So many closed posts

Question

Regarding closed posts I can't actually see that it really matters if a question has been asked before. New and recent members are not to know what has been asked in the past, they are probably concentrating on finding an answer to their question rather than navigating the site. A repeated question gives another member a chance to provide an answer - and there are always variations - it can also serve as revision. I completely agree with not answering homework questions - but someone always does - but encouraging the member to have a go themselves. So many "Post closed" notices doesn't look good and the member must wonder what they have done wrong as an explanation as to why is not always provided. Also I have noticed that a few of the "have a go yourself" comments are coming over a little harsh. What do others think?

• Estoy de acuerdo, Caza. Es muy desagradable para alguien recién llegado que le cierren el mensaje. Seguramente, no volverá :( - Cordobesa Feb 15, 2012
• I almost left the site when I first started because that part of the q&a felt unwelcoming. It was the other members that helped to make me feel welcome. - katydew Feb 15, 2012
• I agree that too many questions are being closed because something similar may have been asked before. Every day there are different people here and keeping a vibrant Q&A is vital to making people welcome. - gringojrf Feb 15, 2012

Answer 1

To a certain extent I do agree caza. The search facility is great but the newer members may want to jump in and answer a simple question. When you consider that probably 75% of new questions posted have already been raised in one form or another, if we continue to close posts because of that, then the forum would just fill up with "closed" posts.

For my part I used to either do a search for them and provide a link or point them towards the search facility but I left the post open for others to comment or provide more information if they so desired.

• I agree, Eddy. And although, I've been one of the "try it" people, I do try to say it in a friendly manner. - Goldie_Miel Feb 15, 2012
• Yes the links are always helpful - thanks - caza Feb 16, 2012

Answer 2

Until the forum search engine improves it is actually quite hard to find the answer to most questions. Also closing questions prematurely means you are denying new members their chance to contribute. In many cases they many have something new to say.

The only questions which should be closed are the really basic ones which are resolved by directing someone to the dictionary/translator.

• Nicely put. Thanks - caza Feb 16, 2012

Answer 3

I think this is going downhill. The change of direction have proved not good so far.

• It looks like the General Discussions category is going to be removed, as your other question revealed. - pesta Feb 15, 2012

Answer 4

I agree with you on one aspect. A repeat question allows a (relatively) newer member to have a go at trying to provide an answer to the newest member who posted it.

When one first arrives they are confused and are looking for answers. Then when one learns slightly more they want to try their hand at helping others with answers to simple questions. Its like, you move forward, and you extend a hand to pull someone who is still behind you. This frees up the really advanced people for the really advanced questions. Of course, if your answer is incorrect or can be better, the really advanced ones come from the front and extend their hand out for yours.

In this way, we all learn.

Now it seems there is only one-to-one interactions (I ask, you answer, done).

• Oh yes, this is how it should be. We can learn as much from trying to help others as from being helped. - sheila-foste Feb 15, 2012

Answer 5

If I would have seen the same forum like it is right now, it wouldn't have made me feel warm and welcome at all like when I started learning Spanish. It is because of all the wonderful people I met that made me continue everytime I wanted to give up.

• wow I just got flagged.....for being fair about how I feel.......I'm touched - 00434ec3 Feb 15, 2012
• I don't think it's personal - just that you made a couple of typing errors. Anyway, I've given you a vote to make up for it :) - sheila-foste Feb 15, 2012
• don't know read the post at http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/223400/what-would-stop-the-site-owners-from-deleting-a-moderator-support-your-management-team-vota-paralee-she-is-hot/newest#a602181 - 00434ec3 Feb 15, 2012
• Thanks sheila-foste - 00434ec3 Feb 15, 2012
• Why was this flagged...? Well, I agree with you 100 percent!!! - NikkiRivera Feb 15, 2012
View 3 more commments >>

Answer 6

There are two opposing philosophies on a Q&A site.

1. Close posts after they've been answered (and ideally, title marked so we know it's closed before clicking to read it).

2. Leave posts open, with a marked "best answer" so later visitors know that the obvious answer has been supplied.

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Who judges when the answer is complete? Except in rare instances (like, "what is the capitol city of Spain?"), a question may have one answer and several highly useful related matters, not usually discovered right away, and rarely compiled by one author.

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It reminds me of phone help desks. The attendants' incentives are to close as many requests per day as possible. They don't have to be correct solutions, just closed ones. It always appeared to me to be a case of conflict of interest.

Answer 7

Perhaps another reason for so many closed posts is that the current moderator team cannot handle the volume of posts which can come quickly at some times, but slow at others. Also, the moderators are all U.S.-based, which limits their work and waking hours. The previous international moderation team had members awake all around the world, so there was always someone awake and online posting and correcting.

Tal vez, una otra razón para tantas entradas cerradas es que el actual grupo (equipo) de moderadores no pueda manejar ni responder bien al volumen de mensajes que pueden aparecerse rápidamente en algunos momentos, pero lento en otros. Además, creo que sí que los moderadores son de los Estados Unidos, que limita el horario de trabajo y las horas de vigilia. El anterior grupo de los moderadores internacional tenía miembros despiertos todo el mundo, por lo que siempre había alguien despierto y en línea que estában entrando y correjando nuestras entradas.

Con algunas correcciones:

Tal vez, otra razón para que haya tantas entradas cerradas es que el actual equipo de moderadores no pueda manejar ni responder bien al volumen de mensajes que pueden aparecer rápidamente en algunos momentos, pero lentamente en otros. Además, creo que los moderadores son de los Estados Unidos, lo que limita el horario de trabajo y las horas de vigilia. El anterior grupo internacional de moderadores tenía miembros despiertos en todo el mundo, por lo que siempre había alguien despierto y en línea contestando y corrigiendo nuestras entradas.

• Hagame el favor de corregir mi entrada. - xocoyote Feb 15, 2012
• I also believe they lack the capacity to answer in proper Spanish. - Guimmys Feb 15, 2012
• ¡Creo que sí! - pesta Feb 15, 2012
• Gracias Guimmys. Me alegro que eres fluente en ambos idiomas. - xocoyote Feb 15, 2012
• Xocoyote, espero que no te importe. He hecho algunos cambios ;) Por cierto, "me alegro de que seas" - Cordobesa Feb 16, 2012
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Answer 8

Hello all. We are currently closing all homework questions that the question asker has not attempted answering themselves, so that our members do not inadvertently give that person the answer. Before closing the post, we will point the poster to the forum rules, encourage them to try answering their question first, and encourage them to re-open a thread once they've tried to answer it themselves. Homework questions where people have tried and are asking for specific help and any requests for translations/edits that are not related to homework will not be closed. Thanks to everyone for the feedback!

• You closed one because you thought they used a translator... We would not have done that before. - NikkiRivera Feb 15, 2012
• The only time you were not allowed to use a translator before was when posting in game / practice threads. - NikkiRivera Feb 15, 2012
• I "think" you are guilty therefore you are - sounds very Orwellian to me. - ian-hill Feb 15, 2012
• Hey Nikki. The post you were referring to was a student who translated their (long) assignment using a machine translator and wanted us to do it for them. We're happy to help with phrases and words that aren't part of a homework assignment. - StuartSD Feb 15, 2012
• Plenty of examples on the front page now where we've done that. If you have specific ideas on how we can improve the policy, please send it to me via PM. - StuartSD Feb 15, 2012
View 4 more commments >>

Answer 9

I have noticed this too, and I am really getting fed up with the new admins.

There are posts being closed that should not be closed. They are overdoing it.

• Hi Nikki, if you have specific comments on closing a thread feel free to send me a PM directly or send a Feedback request using the tab on the right. We are following consistently policies (described in the post above yours). Thanks for your feedback! - StuartSD Feb 15, 2012
• I know the rules, and we have always followed and encouraged them. You guys are taking it too far. - NikkiRivera Feb 15, 2012
• Nothing new there then Nikki = the reason I am not posting anymore. - ian-hill Feb 15, 2012

Answer 10

Thank you everyone for your answers and comments on my post - it was very interesting reading through people's opinions.