What is the purpose of rating questions? And now what is the point of rating answers?

From a points perspective - none what so ever! We've been robbed!

It's almost as if you now need to be told if someone Else's answer is a good one or not. I think we can work that out for ourselves thanks!

If Yahoo are serious about reducing 'noise' they should use it as an 'I con cour' which gives you your point(s) without having to give the same answer as the previous 26 posts.

Rating questions is a good way to see how many people agree with each other.

The only thing I wish were a little different is how unresolved questions are handled. A person can only vote for the best answer or choose the No Best Answer option. They can't add a new answer or comment. I know that makes me a dork to see a question I'd have enjoyed or been good at answering and to get a tiny bit bummed for a second that I no longer can answer it, but hey. I'm sure I'm not the only one. :-)

There are problems with the new system in that you can rate answers BEFORE they are voted on.

(1) The answerer can CHANGE his answer right up until the last minute, but you can't change your rate once it's made. That means that the answerer can say he is in favor something, wait for all the negative ratings to come in, and then totally change his answer and say he is against it.

(2) They disguise the identity of the answerer when it comes time to vote, but they allow the voter to see how everyone else rated the question. That will probably influence the voting.

(3) They have removed the motive for people to look at resolved questions, or to rate answers. Chances are, that 99.999% of people will never know that their answer got a thumbs up or down. At least before, they notified you when you got a thumbs up rating.

I can't see any real reason to rate questions, either, although at least the asker will see any ratings given before he chooses a best answer.

The entire project is meant to get people actively involved in Yahoo's services. Rating the questions encourages a competitive spirit; and while there is no financial reward, folks seem to get involved for the 'bragging rights.'

It just feels good to help someone else; on the flip side, it feels good to have your own opinions validated with positive ratings.

*This could be an excellent study for a Sociology student's thesis.

I too would like to know it is part of some other system which will be enabled in the near future. It would be nice to get the bonus points back for "Best Answers," but maybe they are thinking about awarding points of your answer received a certain number of thumbs-up (maybe 5 or more) without any thumbs-down.

Of course, that would just lead to more Gaming for Points style tactics. ("Oh, I like that answer, but it already has 4 thumbs-up votes. Don't wanna give them a point, so here's a thumb's down.")

Purpose of rating is to give people another way to get points.

Just read all the stupid questions out there. Even worse all the stupid answers.

It keeps those logged on, busy.

As of now, rating questions and answers seems like another interesting way to waste time on-line.

:-)

Rating questions is a feature that was added by popular demand. Now you're able to provide instant feedback on all answers and questions. With the ratings, you can also see what others have found helpful. Or you can hide an answer from your view by rating it a thumbs down.

The Yahoo! Answers team blog has details on all the updates:

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-d8pH0dcoRKeB12yOcnU...

It just shows how many people agree and disagree with a certain answer.

maybe it is just something you can do if someone was thinking the same thing that you were thinking.