To all Stalwart Genealogy Answerers, have you noticed lately?

Question

That we have a thumbs downer in our midst again who constantly puts thumbs downs to very valid answers.

This is such a shame for people answering ' new to genealogy' peoples questions. Since this must confuse them into thinking that the information given is not correct.

It also saddens me that there are not so many of the 'Stalwart' answerers on here anymore, probably because of the silliness that now goes on.

Answer 1

well  i think we can do without  the thumb downers  as well!

myself being a novice in this geanology section  asked a question  and recieved very good replies many thanks so keep going

Answer 2

It is sad when you spend ages typing what you think is a useful response to a genuine question, and then someone marches in and thumbs you down for no apparent reason. I think a lot of people are quick to thumb down though, in the hope that their answer will seem the most apt for the 10 points, but Yahoo's not about getting 10 points, it's about helping people that are stuck for information.

If my correct answer is thumbed down, I normally go back and edit it to state how I know the information. It's the only way you can fight back and ensure the asker that your point is valid. I had about 6 thumbs down when I said that family research is never completed, but an ongoing thing (which technically is true). Apparently some people are ignorant about that part of genealogy.

I don't know what "Stalwart" answerers are though. You will have to enlighten me...

Answer 3

This kind of post appears somewhere on YA jut about every day.  It astonishes me that anyone thinks that only their point of view, or the answers they agree, with are valid.  Thumbs up indicates only agreement with a statement.  People are free to agree with whatever they wish even if its not the same as your opinion or when you don't think their opinion is valid. Opinions that differ to yours are not necessarily "silly".

Answer 4

Totally agree, there are idiots out there, take no notice and they will go away, lets just keep on trying to help & sometimes be helped. By the way i've given everyone a thumbs up. Happy days.

Answer 5

It does worry me when I put down an answer that I know is right and other people give a thumbs down, yes, as it gives the impression that the answer is not correct.  I've also seen answers with plenty of thumbs up that aren't correct either and are giving slightly bogus (if well-meaning) advice.  Sometimes I pity the person trying to give "best answer".  Maybe that's why most of them just don't bother.  They don't know who to believe.  Certainly, judging an answer on the amount of "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" it gets is not the way forward.

Answer 6

I don't ask or answer many questions in this section, but I read every question in this section for months and learned a great deal from some of the regulars. The silliness has kept me away for the last couple of months. It's sad because this forum has the potential to help and educate, but it's been ruined, for the most part anyway, by the nonsense.

Answer 7

I hadn't noticed, so I went back and sorted the Q by number of answers. I picked a straight-forward one near the top with a lot of answers:

"How do i get a copy of my birt certificate,i was born in chicago,il.?"

Bridey answered with the facts and a link to the Cook County clerk's office web site where you order birth certificates on-line. Perfect answer! Straight from the horse's mouth! Any straighter and it would be wet, with green flecks in it. Three people gave her answer thumbs down.

Several other accurate answers had thumbs-down too. I'd have to agree with you; some people are trying to annoy their betters with false thumbs-down. (That, or one person with three identities.)

Oh well. When you are as warm, wise, witty and devilishly handsome as we genealogists are, you have to expect jealousy.

Answer 8

I myself get "lots" of thumbs down, I'm like a magnet to them. I do get really upset about the amount that my answers attract, and "VIOLATIONS". I  do know for sure that there is a certain top contributor from the USA waging her own "I hate itsjustme " campaign, but that's fine. If I see a question I can offer a valid answer to then I will, but at the moment there seems to be such a lot of non-genealogical questions posted here,  such  as "what ethnicity do I look", or  "what surname goes with my first name", quite honestly I think those questions are the ones that attract most thumbs down, the people don't want honest answers like "what has this got to do with genealogy", they want to hear "wow your gorgeous", they not hear that from me, that's for sure.

Thank you for asking this question.

Answer 9

Thank you for letting me know what Stalwart means.  I am glad to see that I wasn't the only one who didn't know :-)  See,  that is the beauty of Yahoo! Answers... one can learn something new every day and that is what really attracts me to it.  I do think that it is incredibly silly and petty that people give a thumbs down to an answer that is either blatantly correct or an answer to a question where there is no clear right or wrong answer (like an opinion based question)    In the beginning, it used to really bother me to see a thumbs down, now I couldn't care less.  I wish that more people would see Y!A as an opportunity to really learn from eachother rather than a points competition.  I like being able to help people with genealogy, but really wish that those trolls would stay under the bridge!!

Answer 10

For a while, I thought I had stepped on someone's toes, and was being a target.. but I read most questions, and see it happens regularly to many many persons.  I do have enough experience to KNOW d**n WELL when a good answer is being thumbed down without cause.  

The majority of "regulars" here spend time because they TRULY enjoy helping.  They are pleased if the poster gets a good answer.. even when it isn't theirs.  They are mature enough to know that you only give thumbs down on a wrong/misleading question.. and it is not a personal thing.  I communicate with many of the persons here, and like them.. but that is separate from the issue of good/ bad info, versus personal issues.

But, remember.. it is yahoo answers, there ARE immature idiots out there, who we would love to reach through the monitor, and slap upside the head.  Hang in there. Keep doing what you know is right.

ps-

yeah.. I agree.. genealogy is a slightly different topic from other areas, and most questions are factually based, not opinion.  But, not all of them.

Answer 11

Yes, I've just had that with a perfectly good answer I gave yesterday.  Three thumbs down.  It does make you wonder why you bother but then the person who asked the question was the one who needed the help so I have to try to not let it bother me.

I'll just go on a thumbs up mission for everyone else!

Answer 12

Am rarely here anymore. Also had someone giving me a hard time...life's too short. I visit very infrequently.

Answer 13

Yes I had noticed but I think the best thing we can do is just get on with it and let the morons play there games.