topic Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution in Discussions & Feedback

Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 16:53:11 GMT

I have noticed lately that a number of contributors have added to or amended their "signatures" with reminders to posters that if they find a reply helpful they might consider marking it as an "accepted solution". That is fair enough, but three things occur to me. (1) Many replies contain helpful information though they may not in fact actually SOLVE whatever problem the OP raised. (2) Presumably only the OP (or perhaps a Mod.) can mark a message as an accepted solution. There is no way that other readers can indicate a post has been helpful to them other than posting another message to say so. I don't think the Kudos system covers that scenario. there. (3) Finally as signatures appear under every message they turn up in the off-topic board as well where reminders to mark a message as an accepted solution is somewhat irrelevant.

I have come to the view that the signature area really ought to contain some useful information (for example the links that some users have) rather than merely humourous remarks or mottoes so I will in future refrain from using it in that way.

@Toby @Anonymous might include some consideration of these points in any review or redesign of the forum.

Gerry

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 15:25:55 GMT

Hi

Recently Toby asked if we could add this to our signatures to help keep the forum tidy and when someone looks for similar issues they can see a solution exists in that thread.

Yes only a Mod and Original OP can accept as a solution.

The Kudos work for themselves to show a post is of sound advice and helpful to either the OP or another member that has come across it.

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

jonsie — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 15:28:27 GMT

Yes we were asked to add this as a signature, hence the sudden interest in HTML coding. Not everyone likes the Kudo system which is why we don't have them displayed on our name tags.

But we are all individuals with our own preferences and so it should be

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 15:36:33 GMT

@Anonymous My points were that a helpful message may not necessarily be the solution and the signature may appear below a message for which the accepted solution feature is not relevant (as in the off-topic area.

Also according to the Guidelines "You can thank people for help by giving them 'Kudos' " - so it seems the Kudos attaches to the person and is indeed a nice way of acknowedging their efforts to help rather than indicating that a "post is of sound advice".

Gerry

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

MI5 — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 15:32:58 GMT

I added it too at the request of admin, however, I don't actually like it and have been considering removing it from my sig.
As you have reminded me I shall do so now

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

Cleoriff — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 15:40:44 GMT

However, as it is only the original poster who can mark a post as an accepted solution we MUST presume it has worked for them.

The one thing that gives me concern is when a thread is ongoing. It may lie dormant for a few weeks then someone NEW comes on for advice. There is no way that anyone else (except the OP) can mark as a solution.

In a way I feel that makes a mockery of the system. We seem to be encouraging everyone to mark it solved, whereas, in actual fact ,only the person who started the thread can do that.

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 15:45:16 GMT

Oh dear! Didn't expect that @MI5 Perhaps the same thing could be achieved by including suitable words at the end of a message (rather than in the signature). It would be a simple matter to create a few well crafted phrases in Word or Notepad and then copy and paste as required, leaving the signature freee and unclutterd for worthwhile info - i particularly like the links that @jonsie has so expertly displayed in his messages.

Gerry

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

MI5 — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 15:48:39 GMT

jonsie's links are excellent, but as we've seen many times in the past, no one actually reads them 😞

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 15:48:39 GMT

@Cleoriff wrote:
We seem to be encouraging everyone to mark it solved, whereas, in actual fact ,only the person who started the thread can do that.

@Cleoriff Not so long ago one of my messages was marked as accepted solution but not by me and it definitely was not a solution. I am not even sure how one finds an accepted solution.

Gerry

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 15:50:03 GMT

Ones signature brings individuality.

Some like to list their present and past devices.

Some inspiring quotes.

Some direct links to O2 pages.

It's all good.

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 15:53:12 GMT

When it's accepted a banner appears in baby blue in the original post. Hit that and you're taken to the solution.

Edit ; also a tick appears next to it in the full board view.

I think I've seen mods peruse the boards in the past and mark them.

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 16:00:02 GMT

@Anonymous If I have an O2 problem, come to the Community, do a search, find a list of messages that may relate to my problem, is there an easier or quicker way to find if there is an accepted solution other than wading trhough the threads identified by the search results? (Yes, I know I am a lazy old man but I have worked hard to achieve that status!)

Gerry

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

MI5 — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 16:04:58 GMT

The search result will display a green tick next to any threads with accepted solutions so that should indicate the more suitable threads to read.
Admins go through and mark some as accepted to keep the forum tidy but they all may not be the best answer......

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 16:24:38 GMT

Hi @Anonymous

I personally add 'Tags' to my posts (when I remember ) so if a person performs a search it helps to find key words.

More from Toby here http://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Discussions-Feedback/Tagging-guidelines/m-p/637377/highlight/true#M43151

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

jonsie — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 16:37:48 GMT

As we all know, what works for one may not work for another and sometimes there are many answers to cover the same problem.

I would suggest that having perused the forum and the stated solutions, people should start a new thread if that particular thread hasn't resolved their issue. That way the problem can be addressed and then marked as a solution.

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 16:47:52 GMT

Have to confess I had forgotten about TAGS myself @Anonymous They are very useful if used correctly and as you rightly say if we remember to use them!!

Anyway, thanks folks for all the contributions. I think we have given this a good old airing. Much appreciated.

Gerry

PS - As there is a wide range of useful viewpoints on this subject I don't think it would be wise or diplomatic to mark any single one as the accepted solution. Maybe what we really need is a means to draw a line at some point in a thread and say that's it folks, lets talk about something else. I feel we've got there!!!

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

jonsie — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 16:48:24 GMT

_______________________________________________________________________________

Done!

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 16:50:27 GMT

That's a great line @jonsie - dead true and straight. Full marks!!

Gerry

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

Cleoriff — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 17:04:45 GMT

@jonsie wrote:

I would suggest that having perused the forum and the stated solutions, people should start a new thread if that particular thread hasn't resolved their issue. That way the problem can be addressed and then marked as a solution.

I agree totally with that @jonsie I feel however that mods and admin may well say "there are too many threads started on this one topic". However if they wish individuals to mark a problem as solved this is something they will have to endure.

Another issue.....showing something from our Help guides 'How to reset your Samsung after a firmware update'...pages and pages. Different folk asking different questions. It was a guide written by @MI5 so he was the OP....how on earth could anyone else mark anything as a solution? (when ALL the advice given on there invariably solved that individual question?)

Re: Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

aldaweb — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 20:07:35 GMT

@Cleoriff With the help guides I feel that the guide itself should be a single post and locked as with another forum I frequent and if someone wants to commebnt then a separate thread should be used for discussion.