[Drabdr]

A policy change that moderators can mark threads as solved if they clearly are, but the OP doesn't return to say so.

[DaveA]

Don't they already do this when they have the time or see that it is solved?
All ones needs to to do is "report" that the thread is solved and most of them will be so marked.

[Drabdr]

Originally Posted by DaveA

Don't they already do this when they have the time or see that it is solved?
All ones needs to to do is "report" that the thread is solved and most of them will be so marked.

Thanks for bringing this up. I'm not so sure if that is the case though.

If you look in the site suggestions/comments thread that started all the discussion on this, some of the helpers pointed out that not all threads get marked "solved", even though they are clearly solved. Note the highlight on the word clearly. If the original poster does not reply that it is fixed, or it's unclear if the problems was resolved; it may not be marked.

Say you help someone out on a thread with an issue, it's gets solved by the poster coming back and clearly stating it is fixed, they may not mark the thread solved. Moderators may not have viewed the thread, and so it does not get marked.

However, if attention is brought up (to your point; reporting the thread to be marked solved) then it can be marked, thereby enriching the Google search results.

[Ent]

So "I think this thread has a solution" becomes a valid report text?

[Drabdr]

If the thread follows this pattern:

1. Here is the problem
2. Here is/are solutions to the problem
3. A report back from the original poster "hey, that fixed my problem; The computer works better; etc." , to indicate that there is an accurate Problem/Solution in the thread.

Then yes, the thread needs to be marked "solved" if the poster did not do it when they returned to post about it's success.

Threads meeting those criteria should be reported if they are not marked solved.

That way, the thread shows up as "solved" during a Google search; thus possibly encouraging people to come to our site for the answers, over other places.

[TechGuy]

That certainly makes sense to me.

[Ent]

But our first response should still be a message to the OP asking them to press that button themselves? Give a man a fish and all that.

[Drabdr]

Originally Posted by Ent

But our first response should still be a message to the OP asking them to press that button themselves? Give a man a fish and all that.

I completely agree.

[WendyM]

Originally Posted by Ent

But our first response should still be a message to the OP asking them to press that button themselves? Give a man a fish and all that.

Yep, that's what I think. And then if some amount of time goes by (maybe 24 hours?) and they haven't returned to mark it solved, report it. That also gives them a chance to come back and say they thought it was solved, but it's not.

[aka Brett]

If a thread appears to be obviously solved ..perhaps a mod could make a post that the problem appears to be solved and is going to mark it as such.

The OP will get an email alert and can...announce differently if need be.

The problem is whats "obvious" and calls for human judgment.
Obvious would have to be obvious and the mod will have to be familiar with that problem to honestly mark it solved

A thread may not actually be solved..he or she may have been asking for help on multiple forums.
And said..."hey it worked"...when they have may actually fixed it by another means

No wonder the computer wouldnt turn on...the power strip was off {good luck on getting them to admit that}
More like...I changed the power supply.

So IMO staff that marks a thread solved would have to be familiar with the problem at hand.
Example
Such as right click and create a new folder
"Thanks...now I know how to make a folder"
The staff member would know that is how you make a new folder..so its obvious

[Ent]

Most "obvious" is when they say "great, that was fixed, thank you", and forget to push the wretched button.

[Drabdr]

Originally Posted by Ent

Most "obvious" is when they say "great, that was fixed, thank you", and forget to push the wretched button.

It's so easy to do, but they don't do that.

[Firebreather]

I'm not sure if this could be a possible solution, but is it possible to place the "solved" button below, beside "reply" button (at the lower left hand side of the page) or between the "reply" button and the tags area?
I mean a person scrolls down to read, so placing a button near to or in their currently viewing area may help.

[Phantom010]

Originally Posted by Firebreather

I'm not sure if this could be a possible solution, but is it possible to place the "solved" button below, beside "reply" button (at the lower left hand side of the page) or between the "reply" button and the tags area?
I mean a person scrolls down to read, so placing a button near to or in their currently viewing area may help.

I agree.

A button at the top and one at the bottom.

Or perhaps even a small button in each one of the OP's posts? Some people just can't read right...

[Elvandil]

However this gets decided, it really wastes a lot of valuable time reading a thread, and possibly coming up with strategies, only to find in the last post or 2 of 25 that the problem has already been solved and simply not marked. I do think they should be marked if obviously solved and the poster says so. There shouldn't be any need for the whole process of reporting and so on, but a notification to the OP is a good idea if that can be worked out.