I have an idea about how to make problemsolving easier here.
When a user posts a new thread, he titles it [NEW] (Short Problem Description)
When someone tries to help, a mod or the original poster can change the title to [WIP] (Short Problem Description)
WIP=Work In Progress
When the problem is resolved, the name can then start with [DONE] or [OK] or something.
What do you all think?
That'll also make it easier to sort through the threads, and make statistics.

This would require *way* too much manual work for the 1,000's of threads that are created here at LQ.

--jeremy

Good idea, in theory. However, . I have a job and a family and also like to sleep occasionally, this may well stop me doing any of that.

Really, we'd need Jeremy to code something in to do it automatically and only the "Solved" part would be of use - 0 replies = no help, 0+n replies = some help.

He could code a button that the thread creator can click when he's gotten the problem fixed. It can be next to Submit Reply and Spell check in the quick reply box, and in the regular reply area. That button could change the thread name or something.

Ah, do a search in this forum for "Answered/Unanswered". This comes up and has been tried. Short version is that it requires the original poster to return and press the button. A count of how many threads are started against how many have a "thanks that worked" post at the end would be a depressing ratio.

Well I suppose it wouldn't work then.

If you, or anyone can think of a way to get users to mark their posts as "solved/unsolved" in such a way that it is:

• friendly - so as not to annoy people
  workable
  easy - no one wants to have to navgate the whole website just to say "thanks"
  consistent - no point only doing this for a handful of posts
  non-intrusive - no one wants friendly reminders being emailed to them over and over again

then please suggest it, this has been discussed and tried before and didn't work, but new ideas are always welcomed and if we can implement them and have them work it can only add to LQ.

To XavierP's comments, let me only add that in addition to the points he has identified, note that the responsibility for assigning the correct status of the post would necessarily fall upon the original poster (ie, not someone else). Clearly nobody else other than the OP would be able to state whether or not the technical issue was resolved, and considering the importance of the "Consistency" requirement XavierP mentioned, then from a practical viewpoint, it would mean that in order for someone to ask a question here at LQ, he/she essentially would have to promise to maintain an accurate status of a question once it is asked. I'm just not that optimistic that such a system would work, despite the fact that Yes, undoubtedly it would be really nice if threads were flagged with a "Solved!" flag (or the equivalent).

In any event, and as has been stated repeatedly by many people here, please let me reiterate two really, really helpful things each LQ'er can do to help make LQ more useful:

1. Say Thank You. If somebody's suggestion solved the problem for you, please take the time to post back with a simple "Thanks". That helps future readers (since it indicates that the recommendation worked) plus, on the other side, if it was your suggestion that helped someone out, it's a pretty good stoke to see that your advice was helpful.

2. If you are facing a technical problem, and determine how to solve it, then regardless of whether that solution came from a post here at LQ or your own independent research, *please* post back here at LQ describing what steps you took. It's in the Linux spirit, and you'll never know how many people your comments might help. Heck, even if you haven't posted a question, but you figure out how to solve a difficult problem, please post a comment here describing "How to correct [situation A] with [distro B] and [hardware C]" Doing so can be a huge help not only to your fellow LQ'ers but also the Linux community at large.

Just my 2 cents, as always -- J.W.

What J.W. said

What XavierP said lol