6

I just noticed that my flag for low quality question to this answer to GDAL & Python 3 environment variable is declined, and reviewed it as prompted.

But why is it declined?

There is another review comment now that I looked it, which says the answer in question is a non-answer. This was what I had in mind. The answer seems to be saying "I have the same problem, but for python 3.6 instead of python 3.7". Why is the flag declined?

1 Answer 1

5

The preference of GIS Moderators for users to consider commenting, editing and/or downvoting, rather than flagging as low quality, for anything but the lowest quality posts is long standing. For example see this answer by @underdark to Why was Very Low Quality flag declined?

I think it is line with this answer to The limits to a Very Low Quality answer at Meta SE.

The way I assess Very Low Quality flags is to see whether:

  1. the poster has attempted to answer or ask a question and just done so poorly. If so, I think this is a low quality post and should be addressed using a comment, edit and/or downvote. I decline such flags.
  2. the poster has not attempted to answer or ask a question and has instead posted something akin to jibberish. This is Very Low Quality and I mark such flags as Helpful.

I did not see the particular flag you have asked about until you asked here but I can see that one other user has commented on it (automatically via the review queue), no one has edited it and no one has downvoted it. The answer you flagged looks like a genuine attempt to answer. Consequently, if that Very Low Quality flag reached me then I would have declined it.

4
  • 4
    I also would have declined it, for the same reason. Looks like an attempt to answer.
    – Midavalo Mod
    Commented May 17, 2020 at 23:19
  • 3
    I agree with both @Midavalo and PolyGeo here. There is a legitimate answer. My standard response would be to decline a low quality flag and reply to the flagger "This appears to be a legitimate answer. I would recommend using the voting system and a comment to help the person understand what you believe needs improvement."
    – Aaron Mod
    Commented May 18, 2020 at 3:03
  • You are right. I read the answer again, and can see your perspective. I think the answer was suggesting the PATH and implicitly that the asker should do something about setting the correct path. I interpreted it incorrectly as a "Me too." kind of answer.
    – tinlyx
    Commented May 18, 2020 at 4:40
  • @tinlyx If I thought it had been a "Me too." kind of answer then I would have declined a Very Low Quality flag on it but chosen Helpful for a Not An Answer flag. In this particular case I think a VLQ flag is much easier to assess than an NAA would be.
    – PolyGeo Mod
    Commented May 18, 2020 at 5:02

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .