Questions tagged [link-only-answers]
Link-only answers are answers that are barely more than a link to another page.
232 questions
29
votes
4
answers
584
views
Is an answer that states that a problem was fixed with a specific PR Very Low Quality?
I recently encountered an answer in the VLQ queue that stated that a problem had been fixed as part of two different Pull Requests (PRs). It was deleted with the stated reason that it was link-only.
...
7
votes
2
answers
190
views
Is NAA still a valid flag for link-only answers?
Yesterday I noticed the following answer that had a trivial edit done from the low quality queue that removed it:
https://stackoverflow.com/a/79718412
Considering minus the link the entire answer ...
- 3,792
31
votes
3
answers
792
views
Cleanup request: Searching for specific phrases in answers reveals a large number of link-only answers
I recently searched for answers that contain the phrase "following tutorial" (link). It shows some legitimate answers, but for the most part it's a bunch of link-only answers.
I've gone ...
24
votes
4
answers
713
views
Is it link-only when there is a link and description but no code?
As one of your newest moderators, I've been handling a bunch of not-an-answer flags. One NAA flag was for this answer:
The flag comment said that the link was broken. When reviewing the flag, I:
...
- 25.8k
-49
votes
1
answer
281
views
Link only answers - why not?
For removal of "link only answers" the reason is given that if link changes the answers become invalid.
I have a few points here:
There are other software changes which make answers or both ...
- 298
-15
votes
3
answers
268
views
Link-only RTM answers: A new call to cull them for being unneeded page bloat?
After more than a decade of feverish Q&A, is it finally time to start chipping away at the least valuable answers? Manual-link-only answers are merely acting as traffic routers. Instead of ...
mickmackusaMod
- 49.2k
30
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Are all the links to non-English language papers here providing benefit?
I recently raised a flag on the below answer, as being a link only answer, which was disputed. I can understand why this was disputed, as the answer does include additional detail (though I think it ...
Thom AMod
- 97.7k
10
votes
0
answers
219
views
Link only answer / Software recommendations [duplicate]
I flagged this recently as a link only answer (which I suggest be converted to a comment): https://stackoverflow.com/a/5722674/1767412
Removing the link from that answer leaves only a copy/paste of ...
- 23.2k
-28
votes
1
answer
229
views
How does this system support questions about symptoms that have multiple root causes? [duplicate]
It's a theme in service management frameworks, such as ITIL. A symptom can have multiple root causes. There are cases of unique root causes, that do not get coverage, because they duplicate a question ...
- 791
-38
votes
1
answer
239
views
Why are posts allowed to be deleted without collaboration with the poster? [closed]
Samuel Liew deleted an answer I posted earlier today. But there was no reason known to me. Nor was there any notification either.
The post I made was a reference to a blog article I wrote.
I ...
- 6,985
-3
votes
1
answer
239
views
Why was this answer deleted when it addressed the question?
In the question Google Analytics Metrics and Dimension Exclusion groups the user asked if anyone can share the list of groups. I answered with a link to a JSON file that has this information and ...
- 13.2k
-4
votes
1
answer
268
views
Why were the flags I raised to these two answers declined?
I flagged the following two answers as link-only answers (before they were edited):
1st answer (revision history)
2nd answer (revision history)
However, both of my flags were declined. Why?
Why is it ...
- 22.4k
38
votes
2
answers
931
views
Why was my flag on a seemingly link-only answer declined by a moderator?
I flagged this answer as NAA a few hours ago. Full text of the answer:
A solution that worked for me :
https://laravel.io/forum/11-15-2016-ho-to-paginate-search-results
But my flag was declined ...
- 28.4k
4
votes
1
answer
97
views
Why is a "link-only" post deleted rather than giving the opportunity to add more detail? [duplicate]
I have a question about my Stack Overflow post: Is .NET Core == .Net Framework 5?
The reason for deleting my answer was: "While this link may answer the question, it is better to include the essential ...
- 558
11
votes
2
answers
587
views
Low quality link-only answers
What puzzled me in SO practice: if I know some module or tool that can help, but I did not use them myself and cannot provide a code without diving into the API docs — should I remain silent about it ...
- 13.9k
30
votes
1
answer
898
views
Someone deleted the accepted answer
I was asking a question and got a clear answer which solved my problem. I accepted this answer.
A bit later someone added another answer which was not helpful at all. The accepted answer has been ...
- 1,744
3
votes
1
answer
92
views
How to flag a low quality answer when the option is missing from the flags?
I would like to flag this accepted and upvoted answer as low quality, because it is a link only by the definitions of SO.
However, I am not able to do this, since the very low quality option is ...
- 8,449
-14
votes
2
answers
120
views
Link only answers on review: they should be processed different way - transfer ownership to user who had improved it
There should be official possibility to "take ownership on it" after answer was improved.
Just delete the answer - is not a good choice since better is to have link then nothing. Now available ways ...
- 9,824
10
votes
2
answers
596
views
Answering a (maybe) too localized question with links to comments
Recently I found a question about a jQuery plugin not working as expected.
The problem was extremely simple: the OP dind't realize that the library requires a license he doesn't own.
I understand ...
- 7,345
-2
votes
1
answer
215
views
Should I answer with link or code? [duplicate]
Today I answered with both believing that I was being helpful to the person answering the question.
In the first question, there was an awful amount of code and the question was about flexbox. I found ...
- 664
22
votes
1
answer
893
views
Why is the "very low quality" flag unavailable here?
I found the following post on the Stack Overflow:
I think the answer quality is very low, because the post provides only links to off-site resources without essential parts of the answer. Moreover, it ...
- 4,552
-16
votes
2
answers
234
views
Link Only Answers rejected by moderator [duplicate]
I marked 2 answers to this question, Where Should I Store a database Connection String?
(including the accepted answer) as 'link only' answers (which they clearly are).
A moderator has declined them ...
- 302k
18
votes
3
answers
417
views
Posting a new answer based on "link only answers"
Plenty of link only answers get posted every day. The worst offenders are usually along the lines of:
Try something like this: www.example.com
These answers are flagged "NAA" and get deleted most of ...
user9614249
40
votes
2
answers
763
views
Bad audit for low-quality answer?
I just failed this review audit.
The question asked how to include some data in a file. The entire answer is:
With your keyboard. Also see, Create U-SQL EXTRACT Script Automatically.
I chose "...
- 4,430
7
votes
1
answer
297
views
How to handle multiple old accepted/up-voted Low Quality Answers from same user?
If I notice many Low Quality Answers from one single user, what is recommended practice for me to handle those if:
all answers are from one single user
all answers are old (2011-12-13)
some of the ...
- 16.6k