# Unsatisfied thread icon



## Víctor Pérez

I have noticed that some queries are not really solved despite having one or more answers. To encourage people to open those threads and to try to solve them, I suggest an icon to highlight the thread as we already have the lock, the bell and the bin (it could be an hourglass, for instance). Mods would decide to put it on (may be on the quirer’s demand) and to take it out when the thread is solved.




Note: despite my search I didn't see in this forum (Comments and Suggestions) a query which corresponds *exactly *to what I suggest; I saw others similar but not exactly the same  (please erase it if I'm wrong)


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## DonnyB

I'm just wondering how we would decide when to put this 'unsolved' icon on, what would determine that the existing responses hadn't answered the question, and what we would be expected to do if nothing then happened.  In most instances now we just assume that if the OP posts a thank-you, then that signifies that he or she is satisfied with the answers given so far.  We encourage OPs to report those threads which are still unanswered, and/or to post further information to help members provide further answers, but clearly not all of them do.

I'm sorry to sound negative, but I can foresee this creating a disproportionate amount of work in relation to the size of the problem (assuming there _is_ a problem, that is).


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## Paulfromitaly

Víctor Pérez said:


> I have noticed that some queries are not really solved despite having one or more answers.


A language question is not a mathematical problem. In general, it can't be "solved", that's why threads that were started more than ten years ago still get helpful answers.


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## Víctor Pérez

DonnyB said:


> I'm just wondering how we would decide when to put this 'unsolved' icon on, what would determine that the existing responses hadn't answered the question,


Especially when the OP asks for it. Eventually when the mods see that there are no final answers.



DonnyB said:


> and what we would be expected to do if nothing then happened.


Nothing, you don't have to do anything apart from sticking the icon.



DonnyB said:


> In most instances now we just assume that if the OP posts a thank-you, then that signifies that he or she is satisfied with the answers given so far.


Depending, some of them thank for the answering (because they are polite...), not for the answer.


DonnyB said:


> We encourage OPs to report those threads which are still unanswered, and/or to post further information to help members provide further answers, but clearly not all of them do.
> 
> I'm sorry to sound negative, but I can foresee this creating a disproportionate amount of work in relation to the size of the problem (assuming there _is_ a problem, that is).


Sorry but if the question is not answered at all, I think there is a problem.

I know that you mods are swamped with a lot of work, especially in the busy forums, but I think that the inquirers should know that they have the possibility to show to everybody that they still are waiting for an answer. 



Paulfromitaly said:


> A language question is not a mathematical problem. In general, it can't be "solved", that's why threads that were started more than ten years ago still get helpful answers.


I’m afraid I didn’t explain myself… I’m talking about those threads to which nobody gives a definitive answer to the question but only “I think”, “It could be”, “Wait for somebody else”, etc.


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## mkellogg

I have thought about this in the past. I was thinking that the thread starter could put a tag "unsolved", "unsatisfied" or whatever. That tag would then be removed after 24 hours. (And could be re-tagged again if necessary.) I could then create a special page with those threads that you all could look at.

I never implemented it, of course, but that is how I was thinking of helping solve this issue.


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## Víctor Pérez

Thanks for your answer, @*mkellogg*, I'm happy you thought about too!

Further to a special page I'm afraid there would be queries from many forums and I wonder if the hypothetical answerers wouldn’t be a bit lost and, consequently, not very motivated. But, obviously, I might be wrong.


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## Loob

Mike, would someone adding a new question to an existing thread be able to add a "unsolved" tag? That might help to address the concerns raised in Adding questions to old threads: low response rate.


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## mkellogg

Loob said:


> Mike, would someone adding a new question to an existing thread be able to add a "unsolved" tag? That might help to address the concerns raised in Adding questions to old threads: low response rate.


Not that this has been implemented, nor that I have active plans to do it, but allowing anybody posting to add the "unsolved" tag? That would probably cause too many problems. Maybe if we were to restrict it to Sr Members, it could work.  I wouldn't push for it, but if a moderator crew of one forum came to me and asked for it, I would see if I could do it for them.


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