Question and Answer Feature

[Boydean]

We all know that ChiefDelphi is great place to ask questions, whether it be technical, about rules, or just what ever may fly your way. During the build season these type of threads tend to accumulate fast...very fast. The number one problem with threads is that you never know whether a question got answered or not if you don't dig down and read all the thread responses. Plus many times questions get left unanswered and pushed to the bottom due to the sheer volume of threads produced. This is where a question and answer feature would come in handy.

Let me give an example to a possible solution to the problem.

Say I had a problem with some code I wrote. I would go into the programming section and post a thread describing the problem, describing the wanted outcome, and pasting in some code or attaching a file. I would then click a button in the 'Additional Options' part of the thread to make this a question. By default the question is unanswered.

The thread is then posted in the programming section among the rest of them with a question mark in the post icon area. It would then be shot off to part of the forum where questions are aggregated. People then can go in and give their thoughts and then if then if they give the correct solution the original author could mark the thread as answered.

There are obvious multiple benefits of such a system such as; archived questions for easy searching, assuring all questions get answered, and ultimately making the ChiefDelphi more effective.

This idea came out of the use of sites such as http://getsatisfaction.com/ and http://stackoverflow.com/

I realize this might be a lofty task to implement, but maybe some of us can group together and make a separate site for such and CD could just implement it to the front page.

What do you guys and gals think?

[Nate Smith]

Originally Posted by Boydean

What do you guys and gals think?

I've been looking for a new project to work on with GAE...this might be just the one...

[Molten]

Originally Posted by Boydean

We all know that ChiefDelphi is great place to ask questions... about rules...

I just want to add the usual disclaimer that this isn't really a good place to ask questions about rules. Those should be asked at the official Q&A. Otherwise, it does seem like a pretty good tool idea.

[synth3tk]

I've already started mapping out some things in my head, mainly what vBulletin plugins/mods to create a base off of. I've downloaded a copy of vB 3.6.4 (legally, I own a license). If anyone would like access to the forum, send me a PM and I'll give you the link (and possibly FTP details).