Every once in a while, the accepted StackOverflow answer is a weaker one.

Every once in a while, the accepted StackOverflow answer is a weaker one. I wish the community could override the accepted answer with enough votes…

In the linked question, the accepted answer has 62 votes and a much better answer has 190 votes. The accepted answer is not wrong but the other is a better solution.

http://stackoverflow.com/a/3018371/14783?sgp=2

2 replies on “Every once in a while, the accepted StackOverflow answer is a weaker one.”

  1. I’ve sometimes thought that as well. The accepted answer appears at the top, in all the sort orders. It is more likely to be read, and more likely to receive votes. When another answer has received significantly more votes anyway, that might be an indication that it’s a better answer. Or it might be an indication that the voters misunderstood the question, and the asker understood his or her problem best. I’ve sometimes wondered if it would be possible to put brief links to the accepted and top-voted answers at the top of the list. At least then, the reader could see at a glance that it might be worthwhile to read both the accepted answer and the top-voted answer beneath it.

    This could be worthwhile discussing on meta, if it’s not already there.

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