6
$\begingroup$

I recently posted the following question here. Now, due to collaboration of the various users who have answered the question, they have been able to come up with the solution. However, each of the answerers are fairly new to the site and as such have left their answers quite unsatisfactorily (in my opinion, with little to no justification).

I could leave this question open, and it is likely a more reputable user will come and 'collect' all this information and put it as the accepted answer. However, since all the work has been done, it seems quite unfair for the other users.

On the other hand, I could mark the most recent answer as correct, however that would be misleading for future users.

My solution is for me to post up a Community Wiki answer, but a question:

1) Is there a way to emphasise both the Community Wiki answer and the accepted answer, or would the Community Wiki answer merely fall to the bottom (if there are not enough up votes).

2) Is this a fair use of the Community Wiki?


Update

The original answerer ended up justifying their work, so I have edited to clarify draw conclusions from their work (and credited all other participants), and accepted this answer.

$\endgroup$

1 Answer 1

8
$\begingroup$

I very much encourage the use of community-wiki answers as 'clean up' to some questions, and I do so myself on some of the more complex puzzles (f.e. here). It gives a good opportunity to tie up loose ends.

I also think it is okay to accept the community-wiki answer if it is substantially "better to read" and understand. Keep in mind, that "acceptance" is primarily to allow later users to find "question + best answer" pairs.

Reputation is not the main purpose of the site!

However, it may be polite to ask the answer author(s) if this is okay with him/her/them. Also, consider that you may "bounty-give" some of your own reputation to any answer (also non-accepted) if you feel a "reward" is needed.

$\endgroup$
1
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ Yes! And we should remember to include links to, or at least clear mention of, all of the contributing partial answers so that they will receive the attention and rewards they deserve. (Still, I'd like to ^vote this answer twice, just for "Reputation is not the main purpose of the site!" I could go on and on, beginning with how differently I value different points I've received.) $\endgroup$
    – humn
    Commented Jun 10, 2016 at 19:08

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .