"This fixed it" vs "This is fixed"

[#1]

I see a great number of posts reporting "Thank you my problem is now resolved" with that confirmation post being marked as "The Fix".
 
This distorts the kudos ratings and does not help others find solutions to problems.  Can the idea of inhibiting users from marking their own posts as "This fixed it" be revisited please?
IIRC previously concern was expressed about the few circumstances where a poster might find their own resolution and share it with others. Might those few exceptions to normality be addressed by the OP asking the mods to mark such posts as "This fixed it"? That would entail the mods in less effort than at present changing the "This fixed it" post as at present.
 
I guess that OPs are (in their own helpful way) trying to report that their issue is RESOLVED - does Lithium (best of breed forum technology) have such (hidden) functionality?

[#2]

I remember the conversations about this when I was going through and replacing all instances of 'Resolved' text to 'Fixed' variations and this one became a bit of a double edged sword. The way it is currently worded, as you have rightly expressed in your OP, can only be interpretted in one way - 'this fixed it' can only really say that THIS text is what helped resolve the issue and that this is the text that everyone needs to read. How it was before as 'Resolved' is more loose in its wording with the meaning being a little more flexible, especially when it relates directly to a single post from a user.

So I am in agreement with you on this @Townman, this text needs to be a bit more flexible in its meaning. We will need to ask Liam about his thoughts on the matter as it was his original ask to change this particular text.

PS there is no hidden functionality, as far as I know, that allows different types of ways to mark a post as a solution. There is something called a 'me too' but that is more of a way for other users to vote that they have had the same issue.

[#3]

Hi Jack,

I do not have a problem with the wording - it is very clear as it is - but it would seem very many people do not read it carefully enough or just lazily click the nearest green button after reporting the issue resolved.

Either there needs to be interlocking functionality similar to not being able to like one’s own posts or simply be different words which might lessen the miss use. I fear though any change will be more letters!

Might “This ANSWERED it” work?

Given that fixes count to kudos and rankings, I think it is important that we get this right, that those making valued contributions get recognised and that the poster reporting that their issue is resolved (using the supplied advice) do not inflate their own ranking by claiming the fix.

[#4]

Mods and staff normally flag up such posts so that the solution is attributed to the right person. I would like to encourage everyone to report any posts that are marked as the solution where the solution has not been marked correctly. Maybe @JonoH has some opinions on this also?

[#5]

Jack,

I usually do when I see them, but I suspect that the mods are a wee bit teased off by this, somewhat feeling that it does not matter a great deal (I do have empathy with that) and they have enough to do already.  However, I do it (if not on the phone interface) so that if it ever happens that I'm the provider of the fix info, it is seen as being a 'level playing field' in seeking correct attribution.

In general, it would be helpful to see more topics marked as being resolved.  Is there any appetite amongst staff or mods for them setting the "This fixed it" status on topics which clearly indicate that the issue was resolved by some previous action?

[#6]

From our perspective, getting topics marked as resolved is right at the top of our priorities from a community admin point of view. It boosts search rankings for those topics and also encourages others to help as it attributes to ranking up. When we met with Lithium a few weeks ago, this was discussed as being significant in importance to help the community grow.

[#7]

Sometimes 2 people may have contributed to the solution and the OP is just happy that their issue has been resolved.

It can be difficult to decide where to allocate the fix.

[#8]

Jack,

I hope that those discussions lead to some changes which will make this aspect work better.

Dick,

I am sure that there are some occurrences where resolution comes from several contributions, though I see in the majority of cases there is usually a clincher - like for example the recent one on fire walls and open ports.  My contribution helped locate the source of the problem, whilst Bob's actually fixed the issue.  The user's own post certainly was not the fix and ought not to be left as such.

However in the context of that specific issue, there are ancillary matters for PN to address yet.

[#9]

Surely the point of marking a thread/issue as fixed is to help others find a solution to a problem. Who fixed it is more of issue for those who take the whole kudos/status aspects more seriously. 

If attributing the fix to the wrong contributor causes a significant burden for mods to correct, would it be simpler to dump the kudos element entirely? 

[#10]

Cannot overly disagree with that sentiment, however that would be a change to the intended use as implemented. It could be argued that finding the actual resolution without the need to wade through the history adds real value to the sentiments you express.

I have to confess that I’ve just responded to a topic expressing thanks and feedback for resolution progress ... and been on my phone ... hit the nearest green button without being as careful as I might have been ... which was on my new post! Of course I have corrected it.