Marked Thread as "Solved"

Is there is some kind of feature like this, so no one is replying to a problem that has already been solved? I haven't seen anything like this but it sounds like a good idea to add a feature like this.

I like the idea as well!

This question has been asked many times in the past. IMO, the basic problem with doing something like this is that a solution that works for one person may not work for another (due to hardware differences, distros differences, etc) and consequently any sort of "Solved" indicator would be unreliable. That would be frustrating in the extreme to any future readers, and likewise would seem to imply that all the other threads on the same topic were therefore "Unsolved" and didn't contain any useful info at all. That would be completely untrue, and would cause a lot of LQ'ers to skip past threads that might contain answers that could work perfectly for them.

Fortunately however, this functionality already exists -- all it takes is for people to post a followup in the thread to indicate that a given suggestion resolved the problem. Anyone doing a Search here at LQ on a topic is likely to read through the threads on the issue they are searching on, and seeing a reply from the OP indicating that a given suggestion worked would be a major bonus plus it would be courteous. -- J.W.

additionally 98% of people wouldn't bother. it's just messy if only one in 50 threads gets marked as such.

Instead of marking the thread, how about providing the threadstarter the option of marking a post "accepted answer" or something like that (not original, I admit)
Since it is apparantly sometimes too much to ask to post a follow-up, perhaps simply clicking on the post would at least let the poster know his solution worked for the thread starter (even if the solution may not work for all)

JJ

there's just so little benefit from this i can't see why it would realistically be worth it. the whole excepted answer thing works on expertsexchange, but LQ is totally different.

FWIW, we have tried this in the past. Any thread starter in this (WQ&S) forum can mark their thread as answered. Almost no one does.

--jeremy

If your problem is solved, just respond with a message saying so. Perhaps which solution you used would be useful for someone reading the messages in the future after using the search feature.