How do you decide whose questions you are going to answer?

Question

Do you run thru your contacts?
Go thru the P&S menu?
Answer what your friends answer?

What's your strategy?

Answer 1

I don't really have a strategy. Call it a "shotgun" approach. I'll usually just open the home page and scan over the questions there. If anything interests me--or outright gets my goat--I'll heed the call. Many of my contacts star things that interest them, so I'll check those out. And sometimes, yes, I'll pick a contact and browse their questions and answers. It's a community, so it's my opportunity to learn about the contact as well as offer of myself. But I really don't have a preferred method. I just kind of do what I do, and let the rest happen according to my mood.

Answer 2

I use several strategies. First, I have a look at what my contacts have asked. (That's how I found this one.)

Mostly, I hang out in Religion & Spirituality, and answer any that seem to want a serious response and which I do have an answer. Since much of this category is opinion rather than facts, I don't usually have to research things.

Finally, when I get bored with the low quality of questions available in those two places, or have answered all the ones I want and am now reviewing ones I've already seen, I will go to the general "open questions" list and sort it for those which have no answers. Most of them will be ones about which I have no clue, but if I have anything useful to say, it's real possible that mine will be the only answer. If it does nothing more, this strategy tends to bring me in more "best answers," but it's something of a hollow victory to win out over "no best answer."

Answer 3

I used to be all over the place answering in different categories and any question that I found interesting or knew the answer to. Then Jimbo got suspended about 700 times and I stuck to P&S and answer the questions of a few people who have a sense of fun or are a little warped like me.

Answer 4

I'm a browser. I usually just click on "answer" and run through the list of questions, regardless of subject. When one catches my eye and is so smart and interesting or abysmally stupid that I can't leave it alone, then I answer.
But lately my contact list has grown to include some really bright, entertaining people whose questions I seek out.

Answer 5

Its not who asks the question, I answer if I know a good answer or find it an interesting question. I also notice interesting questions starred by my contacts (which is how I found this one). I also answer a lot of "You're on a roll" questions that come up after I post an answer.

Answer 6

I check my contacts first - they get priority.

Then I go through my favourite categories and scroll down and across.

I look for questions that look interesting or funny, and ones that nobody else has put the answer I have in mind.

I don't answer troll questions (unless they are really good).

I try to determine if it's a real question or a faked wind-up.

I don't answer ones which have offensive avatars next to them.

That's about it, really ...

Answer 7

I go through the P&S menu and answer questions that I think are interesting.

Answer 8

Are we supposed to have a strategy?
Mostly, I just go whichever way the wind pushes me.
I do make a point though of checking my contacts as there's bound to be something interesting and thoughtful(or just plain wacky)

Answer 9

I go throught the menu I usually answer family and relationships. If it touches me in any way I will answer or if I have had experience.

Answer 10

I try to answer my contacts current questions when I am on... sometimes I miss a few here and there, but I try.

I generally will answer interesting questions posted on P&S in between asking my own questions & answering contacts questions.

It's getting tough.. I have a lot of contacts these days... I should switch deoderant...