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So I came across a very obvious behavior by one of the Users of accepting and un-accepting an answer. And was wondering if anyone here has come across a similar situation and how have you addressed this.

Day 1

  1. User posts a question
  2. I write an answer and it gets accepted
  3. User then comments on the answer to seek some more guidance
  4. I take some time to respond to it. In the meantime the answer was un-accepted
  5. Without realizing that I then respond to the comment, that’s when I notice that the answer was un-accepted
  6. I provide the requested details, and then the answer is accepted back!

Day 2

  1. Same User posts exactly the same question
  2. I come to see that question and ask how’s it different from the the other one providing the link to the original one and mark that as duplicate
  3. Later realize that the duplicate question was deleted
  4. And interestingly the original question was again un-accepted!

While I really don’t care about loosing or gaining the 15 reputations out on that answer, but if the answer was marked accepted that would help other members.

Moreover, it seems very obvious that the User in this case was showing a very obvious pattern. Can we actually ask the User why is the answer being accepted or unaccepted this frequent? I think the forum always helps everyone to learn and I find this pattern a bit obvious which should be mentioned to the User.

What is the forum’s thoughts here?

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    You might also be interested in the discussion on Meta SE: Exit strategies for “chameleon questions”, though in general, accepting an answer is the asker's prerogative; there's nothing you can do to prevent that (and also, upvotes are more important than an accept; accept only means that it helps the asker specifically, where upvotes mean is helps the bigger community).
    – Andrew T.
    Commented Sep 3, 2018 at 5:46
  • Thanks @AndrewT. for the link. And I agree that accepting an answer is User’s prerogative and in this situation the User was expecting all the queries to be addressed in same question and thus was also changing the acceptance. Very similar to what has been mentioned in the discussion that you provided and as answered by glls.
    – Jayant Das
    Commented Sep 3, 2018 at 14:03

2 Answers 2

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I have not experienced the exact same behavior, however, I have dealt with users that ask follow up questions in the comments quite often. In order to avoid your situation, I simple ask them tho please follow up in a new psot, regardless if they accept or not my current answer.

If I notice the users behavior being repetitive, I stop answering their questions, and if others do answer and the user continues, I ask them to open new posts in the comments. If the above continues - I downvote subsequent posts and continue asking the user to open new posts and to accept past asnwers if already provided.

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    I do ask OP to open new if the ask changes from what was originally posted. Interestingly enough, after I posted this question, there was yet another comment on the original question and I ended up asking the OP to open a new one, in fact giving the details as what to ask, and say what, the answer again accepted :)
    – Jayant Das
    Commented Sep 3, 2018 at 13:55
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Same happened with me just now, Am not that fussed. It happens with new users because they have very limited knowledge of SF and SFSE.

I kinda understand their situation, given the first assignment by their boss and then struggling on it for long, eventually gathering enough courage to ask on forum. Someone answers and he/she gets a new ray of hope. Upvotes accepts without trying. Then tries the solution, concluding its not how it should be done because they were trying to solve X-Y Problem. Downvotes / remove acceptance, waiting for someone else to reply, no one does. Whats next? Ask again next day hoping someone else will answer. Asks same question again. Gets marked as duplicate, How to tackle this? If I delete the old one it won't be a duplicate and it goes on....

When I try to think by trying their shoes, It kinda feels right with that mindset. I try to helpful supportive as I could. Which brings back my old question. Is Salesforce StackExchange also too hostile for new user?

Can we actually ask the User why is the answer being accepted or unaccepted this frequent?

Well, I do tag and comment asking what was the reason for downvote/ unacceptance, and it's not for the sake of lost reputation, but a concern that I was not helpful to them for a reason or two. Probably because I had flaws in my knowledge or I couldn't interpret them correctly. So yes asking counter-question in comments would help me to improve myself and probably in the process they would reach the answer they seek. Win Win for both.

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    Actually I too wasn't fussed. But this was a pattern which just kept on repeating and was becoming so obvious that the User was expecting me to respond and if I didn't respond in say a time-frame would actually un-accept the answer :) I will usually ask the User to open a new question if anything asked in comments deviates from what was originally intended. However in this case the User was not even waiting for that comment. And as mentioned in your other post, I try not to be too hostile to any new User rather take an opportunity to help them get acquainted with the forum.
    – Jayant Das
    Commented Sep 7, 2018 at 20:03
  • Its a shame that chat support isn't there for new users, things would have been easier.
    – Pranay Jaiswal
    Commented Sep 7, 2018 at 20:09
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    Presuming good faith is always a good approach, but the user behavior you're describing, @JayantDas, rather strains that presumption. Even regardless of whether it contravenes any site rules or expections, I'd call it plain rude.
    – David Reed
    Commented Sep 7, 2018 at 20:10
  • @DavidReed - I can only :)
    – Jayant Das
    Commented Sep 7, 2018 at 20:15

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