What, precisely, constitutes "chatting", and is time for Y!A to be more specific?

Question

I sure think it is. Obviously things like Avatar Games aren't allowed---they've made that abundantly clear---but "chatting" could potentially mean everything asked by everyone. Is it not time to clarify "chatting" on Y!A?

http://www.elftown.com/wiki.html?name=Pauly%20the%20Anthro-Dragon

Halloween Anthony, aren't both of us technically guilty of "chatting" simply by using this format?

Answer 1

I think it is a blanket term they use when they want to give you a violation but don't know another way to word it.
I mean, ANYTHING on online can be called chatting, so why in the hell are we all here anyway?

Answer 2

If you study main stream religions they all have their own translations and they all think they are right. These man made religions have many heads turned. I hear JW's are at war with the Mormons anyway 12 million people believe that nonsense about Joesph " head in a hat trick" Smith. They have their members so convinced God wants their money they turn over some 5 billion a hear. They believe the book of Mormon and that has been picked apart page by page and proven wrong but the only people that believe it is true are the Mormons. It';s hard to tell people what they believe is wrong. Christianity has such a contemptible opinion of human nature that it does not believe a man can tell the truth unless frightened by a belief in God. No lower opinion of the human race has ever been expressed. -- Robert Green Ingersoll

Answer 3

I'm sorry to say it Pauly, but the more they crack down on chatting, the faster the demise of this category will be. If you looked at questions strictly by their format, almost every question here would get pulled.

They'll get pulled either by the asker going off on a tangent, constantly adding details in response to others, or asking questions that really dont have a researchable answer.

Sad isnt it?

Answer 4

They do expand on their definition in their "Help" section. Chatting is asking questions like "What time is it?" "How was your day?" "How are you?"

UPDATE: I agree that they aren't very clear in the community guidelines about "chatting", here is what they state in their help section about it (quoting directly from the source below):

"Yahoo! Answers is a question-and-answer community of people sharing knowledge. We provide a couple of different ways for members to connect with one another, including email, instant message, and a comments area, so chatting in questions and answers is not allowed. When people use Answers to chat with each other, it lowers the quality of the site and inhibits knowledge-sharing.

Here are a few examples of what we consider chatting:

* How (are you, old are you, was your day, is everyone today)?
* What are you/What am I (doing, thinking of, wearing, etc.)?
* Guess my/Can you guess my/What's your (name, age, sex, weight, birthday, location, etc.)?

We also consider questions that call out other users by name to be chatting. If the intent is to ask a follow-up question in response to someone else’s question and that person is not available via email or IM, post a new question that’s open to everyone in the community to answer – there might be someone else who’s better equipped to answer it."

I don't think they will be any more clear than this, and their community guidelines state to refrain from posting anything that you think MIGHT be a violation of community guidelines.

Answer 5

you said, "but "chatting" could potentially mean everything asked by everyone." well spoken, sir. it IS a wide, general, sweeping violation.
but u must remember all of the punk-@ss do-gooders that cant find anything constructive to do with their time so they look for things to report, because it makes them feel better. they have NO power in the Real World, so they get it here....as trifle as it is.
staff doesnt look thru each violation as they're reported, they just happen automatically.
when the report button was made bigger, that just brought out the worst in the RAT population.

Answer 6

Yes I agree eventhough I'm guilty of playing and creating an avatar game.
I also think it's time a few Y!A workers got fired.

Answer 7

I agree. I dont understand the chatting thing. If you ask a question and get a answer isnt that kinda chatting?

Answer 8

I agree, everything could be considered chatting by the Stick Up Their Butt Police, so I'm just going to do what I always do and they can pound sand.

Answer 9

I think its a ploy to do away with the only category worth a crap in Y!A...it's a hunt for all of us in p&s everyone else is sooo jealous of us that now they want to hunt us down and be frid os us entirely...WHOSE UP FOR A REVOLUTION!!!

Answer 10

I agree with you 100% any thing asked could be conidered chat