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Is there a limit on the number of replies you can mark as 'helpful'?

It seems there's a limit to the number of messages that can be marked 'Helpful' before that option simply disappears.


If so, what purpose does that serve?


Also, a reply to a question I asked was marked "This solved my question" even though I never marked it as such.


Shouldn't I, as the poster, be able to correct such mismarkings?

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.6.8), 1.83 MHz

Posted on Oct 6, 2013 12:36 AM

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24 replies

Oct 6, 2013 7:00 AM in response to dymar

For every thread you start you get to mark one reply as solved and two as helpful.


If so, what purpose does that serve?

Marking a post as solving your question does two things one it allows you to acknowledge the poster who helped you and two it allows others who have the same question to easily find the answer to the problem.


As for helpfuls, again it allows you to acknowledge people who have helped and directs future readers to useful information.


regards

Oct 7, 2013 12:14 AM in response to seventy one

seventy one wrote:


The post marked solved to which you did not award points could have been a thread started by someone else and into which you joined. Only the originator of a post can mark helpful or solved. The helpful posts are limited to prevent (a very few) people from abusing the system, I believe. That limit is 2.

Thanks but it was my thread (i.e., I was the OP).


I'm sure I didn't mark the post as "This solved my question". But if this hasn't been reported before I guess I'll have to assume I accidentally clicked on that post's 'solved' button without realizing it.


How does a limit on Helpful's prevent abuse -- i.e., what kind of abuse can occur from marking multiple posts as 'helpful'?

Oct 7, 2013 12:17 AM in response to Frank Caggiano

Frank Caggiano wrote:


If so, what purpose does that serve?


Marking a post as solving your question does two things one it allows you to acknowledge the poster who helped you and two it allows others who have the same question to easily find the answer to the problem.


As for helpfuls, again it allows you to acknowledge people who have helped and directs future readers to useful information.

Thanks, I wasn't clear enough about what I meant there. I was asking what purpose imposing a limit on 'Helpfuls' serves.

Oct 8, 2013 11:39 PM in response to seventy one

seventy one wrote:


There was a time when people were getting multiple friends to mark their posts or even had multiple accounts and so marked their own posts many times.


As a result, their reputation points were being manipulated.

Unless reputations points result in some tangible reward, I don't understand the motivation there.


Thanks for clarifying, though.

Oct 9, 2013 12:03 AM in response to dymar

There are no tangible rewards as such although the link below outlines what 'privileges' are given. I suppose there is a certain cachet attached to some contributors simply for the enormous number of points they have gained but that could also be thought of as all in the mind.


In my view, the newer system more accurately reflects the help that is given but there will never be more than a fair reflection because many people do not ackowledge the help ... even when given the perfect solution.


Apple Support Communities - Earn points, status levels and privileges


My guess is that you have already seen this formal Apple explanation.

Oct 9, 2013 9:01 PM in response to seventy one

seventy one wrote:


There are no tangible rewards as such although the link below outlines what 'privileges' are given. I suppose there is a certain cachet attached to some contributors simply for the enormous number of points they have gained but that could also be thought of as all in the mind.


In my view, the newer system more accurately reflects the help that is given but there will never be more than a fair reflection because many people do not ackowledge the help ... even when given the perfect solution.


Apple Support Communities - Earn points, status levels and privileges


My guess is that you have already seen this formal Apple explanation.

Thanks. I actually hadn't seen that explanation ("Earn points, status levels and privileges").


Even after reading it, it still strikes me as strange that people would cheat just to be able to achieve:


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Oct 9, 2013 9:06 PM in response to seventy one

It seems to me it would make more sense for representatives of Apple to survey the posts and mark them as either 'helpful' or having 'solved' the issue.


The increasing tendency to leave problem-solving and troubleshooting completely up to peers is a mistake in my view. It can also make finding a correct answer time-consuming -- unnecessarily, because if Apple were more active in providing answers, they'd be more readily at hand.

Oct 9, 2013 9:42 PM in response to dymar

Even after reading it, it still strikes me as strange that people would cheat just to be able to achieve:


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I absolutely agree; on the other hand, there are many people who simply enjoy helping. A 'thank you, that did it' is more important to me than points. And, more importantly, the combined knowledge of some of our regular long time members here is nothing but astounding - these forums are an incredible resource.

Oct 11, 2013 12:53 AM in response to babowa

babowa wrote:


the combined knowledge of some of our regular long time members here is nothing but astounding - these forums are an incredible resource.

I don't disagree. But I've seen issues raised in the forums that were not resolved or sometimes even answered, and I think Apple should step in when that happens (assuming the issues raised were valid ones).


I also don't think that having to forage through discussion forums to solve problems and/or troubleshoot should be the only option. Apple should aggregate and condense questions and best responses and provide channels for direct contact when the forums haven't provided adequate answers.

Oct 11, 2013 1:10 AM in response to dymar

Dymar wrote ... I think Apple should step in when that happens (assuming the issues raised were valid ones).


They do. There is now a section within the hosts that deals with unanswered questions.


Dymar also wrote ... Apple should aggregate and condense questions and best responses ...


They do. They are called knowledge base articles. They have a code kb(xxxx)

Oct 11, 2013 7:56 AM in response to dymar

But I've seen issues raised in the forums that were not resolved or sometimes even answered, and I think Apple should step in when that happens (assuming the issues raised were valid ones).


Well, if you read the ToU for these forums, Apple's position and role are quite clear:


https://discussions.apple.com/static/apple/tutorial/tou.html


FWIW, if I can't answer the question, I'll suggest that s/he contact Apple and/or visit the Genius Bar.

Oct 12, 2013 5:59 PM in response to seventy one

seventy one wrote:


Dymar wrote ... I think Apple should step in when that happens (assuming the issues raised were valid ones).


They do. There is now a section within the hosts that deals with unanswered questions.


Dymar also wrote ... Apple should aggregate and condense questions and best responses ...


They do. They are called knowledge base articles. They have a code kb(xxxx)


> a section within the hosts that deals with unanswered questions


Thanks. Please post a link to what you're referring to so I can check it out.


> They are called knowledge base articles.


In my experience 'knowledge base' articles cover obvious ground, they don't necessarily provide solutions for unusual problems.

Oct 12, 2013 6:07 PM in response to babowa

babowa wrote:


But I've seen issues raised in the forums that were not resolved or sometimes even answered, and I think Apple should step in when that happens (assuming the issues raised were valid ones).


Well, if you read the ToU for these forums, Apple's position and role are quite clear:


https://discussions.apple.com/static/apple/tutorial/tou.html


FWIW, if I can't answer the question, I'll suggest that s/he contact Apple and/or visit the Genius Bar.


What specifically in that policy statement are you referring to?


If it's essentially a waiver of responsibility to provide full customer service, that's exactly what I object to.


My experience with Genius Bars has convinced me that most of those behind the counter are far from geniuses. Some are undoubtedly very good, but it's luck of the draw when you seek in-store assistance and, again, my experience has been that Apple Stores frown on requests for assistance by specific store personnel.

Is there a limit on the number of replies you can mark as 'helpful'?

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