Remove ability to tag your own reply as an accepted solution

[mtfolks]

Accepted Solutions are used to calculate reward levels and therefore you shouldn't be able to tag one of your own replies as an Accepted Solution. 

There's a user that received one of the top badges this month that started 7 (mostly inane) different threads and accepted one of their own replies as the solution in each one over the last couple weeks. This allows users to game the rewards system and make themselves look more helpful than they actually may be. It's dishonest IMO. 

If people can't be ethical on their own then PM should remove the ability to accept your own reply as a solution to your own post. 

Sorry if this idea sounds petty. Kinda sad that I have to even suggest it to be honest. 

[bbdata]

To play devils advocate. What about a situation where the Original Poster was not able to receive suffficient help from the community and managed to resolve the problem on their own? They then post how they did it and chose their own reply as the accepted answer.

[stonechucker]

I hate that I'm asked for a solution to my post, when I not seeking an answer.  I have a number posts where I've made a comment or written a hey look at this type statement.  I'm sharing, information, not seeking a solution.  I do not select any response as the solution.

[SD08]

@mtfolks  

@bbdata  In that case, their explanation should make it clear why it is the solution.  When it is in fact the solution, I wouldn't have a problem with them marking it.  Generally though, I don't see that happen very often, at least not nearly as often as I see people marking their own posts for obvious personal gain.  Many topics never have a solution marked, even when the customer has gotten the help they needed.  At least when that happens, we can simply chalk it up as customers who are too busy to become familiar with community expectations, are just here to get their phone working, and want to get on with their lives outside the forum.  In reality, that probably describes a majority of PM customers -- par for the course.  I would much rather that happen than the other way around, where people mark their own solutions gratuitously, because that comes off as really ungrateful to the people that helped, and possibly results in undeserved rewards.

[zhadj030]

I mean is it possible to just add a script that checks if the OP choses their own response then just lower the value in their formula for the rankings.

eg: 1 reply= 1 pt

1 like = 2 pts

1solution =5 pts

If the solution comes from the OP then it becomes 1 solution by OP himself = 2 pts

[wetcoaster]

@SD08 Thanks for putting that in words. I thought I was the only one... (I think the weirdest one I experienced was somebody marking my answer as solution and then unmark it and choosing their own post as solution.)

[mtfolks]

@bbdata Yeah. That could happen. But I think that's the exception and not the rule. Not saying there aren't legitimate reasons just addressing the potential for abuse.

@SD08 I'm guilty of that. I don't start a lot of threads but I'm pretty bad at tagging posts as accepted solutions. Though like @stonechucker I'm usually posting to start a discussion rather than get a specific answer. I do try to make sure I bravo liberally the posts I see where ppl are helping others out or adding to the discussion. So maybe it evens out. 👀

[kav2001c]

@mtfolks & @Jeremy_M

Actually a bug I have seen before related to this:

If you start a thread, and someone (eg Jeremy) offers a solution, if I click on accept Jeremy post as solution I have seen it ALSO give me an accepted solution

Some sort of bug in website, maybe we can not accept mods solutions? Or specific users bugged?

I even saw once someone else (not me) accepted a mod post as solution and the notification popped up for me

Weirdness

But something the code monkeys need to look into