If I'm not supposed to downrate an incorrect answer (I even included a comment), why do we even have a downrate button?
by 
KevinW42
ANSWERS: 15
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Oy, I guess this is the topic of the day. Who said you're not supposed to downrate an incorrect answer? That's why there IS a downrate button.
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You may use the downrate as you please. I use it mainly for answers that are hateful, deliberately stupid, trollish, or bigoted. And yes, I leave a comment most of the time. If it is an obvious troll, I see no need to give them the satisfaction.
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This is a good question. I think the problem isn't the existence of a downrate. I actually think it could be a useful and helpful tool. But, people are now afraid to use it. So, to my mind, that's actually unhelpful to the site as a whole. IMO, What needs to happen here is a recalculation or at least a different representation of the positive rating percentage. Downrating is good if it keeps the site clean. Downrating is bad if it is either used by people who are too chicken to say they disagree with a viewpoint, or else used by trolls to wreak havoc. I think the best thing that could happen here is to REQUIRE a comment if leaving a downrate. Then people might think twice before doing it.
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You can downrate when you feel its the right time to do so. and its good that you leave a comment when you take points.
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Downrate it!
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I would think that an incorrect answer is the most important thing to downrate. Shouldn't the ratings keep the good and correct answers at the top and move the bad wrong ones to the bottom? You did not do anything wrong in my opinion.
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I think that everyone's ability to downrate should be cut in half or the greater of the two, for example I should only be allowed to neg 3 instead of neg 5 which I currently can do. It doesn't need to be so high.
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If the question asks for an opinion, then there can be no really wrong answer, so there is no reason for a down rating ... but when it asks for a factual answer and it gets an answer that is in error, please do give it a down rating, as it is wrong ... if it gets a rude insult instead of an answer, you may down rate it and flag it as offensive ... just do not use the down rate button without a valid reason, and then, when you do down rate, it is polite to also leave a comment saying why you have down rated.
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I think a downrate should only be worth -1. It's too easy for people to get carried away.
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Last resort for me... and errors can be made by anyone... why not educate politely (and not downrate)
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You are supposed to down rate an incorrect answer. You can down rate anything you feel is necessary. Even if you don't leave a comment, you can still down rate it. Down rating indiscriminately, or singling out one user and down rating a whole bunch or his/her answers, calling out individual users on the homepage, or posting vulgar and hateful questions in mass is considered trolling. That is what shouldn't be done.
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I'm am still fairly new to this site and I am certain I do not understand the whole "down rating"... thing. That's one reason I don't do it. Another is that it just seems wrong to me to down rate someones answer just because I have the power to disagree, or don't understand, or don't like their avatar, or... etc...etc. THAT is the problem with it. Who knows what motivates someone to fulfill a sick, twisted, unhealthy desire. It just seems inherently wrong. If there were in the world today any large number of people who desired their own happiness more than they desired the unhappiness of others, we could have paradise in a few years. Bertrand Russell
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I use the downrate button... it is here for a purpose. However, I leave a comment. I used to downrate trolls and not comment because I do not believe that a troll merits one. However, I stopped downrating trolls because I realize that they like it.
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It appears I get DRd when I provide an opinion the reader doesn't agree with. I'm not going to change an opinion to dodge DRers. Sometimes "incorrect" can be a very subjective thing.
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It shows that the answer or question is not helpful.
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