Discussion Very Few Answers Marked as Best Answer Anymore

[hftvhftv]

Compared to when I joined this forum in 2014 to now, I find that a lot of new users rarely if ever mark a post as best answer anymore. The alternatives I've been seeing are upvotes and likes. Isn't it redundant to have a like button, an upvote button, and a best answer button?

 

[TJ Hooker]

I try to use the like button when the post has good info (or I just like it for some other reason) but isn't directly answering the question at hand. The upvote button is for users (other than the OP) to vote which post best answers the question, and then the OP ultimately has to choose best answer.

But I do agree that the like button seems like it's being used instead of upvote/best answer sometimes (and I admit I'm guilty of this sometimes).

 

[Colif]

Yes, this has been noticed... many months ago...

Its because its not obvious how to mark a question as solved.

Op doesn't need to use the up arrows at all.
If someone answers the question they asked, there is a way for them to mark it now.

It just doesn't show for anyone apart from the opening poster (and mods).

It was hidden so that it wasn't accidentally pressed by readers. The old button seemed to act like a magnet for my mouse.

Its obvious it was hidden too well. I did make this to try to help: https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/how-to-award-best-answers-mark-question-as-solved.3450478/

It is not an obvious button in every post like the old software.

Likes are exactly what TJ said, you appreciate the info but its not right answer for current question, as likes also show on non questions like Profile posts as well

Upvote - You agree that question is right answer. After 5 upvotes an answer automatically gets marked as Best Answer. Every user has a say in this method - https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/purpose-of-the-arrows.3473237/

So all users can see all those choices, but the op has a special choice, they have a Trophy button that awards the Best Answer that shows above the up/down arrows.

But not enough people look here to read my stickies... so almost every mod has a link to at least one of them in their sig. We doing the best we can. Mods didn't design this scheme, we just have to explain it. Mods aren't staff, we don't have any say how it should have been done. All we can do is offer suggestions.