this?

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@DrewDad,

Now I'm going to be forced to de-select you.

I'm sorry, but there are standards to maintain.

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@DrewDad,

I can see it, yeah, and I seem to be able to answer it too. So ignore what I had to say. :-)

I now see "view best answer, selected by DrewDad" at the top of this thread, tho.

1 Reply

I'm assuming it affects reputation somehow.

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@sozobe,

Oh, but you de-selected me.

Keep me selected and see if it closes.

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@sozobe,

You just want to be liked.

(Does that sound too projective?)

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@DrewDad,

OK OK choose someone ELSE'S answer and see if it closes!!!

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@sozobe,

I'm sorry, but you've already been selected as a result of your "view best answer" answer.

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@DrewDad,

It's not closing.

Hmmm.

Maybe it's a function of time?

Maybe I'm just totally wrong.

We'll see!

1 Reply

@sozobe,

It also affects the "Questions" main view. Default view appears to be "un-answered."

You have to select "all questions" or "answered" now, if you want to see this thread.

1 Reply

@DrewDad,

I see it plain and clear without selecting anything special. But soz's answer does have a nice trophy pinned on it.

what's this reputation thing?

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@dagmaraka,

Are you on "Questions" or are you on "able2know - All Topics"?

It always shows up in All Topics, but you can sort Questions by un-answered, all questions, and answered.

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@sozobe,

The threads don't close. We initially were going to make them close on selected answer, but changed our minds. Sometimes you will have alot of good information come out after an answer is chosen, and we didn't want to hinder that.

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@DrewDad,

Yep. Nothing big (yet, anyways) but for now, when you click on a user's profile, underneath their avatar it says how many questions they've answered. In the future we will show top answer-ers in a given tag. So if you click on politics, you will be able to see who the 'experts' are in that topic (based on who has answered the most questions that are tagged politics)

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In addition to Nick's clarifications. I want to note:

- We'll have many more topic types. For example, one might be "Link" for sharing links. Right now these aren't different enough.
- The basic difference is that questions have extra tools better suited for simple Q&A than for discussion. With things like selecting answers, and "unanswered" vs "answered" filtering on the questions grid.

So if you want a simple answer ask a question, if you want to get a debate or discussion going or just chat use the discussion.

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What's the difference between a question and a discussion?

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