Photos - Ben Gray - CC BY-SA
According to analysts at the University of Singapore, 77% of Stack Overflow users ask just one question. At the same time, 7.8% answer no more than five questions. These are rather low indicators, considering that more than 11 million accounts are registered on the site, and last year the number of threads " exceeded " 10 million. Two main factors are among the main reasons for the low activity: unsuccessful voting system and inactivity of resource users.
The voting system is ineffective
Residents of Stack Overflow can vote for a good question to increase their reputation and advance in the search results of the site. Or, conversely, put a minus topic, which does not satisfy - in their opinion - the requirements of the site. As conceived by the founders of the project, this approach should regulate the quality of content on the site. But the system does not work perfectly.
There are situations when the top-starter just put cons and do not explain the reason. As a result, the thread drops in the extradition, and the person does not understand what his mistake was (how to change his question in order to get an answer for sure). Therefore, he admits it again - he again incorrectly formulates the question. The cycle is repeated until the beginner decides to leave the site.
In such circumstances, users lose the desire not only to ask questions, but also to give answers to them. One resident of Hacker News noted that commenting on SO has become a waste of time and effort. Several threads where he answered quite fair questions, in his opinion, were simply closed and “wiped out”.
Although there is another point of view - a number of users say that everything was fair. Stack Overflow has a detailed guide for writing questions. And only those topics that obviously do not follow these guidelines are closed. But, apparently, not all newcomers of Stack Overflow residents know about them, as threads quite often appear on the site in which new users are asked to clarify the situation with the “covered” issues.
Toxic behavior repels novices
In addition to the frequent closure of topics without explanation, there is another extreme on the site - a large number of negative comments. The situation has been bothering users for years. This was first discussed in 2014. The author of The Programming Works blog notes that on SO it is almost impossible to get a useful answer to your question. Instead, you will see a heap of comments stating that your question does not match the profile of the site.
It was because of the toxic community that three moderators left the site a month ago and held a position for at least five years. Twitch CEO Emmett Shear, in an interview with The Verge, noted that on moderated resources, people are more likely to exchange opinions without fear of rude criticism or trolls. And leaving iconic faces with Stack Overflow will make things worse.
Is it possible to correct the situation
On SO, you can find a large number of thematic threads in which users offer ways to improve the experience on the site. One of the most common suggestions is to introduce a drop-down menu for everyone who wants to put a minus. From the list you need to select the reason for the minus - so the top starter will understand what the problem is and what exactly he did wrong.
Photos - Ross Findon - Unsplash
Another option is to implement a no stupid questions policy. By analogy with the thread of the same name on Reddit . There, users can get an answer to any question without fear that they will consider it stupid or wrong. This will spur users to a more lively and relaxed communication.
But one of the residents of Hacker News noted that this approach, although it can have a positive impact on the situation in the community, is not suitable for Stack Overflow. The threads on Reddit are purely entertaining in nature, which is why the atmosphere there is appropriate.
Stack Overflow key people also recognize the atmosphere problems on the platform. Last year, SO Executive Vice President Jay Hanlon prepared a post that discussed service issues and encouraged the community to engage in more constructive discussions in the comments.
In March, the company launched the Ask Question Wizard, a tool that helps users ask questions and guides them through key steps. In August, developers even proposed a new Code of Conduct - its goal is to restore the site’s good name and develop a culture of mutual respect and cooperation. It is hoped that the new politicians will take root in the community.
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