I answered a question this morning that was something like
"What does X do?"
My answer was of the form:
"It's easier to explain what X does not do..."
Then I listed the things that X does not do. My answer was deleted for "Misuse of the question and answer format" when it clearly answered the question (or at least its negation.
So I asked the negation of the question myself "Why does X not do" and gave the same answer. Again it was deleted for the same reason.
Each time I gave a real answer to the question and didn't insult any YA members, so why was it deleted?
2015-04-07T15:45:24Z
My question should have read "What does X NOT do?"
2015-04-07T16:05:49Z
I should point out that I appealed both answer deletions and YA let the deletions stand, even though both answers did not seem to misuse the question and answer format. I have no doubt that someone with multiple accounts got the answers deleted, but it seems like pure incompetence on the part of YA to sustain the deletions.
Hey Dook2015-04-07T22:34:25Z
It is not a wise use of your time to try to infer logic or consistency to the deletion of reported answers. The only logic applicable to the 8+years old computer program which runs YA is: "trusted member," e.g. a sockpuppet, reports it => it is vaporized and -after a certain point- chances of restoration are virtually nil.
My most recent vaporization (am not bothering to appeal) was:
Question: Is man made global warming real? Deleted Answer: Lin Lyons has the easiest and most valid answer. Violation Reason: Misuse of the question and answer format
*Technically*, you did not answer the question that was asked. Most likely your answer was reported as a non-answer.
Whether, by explaining what X does not do, you adequately illustrated what X DOES, depends on what X is and the context -- for example, if X is being compared to Y and Y's properties are known, explaining what X does not do as compared to Y would be a logical way to answer. But it's impossible to say whether that's the case without knowing the context.
The likely reason you lost the appeals is that Customer Care agents have a very literal understanding of English, and tend to deny appeals (if they respond at all) in which any sort of 'clever' wording is used. Anything that's not absolutely straightforward is usually not restored.
Pegminer, I have read many of your excellent answers. I don't have the full context of the one in question, but they should have allowed it to evolve.
The best answer to any question results from Caring self correcting feedback between those contributors who remain focused on the task of growing the best possible answer regardless of how simple, complex, or poorly worded any question might be initially. Exuberant Care while remaining focused on the PROCESS of answering THE question should transcend adherence of Yahoo Answers community guidelines, but how does one do science in a junkyard?
Do not allow your language to drop to their level. Don't let them drag you down buddy. At times, it's lonely being a scientist, At other times the solitude, being alone with the universe, is a wonderful thing.
It reminds me of the following song upon which I cast my own positive poetic interpretation.
They don't understand. Perhaps they never will. Pegminer, your peers do.
First of all, Yahoo absolutely had nothing to do with the deletion of your answers. The community of users did this. It's their familiarity of the rules that caused them to easily spot violations in your answers and reported them.
Second, you failed to properly answer other users' questions that resulted in the deletion of your answers. This is the misuse of the Q&A format violation you incurred twice. If you've bothered to read the Community Guidelines, the rules clearly stipulated there always must be an attempt to answer questions asked by other users; you failed to do so in both cases.
If you're not able to answer a question, then it would be wise to just skip and move onto another one where you can easily answer it. This important piece of advice should help you keep out of trouble in the long run.
Here's your logic, flawed as it is ~~ Imagine if someone asked "What two colors make pink" Instead of replying, "Red and white mixed together make pink", you would answer, " It's easier to tell you how not to make pink. Blue and green do not make pink."
You need to answer the exact question that was asked, not give some "run-around" non-answer.