Is it OK to click "No" on Helpful Answer if I just disagree with the answer?
Are those people that clicked no helpful on my answers just because they disagree in danger of having their accounts deleted? I don't think that should be the case because this issue still hasn't been clarified.
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M$7 Answers
No, it's not okay. To me, that is what the "Refute" button is for. If you think an answer is wrong, give evidence why you think that. Just be sure to back your opinion up with a few fact based links as support. Then refute away, IMO. But clicking not helpful only because you disagree should not be done.
However, I now some people think that clicking the refute button is "rude" or "wrong." I disagree--as long as you are actually disagreeing with the answer and you have links to support your answer.
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M$
1. Helpful is defined as "helpful to the person asking the question."
2. Only click on "Yes" if you think the question was CLEARLY helpful to the person asking the question.
3. Only click on "No" if you think the question was CLEARLY not helpful to the person asking the question.
4. If it's not CLEARLY helpful or CLEARLY NOT helpful than don't bother voting on it.
In terms of accounts being deleted we've only done that when people were acting VERY VERY badly in the system. Don't worry about having your account deleted over this type of issue unless you are doing something in really bad faith (i.e. hitting "no" on every answer someone gives in order to stick it to them, voting "no" on everyone else's answers in order to move your answer up, etc.).
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M$
I do care. I brought this issue up almost 3 weeks ago:
http://www.mahalo.com/answers/mahalo-answers-community/how-do-you-define-a-helpful-answer
http://www.mahalo.com/answers/mahalo-answers-community/do-you-think-users-should-be-able-to-appeal-unhelpful-answer-ratings
And I haven't let it drop.
@darcy not helpful is what I was talking about. its quite significant because almost all of the people said they were NOT going to hit no helpful if they disagree. that's really different from what he is saying. all those Nos are going to add up.
And its not just a matter of trying to be "nice" to people you think are making an effort to answer. Because if the policy is what he says it is then we should click "no" since that will allow users to sort the answers. If some people use the "no" on helpful but others don't, that is going to cause problems as it does now.
I know they have added up to 9% of my answers now. I am going to have to start clicking no helpful now because of what Calacanis decided.
I knew you were going to say something like that. Its not fair to say this is about me having 9%. Its about what the button is supposed to mean. If it means one thing to some people (including the main man) and another thing to other people then.. at least we should be aware of that. Its hard for me to see how you guys don't think it matters or don't even see the ambiguity or something. I had to ask another question and continue with the comments until it was clarified. Otherwise, with no resolution, there was no point in me asking the question in the first place. I just think its really unfortunate if you don't see why this matters. I certainly wasn't trying to disrespect you or something using the word 'wrong'. I was just trying to point out the difference between what he says the button is supposed to mean and what we (most of us) were using it for.
The fact that probably no one really cares what he said just now or cares about my interpretation or what it actually means.. probably means everybody will just continue to use it the way they have been.. which is your way for most sensible people and somewhat different for other people and really different for a few.. should be the same for everyone for it to work right is all I'm saying.
I think we've gotten to the heart of the matter now. It's more about why you've gotten to 9% then anything else. Is that what these questions have been about, you trying to figure out who had been marking your answers as unhelpful?
I will admit that I'm a little soft-hearted on the "not helpful" ratings. I have to be very certain before I hit that button. I'd rather be that way then the way you're sounding--determined to start clicking "not helpful" almost in retaliation for what you feel are unfair clicks on your answers.
I know people have clicked my answers for nefarious reasons. However, I refuse to sink to that level. And I won't let anyone--including Jason--tell me that I have to click an answer as unhelpful because the asker believes it was if the it was clearly the intention of the answerer to be helpful.
If it costs me a points, a brown belt, or even a purple belt. So be it. I don't want to be part of a community where people are afraid to answer because they have tried and been told they were unhelpful.
Hmm, I guess I'll have to click on one later....
(I reserve the right to be a smarta** in my comments as long as I don't do it often and it's funny--at least to me.)
The simplest answer to a yes/no question is "Yes" or "No".
Your answer is longer than necessary but it boils down to Yes and I think people are not realizing that you are saying something different from what most purple belts think it means.
Where do you get that I (and all the other purple belts) are doing it wrong? I may have oversimplified my answer in the previous question, but I would have to say that looking at the intention of the answerer and what the questioner thinks is helpful may not be the same, but you end up with the same result.
Where my and Jason's answers may differ is I won't hit "not helpful" on an answer if I felt the person intentions were to be helpful--even if they were not. I would rather leave it blank. I don't think people should be penalized when they made a whole-hearted effort to answer.
I also stated that I click on answers as "helpful" even when I am answering. I don't do that IF I don't think the answers were not helpful. I'm saying, when I see a helpful answer, I will click "yes" no matter what.
OK, so the answers that I am QUITE SURE are absolutely wrong I will go ahead and vote No helpful since these will definitely confuse the questioner and the ones I am sure are CLEARLY correct and informative I will vote Yes helpful, and the others I will ignore.
This is different from the way darcy and most others have just stated they use the system. It is also different from the way I have been using it.
Thanks for clarifying that.
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M$
I've only clicked "no" before when someone obviously skimmed over the first sentence or two of my question and didn't read the full question before they answered. They completely missed an important detail that rendered their answer(s) useless. As long as people fully understand what you're talking about, their answers will probably be at least somewhat helpful.
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M$
To answer your original question: No, it's not OK. You click "No" if it's not helpful, and that's it. "Not helpful" means "Not helpful". It doesn't mean "I disagree".
Personally I think if you find yourself voting a large amount of answers as unhelpful, I'd say stop and re-evaluate your definition of helpful. Hint: Stick with Jason's definition given in this post, and don't overanalyze it.
Referring to your comment about purple belts (note: only eleven purple belts exist as of this post), I have seen only one use his "refute" ability in a manner I don't agree with, and that has stopped. The rating ability is blind, so I think you might be making false assumptions about who is rating answers negatively.
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
I had to go look to see where this "refute" option is. Now I see that it's lurking under the comment drop down, along with another one, "add source".
Perhaps people are not aware of these options, so it might be nice to have three buttons instead of a drop down.
Personally I think "refute" is far too strong a word to be using here anyway. In real life there are few things that can easily be refuted. Perhaps naming the options Comment / Endorse / Disagree would be better.
Hmm, regarding the harshness of "refute"
Refute: "to show conclusively to be false or illogical; applies primarily to assertions or arguments."
I suppose "rebut" is a nicer word: "rebut a statement is to offer clear evidence or a reasoned argument against it"
You also have: abnegate, break, burn, cancel, confute, contend, contradict, contravene, convict, counter, crush, debate, demolish, disclaim, disconfirm, disprove, evert, expose, gainsay, give the lie to, invalidate, negate, oppose, overthrow, parry, quash, rebut, repudiate, silence, squelch, top
I vote for "abnegate," Most people won't know what it means so they will be less likely to use it incorrectly!!
http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/refute
Yeah the refute does seem a little excessive sometimes when a comment would work fine but I would certainly rather people use that then the no helpful.
I wish Jason would answer my question about the policy though since he mentioned deleting accounts without clarifying this specific question.
The idea of picking a word specifically because most people wouldn't understand it made me chuckle. :)
That is correct Darcy, folks should use "refute fact" and "add source" when they you specific details you want to challenge or add.