Sometimes a question is answered correctly but the answer (or another post in the thread) prompts a follow-up question which generally gets sent using Reply or Quote so it is in-context.
However, since the original question ahs been answered, anyone filtering for questions only won;t even see the follow-up post.
To keep things simple our goal has been to keep the thread status really to be: Threads start with a question and there could be multiple answers. I worry about having in-thread sub questions could get confusing in the UI.
I personally almost suggested that moderators should split those threads off into new questions, but then you lose some of the context.
I've often tagged replies to follow up questions as answers as well, but since this is a new concept I'm interested in what other people think.
I haven't a clue
Josh Ledgard wrote:
I'm curious how you think we should handle this in the future?
I agree that in thread sub-questions could get confusing but that was the only way I could think of to get the question visible to people who filter on "unanswered" only.
Splitting off sub-questions into new threads (marked as unanswered questions) keeps things simple and gets the questions seen by more potential answer providers which seems the more desirable outcome, even if we do lose context.
I personally almost suggested that moderators should split those threads off into new questions, but then you lose some of the context.
What if the splitting-off mechanism could add some sort of indication that clearly indicated that what was being read was a split-off sub-question and included a back-link to the original thread for those cases where context was vital?
The old thread could also include a forward-link to the new sub-question thread for people who wanted to continue following the discussion down that side path?
I think that helps a lot on the "finding answers" side of things but it does depend on answers being posted (you probably already knew that
I've often tagged replies to follow up questions as answers as well
)Here's a good example of the problem: http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=1280897&SiteID=1.
Over a year ago I answered a question about joining a domain. Today, someone discovered that thread and added a new question. I already had an alert attached to that thread so I saw the question being asked, but the question wouldn't appear in the unanswered list. If I was off on vacation or busy or just not able to answer the question it would have got ignored.
Of course, if Josh doesn't have an alert for this thread he may never see this post!
I have also seen old "closed" threads get new replies with somewhat releated question but not really as if it really was related they probably would be helped by the existing replies.
First I would suggest that replies to old (3 months or so) threads that has an answer gets posted as a new thread.
Those post will contain a link to the original post as Frank already suggested.
