Marking a Message as Accepted Solution

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

@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

[MI5]

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......

[Anonymous]

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

[jonsie]

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.

[Anonymous]

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!!!

[jonsie]

_______________________________________________________________________________

Done!

[Anonymous]

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

Gerry

[Cleoriff]

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@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.

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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?)

[aldaweb]

@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.