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I have started to write a longish answer, but instead I have it now reduced to one important thing: If users keep using the site in a "wrong" way, then maybe the site does not fit the needs of the users.

I actually agree fully with the answer from Oli, but really needed to add this idea.

Maybe a short addition to the one sentence above: Most answers on askubuntu seem to come from new users (new to ubuntu and to askubuntu). And what they actually seem to need is not a place where you can ask spot-on questions, but more a wizard, that guides you through the process of providing the information that is needed to get actual help. A forum is one way that can act as a wizard, a chat or the comment system might serve the same purpose, but in the case of askubuntu, especially the chat is not well integrated into the interface and the comment seems also the wrong way for this kind of work. It is however a sign of appraisal for askubuntu that those users who actually need a forum, instead come here, because here they nevertheless seem to get the best/fastest answers.

A typical example of a question that requires a wizard can be seen here: the relevant sentence is: "Help me pls and ask questions if needed." And the next two comments are actually about additional information that should go into the question. If the askubuntu site would be especially build to help (new) ubuntu users, it would have to be different.

And one related note: this is another example of the same discussion. SE is not a forum, but it is very close. And maybe it is better/easier/faster to change the SE software/interface instead of blaming many/most users of using it the wrong way.

I have started to write a longish answer, but instead I have it now reduced to one important thing: If users keep using the site in a "wrong" way, then maybe the site does not fit the needs of the users.

I actually agree fully with the answer from Oli, but really needed to add this idea.

Maybe a short addition to the one sentence above: Most answers on askubuntu seem to come from new users (new to ubuntu and to askubuntu). And what they actually seem to need is not a place where you can ask spot-on questions, but more a wizard, that guides you through the process of providing the information that is needed to get actual help. A forum is one way that can act as a wizard, a chat or the comment system might serve the same purpose, but in the case of askubuntu, especially the chat is not well integrated into the interface and the comment seems also the wrong way for this kind of work. It is however a sign of appraisal for askubuntu that those users who actually need a forum, instead come here, because here they nevertheless seem to get the best/fastest answers.

A typical example of a question that requires a wizard can be seen here: the relevant sentence is: "Help me pls and ask questions if needed." And the next two comments are actually about additional information that should go into the question. If the askubuntu site would be especially build to help (new) ubuntu users, it would have to be different.

And one related note: this is another example of the same discussion. SE is not a forum, but it is very close. And maybe it is better/easier/faster to change the SE software/interface instead of blaming many/most users of using it the wrong way.

I have started to write a longish answer, but instead I have it now reduced to one important thing: If users keep using the site in a "wrong" way, then maybe the site does not fit the needs of the users.

I actually agree fully with the answer from Oli, but really needed to add this idea.

Maybe a short addition to the one sentence above: Most answers on askubuntu seem to come from new users (new to ubuntu and to askubuntu). And what they actually seem to need is not a place where you can ask spot-on questions, but more a wizard, that guides you through the process of providing the information that is needed to get actual help. A forum is one way that can act as a wizard, a chat or the comment system might serve the same purpose, but in the case of askubuntu, especially the chat is not well integrated into the interface and the comment seems also the wrong way for this kind of work. It is however a sign of appraisal for askubuntu that those users who actually need a forum, instead come here, because here they nevertheless seem to get the best/fastest answers.

A typical example of a question that requires a wizard can be seen here: the relevant sentence is: "Help me pls and ask questions if needed." And the next two comments are actually about additional information that should go into the question. If the askubuntu site would be especially build to help (new) ubuntu users, it would have to be different.

And one related note: this is another example of the same discussion. SE is not a forum, but it is very close. And maybe it is better/easier/faster to change the SE software/interface instead of blaming many/most users of using it the wrong way.

I have started to write a longish answer, but instead I have it now reduced to one important thing: If users keep using the site in a "wrong" way, then maybe the site does not fit the needs of the users.

I actually agree fully with the answer from Oli, but really needed to add this idea.

Maybe a short addition to the one sentence above: Most answers on askubuntu seem to come from new users (new to ubuntu and to askubuntu). And what they actually seem to need is not a place where you can ask spot-on questions, but more a wizard, that guides you through the process of providing the information that is needed to get actual help. A forum is one way that can act as a wizard, a chat or the comment system might serve the same purpose, but in the case of askubuntu, especially the chat is not well integrated into the interface and the comment seems also the wrong way for this kind of work. It is however a sign of appraisal for askubuntu that those users who actually need a forum, instead come here, because here they nevertheless seem to get the best/fastest answers.

A typical example of a question that requires a wizard can be seen here: the relevant sentence is: "Help me pls and ask questions if needed." And the next two comments are actually about additional information that should go into the question. If the askubuntu site would be especially build to help (new) ubuntu users, it would have to be different.

And one related note: this is another example of the same discussion. SE is not a forum, but it is very close. And maybe it is better/easier/faster to change the SE software/interface instead of blaming many/most users of using it the wrong way.

I have started to write a longish answer, but instead I have it now reduced to one important thing: If users keep using the site in a "wrong" way, then maybe the site does not fit the needs of the users.  

I actually agree fully with the answer from Oli, but really needed to add this idea.  

Maybe a short addition to the one sentence above: Most answers on askubuntu seem to come from new users (new to ubuntu and to askubuntu). And what they actually seem to need is not a place where you can ask spot-on questions, but more a wizard, that guides you through the process of providing the information that is needed to get actual help. A forum is one way that can act as a wizard, a chat or the comment system might serve the same purpose, but in the case of askubuntu, especially the chat is not well integrated into the interface and the comment seems also the wrong way for this kind of work. It is however a sign of appraisal for askubuntu that those users who actually need a forum, instead come here, because here they nevertheless seem to get the best/fastest answers.  

A typical example of a question that requires a wizard can be seen here: the relevant sentence is: "Help me pls and ask questions if needed." And the next two comments are actually about additional information that should go into the question. If the askubuntu site would be especially build to help (new) ubuntu users, it would have to be different.  

And one related note: this is another example of the same discussion. SE is not a forum, but it is very close. And maybe it is better/easier/faster to change the SE software/interface instead of blaming many/most users of using it the wrong way.

I have started to write a longish answer, but instead I have it now reduced to one important thing: If users keep using the site in a "wrong" way, then maybe the site does not fit the needs of the users.

I actually agree fully with the answer from Oli, but really needed to add this idea.

Maybe a short addition to the one sentence above: Most answers on askubuntu seem to come from new users (new to ubuntu and to askubuntu). And what they actually seem to need is not a place where you can ask spot-on questions, but more a wizard, that guides you through the process of providing the information that is needed to get actual help. A forum is one way that can act as a wizard, a chat or the comment system might serve the same purpose, but in the case of askubuntu, especially the chat is not well integrated into the interface and the comment seems also the wrong way for this kind of work. It is however a sign of appraisal for askubuntu that those users who actually need a forum, instead come here, because here they nevertheless seem to get the best/fastest answers.

A typical example of a question that requires a wizard can be seen here: the relevant sentence is: "Help me pls and ask questions if needed." And the next two comments are actually about additional information that should go into the question. If the askubuntu site would be especially build to help (new) ubuntu users, it would have to be different.

And one related note: this is another example of the same discussion. SE is not a forum, but it is very close. And maybe it is better/easier/faster to change the SE software/interface instead of blaming many/most users of using it the wrong way.