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Random idea: replace the terminology of "duplicate" questions with "similar" questions. Add a mechanism where, if an answer could apply to two very similar ques
by DougBTX 9y ago
Random idea: replace the terminology of "duplicate" questions with "similar" questions. Add a mechanism where, if an answer could apply to two very similar questions, show the answer in both places. Rather than closing a question as a "duplicate", add UI to group "similar" questions, eg, rather than filtering out "duplicate" questions from search results, instead show "similar" questions as groups, with the "best" questions and answers shown first in that group.
The "best" way of asking a question may well not be as it was written the "first" time.
Or phrasing another way, remove the "older is better" bias.
Another example: currently, a new user, unfamiliar with the site, comes along, asks a basic question that has been asked a hundred times, and they ignore the "related questions" prompts. The community reacts by down-voting and closing their question, pointing to a better question. How about instead of "related questions", the question was immediately responded to with "related answers" instead? Rather than being snubbed for asking a simple question, new users would be encouraged by getting a quick response. As the questions would be grouped and the answers shared, low quality questions just wouldn't get much upvote attention, and could likely would get filtered out of searches and lists of "hot" questions, as they wouldn't be the best in a similar group of questions.
- wool_gather 9y ago> Random idea: replace the terminology of "duplicate" questions with "similar" questions. This is not at all a bad thought, and it's a perfect example of something that Stack (company) could have tried to actually address complaints rather than just papering over them and telling users they're too mean. Addressing the actual UX issues would do far more to improve interactions than just policing language. Unfortunately, we've gone around the sun many times with plenty of smart proposals like this simply being ignored by the company.