Do the first answers to fluther questions tend to get the most "great answer" ratings?

It’s not something I’ve ever noticed.

Not necessarily , honestly, I have never really payed attention.

@Jak I see what you did there.

I guess it depends on a few factors, like the accuracy of the first few answers, the length of those answers (people will actually read them if they’re short and on point), and the number of replies (I’m less likely to read all the replies if there are tons of them). Answers that don’t get read don’t get GA’d.

Another thing I’ve noticed about my own comments is that if I reach an answer that provokes a (positive or negative) response from me, I’ll probably skip the rest of the answers, and scroll down to leave my own. That means I might not GA anyone in between, particularly if I then get distracted by something shiny.

Everyone reads the first answer. A few lose interest in the thread. Then a few more…

It’s a natural thing. I think it’s less pronounced here with a small user base because we have fewer new topics to distract ourselves. In a bigger community it’s much more pronounced.

I think so. But that could be because they are the first to say what many others might be thinking.

@Jak said it all!

@Jak said it all!

That’s why @Jak got all the Good Answers!

I’ve seen that sometimes the last answer gets many “good answers.”

^what she said

Probably yeah. This happened on Yahoo Answers too. Only with “thumbs up” instead of great answer.

I’ve stopped paying attention to the number of “Great Questions” and “Great Answers” a very long time ago. I also pay no attention to points.

@Rarebear You’re right to do so. Its all about the content.

I would happy to have my points zeroed out. I know a few people have abandoned their points and started a new account, sometimes serially. I may do that sometime.

@jaytkay I can’t even be bothered to do that. Too much hassle with email addresses.

@Rarebear Agreed. I don’t care about points, but I care so little I haven’t bothered to stop amassing points.

Yes, and there are people that will still game the system.

Just this week I started to write an answer to a brand new question. Another member popped in, posted a one word answer so they would be the first to post, then used ‘edit’ to finish writing the response. All to “beat me to the punch”.
Annoyingly silly, and it wasn’t even a question of great import.

Personally, I too could care less about points, but I do like to give lurve to others. Infact, after 6 years of sailing the fluther seas it’s kinda embarrassing to have so many lurve points, I’d rather be a little less of a fluther ho. haha

I gave up my ho status.

I suppose I could reincarnate, but I guess I’ll just keep on ho’in, lol

OK, Flutherites. I’m giving up my points. You are witnessing Fluther character suicide.

I may reappear under another user name. Maybe. IF I can maneuver the gap.

See you on the other side. Maybe.

***POOF! SMOKE BOMB! ***

@Call_Me_Jay I gave you your first Great Answer (the first I’ve given in months) just to get you over 1 point.

WTF?

That was my heroic last post giving up all those points. And Fluther connected it to my new persona.

So much for my dramatic death scene.

Maybe some people just look at the question, see the first response and think “Oh! That’s cool!” or “Oh! That’s exactly what I think!”, GA it, and leave.

At least Fluther is linear. On Reddit and Hacker News the most points float to the top. So you get a massive circle-jerk.

Oh it can be a circle jerk here too, but we often use safe words.

“TWINKIE!! TWINKIE!’’

Ookie Cookie.

Over time you’ll probably notice that being first to post is used as a passive/aggressive device too.

If the first person to post makes an inappropriate or off-center post, it can ruin or mis-direct the the whole question.