Is anyone else a bit scared by this new questioning question about our questions?

eh I have no problems with it

Not at all. If you look at the issue of moderation, new users are often the ones who struggle with it. That is because sometimes people don’t read guidelines, they want to jump right in an get going (it’s the 21st century—instant gratification).

This format helps guide them through the process. It explains the purpose of each part of the form. it gently forces the user to reread, which minimizes types and spelling errors.

It is not a reflection on anyone. I am always amazed at the way folks take stuff like this personally.

I don’t see it as a gatekeeper but more of a guide to critical thinking. I think it is a help in analyzing the purpose of your question and focusing your wording to accomplish your goal.

@lynneblundell Well, now that you’re in, do you think it feels nice?

I always got along with the wierdos more than any others

What is there to be scared about?

guess it was just a shock…:-(

I like it. It frees up a lot of valuable screenspace.

It may be a good thing, but what about freedom of speech?

@lynneblundell You know, I don’t mean to dismiss your feelings. i have had it (beta) for a while now. So I am used to it.

@antimatter Private site.

I like it. To many times answers turn into heated debates about the topic that don’t even answer the question.

Hopefully we can try to keep those separate.

I’m annoyed because it puts two or three additional steps between me and posting the question. I.e., it really slows down the process.

I assume it is done for the benefit of new people or dumb people who can’t figure out how to ask questions. So we all have to suffer for that. I can’t tell the difference between asking for answers or asking for discussion. I defy anyone to be able to explain it to me.

@daloon

Here is an example of two questions I asked recently that I used the different trains on:

Solve a problem: What else can I do to make clear my support for health care reform to elected officials?

Start a Discussion: Why are people so ready to believe fearful things?

Both of those questions were about the health care reform issue.

@lynneblundell No, I hear you. I don’t think it takes anything away from the site though, really. Except perhaps deter a bunch of the new guys from asking “how to do this”, or “what do you think I should do”.

It isn’t really a censorship thing, in my eyes.

@antimatter Private site.

It’s only beta testers that have the new question format. And it’s been that way for weeks.

It is clear that the “moderators”, are neither moderate, nor unbiased. I have seen, and experienced, questions and answers removed that were neither obscene nor off topic, often relating to religion and politics, and often with points for ‘great question’ and ‘great answer’. No, when questions or answers are removed subjectively, it’s called censorship, and that is the refuge of those that are unable or ill-equipped to validate their position with reasoned argument, or feel threatened when their dogma is challenged.

@MrKnowItNot That is your opinion.

@MrKnowItAll- I don’t see it that way at all. Examples?

ok..well…um…anyway…didn’t mean to start a heated debate actually…maybe I should have put it under the solve a problem heading… lol

really I’m fine with it… does feel a bit like a door though…which is fine too… still lovin’ y’all…

now I Really must go to bed

@MrKnowItAll – I find you amusing.

It’s not terrible (and I’m not scared), but I don’t care for it. It forces me to complete the parts of it (subject, details, tags) in a certain preset order that might not be the order in which I want to tackle them. I know you can go back and edit, but I still do not care for systems that unnecessarily constrain and channel my process. The interface designer’s approach and mine may not be alike, and they shouldn’t have to be in order for me to use it.

Also, it appears to diverge into two categories when they both actually lead to the same place. Thinking about what you’re doing is good, but not all questions are absolutely “problem-solving” or “discussion,” and there is no need to worry about the category when the outcome is the same regardless.

@Marina I truly don’t see much difference between the questions. It seems to me they both lead to pretty much the same kind of discussion. I haven’t done a content analysis of those threads, but I’ll bet you you get the same people making pretty much the same points.

I recently asked a question that was labeled a problem solving question (what convincing lies can we tell about conservatives positions on health care reform), but all I got were discussions. I think only one person actually answered the question (so far). For the rest it was editorializing.

I’m also used to it as I was included in the beta. I was in the stages of asking a question a few days ago and putting in the information allowed me to rethink and thus solve my own question, so it benefited me already!

Oh, and for those who don’t like the order, you can always go back and forward through the fields to bypass the preset order. It is only as constraining as you let it be. And the visual outcome is the same now, @Jeruba, but I promise you it doesn’t do nothing, – there’s likely a flag in the database about which the person selected, which may be used in the future to make a more discussion/chatty area versus Q&A area, or to better understand the user’s thoughts in making the question.

@daloon 95% of your questions would be discussion. Hypothetical = discussion.

While the format is similar in both paths, the copy is different depending on the aim of the question—and it provides a great framework to start refining better browsing and filtering.

Here’s another thread on this same topic.

I’ve been using it for awhile now. I’ve had some correspondence with Admin about some issues, but for the most part, I like it.

The two choices don’t make much sense to me. Most of my questions fall into both or either category. However, I do like the three pages and the information along the right side showing what my typing is saying. I don’t see my question there as I type it, and that seems strange.

I just started this thread and I noticed the change, but I found it to be potentially helpful.

To me, it seems like an elegant evolution. And practical too.
It will, likely, soon become the norm that users won’t want changing.
Until it evolves again, perhaps.

bacon