Are people too desperate for points? How do you pick a best answer?

Question

do you go for or ignore the longest answerers?

do you stop reading if you disagree with the first paragraph?

do you try to avoid the one that was obviously going for the points rather than the interest?

would you check someone's profile before handing out 10 points?

i only click if i like them & i do find myself reading all of them. I prefer the longer answers 'cos i tend to emote about them for longer. almost everyone i see whom i think thinks like me gets the points. what does that say about me? is anyone else like that?

i've stopped caring about points all together, i ask at least one question a week & try to put in one a day. I prefer asking questions to answering them sometimes. is anyone else like that?

i will do my best to have ...king graet holiday season...i hope Canada does that for you too...
...and I love hugs. i take my hug collection very seriously, so i'm touched hotkitten.

i will try to stay interesting ¦-}

GARY T, I can't believe you haven't been nosey enough to click on people's avatars to check their profiles. You can't do it if the question is in voting but at all other times, it is possible, and I'd recommend doing it to anyone because it enhances your experience of being on yahoo! answers.

thesingingist, educating those people or just showing them other people's opinions for them to decide what's better is what it's all about.

those people are invaluable to yahoo! answers because (I believe at least) that having them explore opinions and ideas on here makes them better people (hopefully) once they're outside. i've had a few radical changes to my ideas through things that people say & I find myself finding conclusions that I certainly wouldn't have thought of a few months ago. That to me is the essence of why Yahoo! Answers is such a quality innovation.

thesingingist, educating those people or just showing them other people's opinions for them to decide what's better is what it's all about.

those people are invaluable to yahoo! answers because (I believe at least) that having them explore opinions and ideas on here makes them better people (hopefully) once they're outside. i've had a few radical changes to my ideas through things that people say & I find myself finding conclusions that I certainly wouldn't have thought of a few months ago. That to me is the essence of why Yahoo! Answers is such a quality inovation.

Answer 1

u mean like me getting 2 points for this

me and my friend are having a contest

Answer 2

You seem like a very interesting person!
It's about time that someone brought this whole subject up!
I personally pay very close attention to the things that i read wether i've asked the question or i'm answering it. I think the point system thing is yahoo's way of bringing out that funny little certain something in us that we all have. That is why the people on this site that actually have a brain sometimes answer the dumb@$$ people's questions. Myself, I tend to look at lots of peoples profiles, cause people are just plain interesting!!!
As far as picking best answers and such,,,,I have to say I agree with you I'd rather give someone who appears to be on the same sort of mindset as myself the points. I think that most people are truly trying to help.
Thanks again for bringing up this subject! Hope you have a f##king great holiday season!!!!

Lots of hugs from Canada!!!!!!!!!!.

Answer 3

Yes. They are. Writing a long question that will be scanned over by the automatic processor means that the question might not get canned, but the answers may be as short as the author likes so that they can get as many answers in the available time as possible.

Of course, asking the question in the first place means that you lose points. You have to answer 2 questions per visit to pay for every question that you ask so this encourages people to answers, not ask. Which is probably why it is called ANSWERS. That and www.ask.com might get a bit peeved if it were called anything like ASK.

Of course, just turning up earns you credit. I think that you should earn credit for just typing a well thought out question. ALso for good grammar and spelling. Frequently you seem to find poor questions, overly long answers... but I think these are better than poorly spelt or poorly put questions and answers.

Answer 4

This is a good question which requires a long answer but I can't be asked coz it'll make no difference. Having said that, we all want to believe our views are important and some actually want their views to change other people forcibly. If I see a good answer it's about what that person is trying to impart, views knowledge, humour. I rate the answer not the answerer. I got an e-mail about one of my many hilarious responses. I responded to the e-mail and found the chap to be a bigot after I checked his profile so I e-mailed him later and told him my views about him. I like the long answers too but I can't stand getting stuff rammed down my throat. Answers with a view but not one trying to influence are the ones I like. Free speech is fine but bigots and zealots tire me.
I am one for giving dodgy answers at times though coz I think this site is not really the place to open your heart on if you have issues. Get professional help, is my view. Do you know how many lunes are on here? The answers are going to be a cross-sectional view of the populace so expect anything.
What's the point giving points to like-minded people any way, isn't that just intellectual masturbation? If you just want people to agree with you the option of starting a fan club exists.

The points, answers and comments don't mean zip coz this is just the net, not the real world so if this site winds any one up too much, get a life. Peace out.

Answer 5

To pick a "Best Answer" you go to "Vote for Undecided Questions" at the top right of the questions page, pick a question you like the look of & vote for it. The results of the vote only come up AFTER you've voted, & you can't click on the answerer's profile, cos it's only shown as "Answerer 1", "Answerer 2", etc, so you don't know WHO you're voting for until you've voted.The headline has to be eye-catching, & if I get extra points, it's a bonus.

Answer 6

I always try to choose the one that I like the most, or find to be the most helpful, regardless of the length of the answer. But occasionally I go for the one that makes me laugh the longest

Answer 7

I agree with Merideth. I don't see the relevance of points, really; we don't get anything out of them. I also think it's silly how some people choose a best answer because they feel sorry for the person not having any points. I answer questions I am actually interested in so that I give a genuine answer (so look out for me i the sex and food categories!)

Answer 8

I am still new and have not quite got the hang of this all yet.
Only just worked out why my points were going down!

Can't wait for my first best answer, but I enjoy looking around.

Have a great Christmas

Answer 9

I only reply to the questions I know the answer too, so I answer all of them. Somehow I manage to get 'best answer', so I think it's a random thing as most of my answers are pants!! (Take this as an example!!) Merry Christmas.xx

Answer 10

i try to keep my answers as short as possible, and hope that others do the same.
when voting, i usually vote for the funniest [jokes] or the most informative etc
i hate it when people just put in ??? or single word answers.
i detest it when people use bad language or deviant sexual references knowing that young and impressionable people are also members of answers.
i also abhor people who berate others beliefs and religions, show prejudice over race and colour, my wish this Christmas is peace on earth, and good will to all men and women, all religions and all nationalities colours and all orientations

I've got to go now...shopping!!!
so a merry Christmas to all, and a truly joyful 2007

Answer 11

Don't give two hoots about points but love to give someone an answer that helps or makes them laugh
Voters piss me off cos you could put your heart and soul into an answer yet the voters come on and vote for the first answer whatever it is right or wrong. Even if it says 2 points thanks. I blame the questioners for not resolving their own questions. I and all my friends all resove our own questions. It validates people's efforts to answer