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There seems to be some confusion...

As usual, I went through deleting responses on a 20-some answer question. Here's what I normally do:

Remove as not an answer

Anything not an answer or something that isn't suitable for switch to a comment. I haven't been using this much lately.

Switch to a comment

I use this a lot. Instances:

Responses containing how one person fixed there own device.

People restating what someone more experienced already said.

Answers so vague that it couldn't possibly do any good to anybody.

And a few other once in a while cases.

Spam/offensive is always just that. I always try to use not an answer before I do that, but some cases spam is hidden in between the lines.

I purpose we have a new moderation choice, called "Archive as not effective" or something. What it does is moves those answers to the bottom with a message "Archived Responses" and all votes removed.

Also, if we want to delete a comment all we've got is remove as spam/offensive, which deducts​ 100 rep...

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Whatta ya mean takes a 100 rep?

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I think he's referring to the punishment inflicted on users marked as spam? Marking a comment as spam deducts 100 rep. Is that true?

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Yep, that's what I meant.

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Oh, yeah. That part. Idc

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@theimedic when you visit meta today, stick around! Fix anything challenging lately?

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Hey there!

"Remove as Not an Answer" is actually the answer to many of these points! This action is for any Answer that is either off topic, terrible advice, or a duplicate of an Answer already posted (as long as there is no new information). So this effectively closes an Answer. Coupled with downvotes, there should be no need for an "archived" answer action, I don't think

We're also planning to roll that action out to comments, so hold tight! For now, try to avoid marking comments as spam if they are not spam. You can ask a mod or admin to use the "delete" function available to them, or worst case, switch it to an Answer and then archive it (ugly, I know!). But we are working on that solution!

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I totally agree. The reason I brought this up is because @oldturkey03 @mayer noticed that I was voting on answers that they considered valid. I know they're the mods but I really don't think an answer that isn't helpful at all (regardless of the upvotes) should stay up. For instance here: https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/2246...

The reason I suggested an archived answer section was in hope it would satisfy both parties. Otherwise, what you stated above "Remove as Not an Answer" is actually the answer to many of these points! This action is for any Answer that is either off topic, terrible advice, or a duplicate of an Answer already posted (as long as there is no new information)" is exactly what I'd like.

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That is an answer that Ben doe gave. It has three up votes and has worked for at least one person.

This is the type of moderation request that makes you a PITA sometimes. Please reserve your moderation requests for serious matters. If iFixit wants all this petty stuff cleaned up they can hire someone to sit there for the next six months and do it. I don't what to have to moderate this type of thing. I only have so many hours in the day. I need to be researching answers and giving really good answers. As I told you before, neither Mike nor I are maids. I would advise you spend your time doing likewise. Learn something so you can share it.

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George, I don't mean to hurt your feeling, but 90% of the requests you've made on moderation that I have looked at, are for the wrong things. This type of editing requires good judgement, that at 14 years old, you just don't have the skill for yet. Lyndon is really not very good at either and he's got to be close to 60. Both Mike and I have advised you to pick something and study up on it and own it. That way you can be of benefit to people. I asked you to write a simple guide just last week. There are lots of things that there is no go to person and the questions go unanswered. Don't be a critic! Be a doer!

@oldturkey03 @kaykay @kelsea Can I get an Amen on this?

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"Archive as Not Answerable" is definitely heavy handed for something that can be voted on, especially for a post that has an answer in it. I would much rather have many less-than-perfect answers that might work for some people, than a totally empty question because there is no "perfect" answer. Answers are not only for the asker, but also for the people who have the same problem and stop by later!

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I haven't once used the "Archive as not answerable" option. I don't believe that we should be keeping all of these useless answers. I've seen pure spam voted on, and not by voting rings. That shows us how unreliable posts can still be supported by the public. "I've heard putting the device in rice helps" is an answer, but so is throwing it in the trash. "Throw it in the trash" should be acceptable if "Putting the device in rice" is. This entire forum and community is based on helping others. If it isn't helpful, it should go. I'm sort of a perfectionist, and I like this place to be tidy, not full of worthless answers nobody will benefit from. Many times people will repost what others have said, such as "Turn your Bluetooth off and on" when that occurs with every restart, mentioned by other users, along with other information. I spent nearly an hour modding a 54 answer post a couple nights ago, most to be rejected. I can't get you guys to see my point.

@mayer I've got my feild. It's helping people where I can. I'm not locking myself into one subject just so I can know a grain more about it, while I could be answering others, too. My rule is stay away from Macs and iPhones questions.

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@pccheese you see here is a prime example of your confusion:-) On this question you marked this answer

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(I know it is not an answer but a question by itself) as "SWITCH TO A COMMENT".

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Help me to understand why. You mentioned that you "can't get you guys to see my point." So here is your opportunity to get us to that point. Would you not think that it may be better to mark it as "SWITCH TO A QUESTION", since it is only a few hours old? If it would have been a couple weeks or months old, I would even suggest to "REMOVE AS NOT AN ANSWER", but never as a comment.

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Well for one, I chose switch to a comment over delete because I thought "Me too" answers should be switched to a comment after the previous Moderation discussion. A few weeks ago I would have removed that as not an answer. I have no excuse for why I didn't switch it to a question. I figure I didn't because that is similar to the subject of the question, and because I didn't think the user would come back to a question so- quickly written, for lack of a better word.

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@pccheese, I get it. Hope you do as well. " I figure I didn't because that is similar to the subject of the question, and because I didn't think the user would come back to a question " You thought you knew what the OP of this Answer/Question was going to do? "so- quickly written" was it really? Is it possible that the OP is just not a native English speaker? May be he/she struggled with it. I think the best way of handling those types of answers/questions is to convert them to questions and then attempt to clarify the intend. Of course this will only works if they are not to old.

Anyhow, I hope I've made my point about what to look for. No hard feelings young grasshopper, just learn to focus ;-)

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George A. will be eternally grateful.