-11

What are all the films in Colonel Sandurz's collection?

I though this question appear off topic to you. – Ankit Sharma♦ Feb 5 at 9:05

All it is is a snide comment by a mod intended to mock or draw negative attention. Especially when the reply was deleted by said mod.

12
  • 7
    By looking at the context, it seems that you've voted it to close as trivia and yet you answered it. Generally, it's not good to VTC and answer a question. And this comment was just about this.
    – A J Mod
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 6:08
  • 4
    I didn't declined it but I don't find it rude or offensive either. I raised a point, which is a valid concern.
    – Ankit Sharma Mod
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 7:20
  • 2
    @AnkitSharma Who VTCed a question isn't publicly visible until/unless the question actually gets closed. If cde voted to close this question and you call him out on it, you're revealing something which by design is supposed to be mod-only information at that point. It's arguably a minor issue, and not one I would bother creating a "mod abuse" meta post about, but if someone VTCs a question, they technically have the right for that vote to remain private unless the question is actually closed.
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 11:07
  • 4
    cde, why do you say "the reply was deleted by said mod"? Mods usually don't take mod action when they're personally involved; could it not have been one of the other mods who deleted your comment? Also, as in your other question, this might benefit from some additional context to explain to passersby why you think this is "a snide comment intended to mock or draw negative attention".
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 11:08
  • 1
    @randal'thor it was clear from his own comment. No need to use tools
    – Ankit Sharma Mod
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 11:11
  • @AnkitSharma Ah, OK. Then I can't see what his issue is with your comment. Sure, it could have been worded more constructively and less snarkily, but it's still raising a valid concern - people answering questions they think are off-topic.
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 11:28
  • @rand which is why I stopped giving feedback on VTC. But I can link to multiple times where he reveals that anyway. Like his white shoes question.
    – cde
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 12:18
  • 6
    @cde Why not give feedback on your VTCs and not also answer the question? That way, you help to improve the site by close-voting and constructively criticising bad questions, even if you don't get the rep from answering them.
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 12:22
  • 1
    @rand id ask you the same thing. Not Like you haven't done it on sci-fi multiple times over the years. And I answered it because the other answers were wrong. But at this point any of my comments on VTC are attacked, so there is no need for it.
    – cde
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 12:25
  • 3
    @cde I did use to occasionally both answer and VTC, yes. But I've learned better, and haven't done it for a long time now.
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 12:27
  • chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/36186597#36186597 he reveals said private vote to close.
    – cde
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 12:35
  • 7
    Uhm...because it's not rude of offensive.
    – steelersquirrel
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 14:11

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
13

You forgot to mention your own comment on the question:

Trivia, also they are easy to read. – cde Feb 5 at 8:50

This seems to suggest that you felt the question is off-topic ("trivia" is one of the custom close reasons). However, within minutes of making this comment you also answered the question.

Answering a question you believe to be off-topic is generally considered a dodgy thing to do. It's not against site rules - you're allowed to do it (note that the mod didn't take any mod action on your answer; he only commented and possibly voted) - but some people may think less of you for it. If you think a question is off-topic, you should be voting to close or even delete it, rather than making it harder to get rid of by posting an answer. Doing the latter can look like an attempted rep-grab.

I believe this is what Ankit was trying to express in his comment:

I though[t] this question appear[ed] off topic to you, [so why did you answer it?]

The comment could perhaps have been phrased in a more constructive and less snarky way. But given that you're an experienced user and already know the site norms, there's no particular need to explain to you that it's seen as a bad thing to answer an off-topic question. (Says the guy who's just explained it to you, of course - but then, here on meta you did ask.)

4
  • If there is no need to explain it, there is no need for the comment. You also ignore the part where they erased my reply to that comment
    – cde
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 12:20
  • 3
    @cde Sure, there's not much need for the comment, but that doesn't make it rude or offensive. And I don't know anything about a reply to that comment, so I can't really say anything about that. Do you remember what your reply said?
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 12:23
  • 1
    It's rude and offensive when it solely exists to draw negative attention to an answer for non answer reasons.
    – cde
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 12:26
  • 9
    its rude or offensive when it says something that is rude or offensive. Drawing attention to a legitimate criticism of an answer (answering a question you openly claimed was trivial and off-topic) is neither of those things.
    – KutuluMike
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 15:56

You must log in to answer this question.

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