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Is it proper/accepted/correct etiquette to answer a question (for rep, bounty, etc.), but then flag it as a duplicate?

Or is this considered "gaming the system"?

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  • I do it all the time. But just be prepared to get your answer deleted. meta.askubuntu.com/q/5536/44179
    – Seth
    Commented Dec 15, 2012 at 20:21
  • 4
    Please don't do it all the time.
    – Marco Ceppi Mod
    Commented Dec 15, 2012 at 20:26
  • The trick is to not do it all the time, only when it is really necessary...
    – Wilf
    Commented Feb 10, 2014 at 20:43
  • I've made this a duplicate of the newer question Is it okay to both answer and mark a question as duplicate? which was viewed, answered, and voted on by more people; explores the issue in more detail, as preventing auto-forwarding isn't the only consideration for answers on duplicates; and which I believe is more clearly asked and titled. Though I feel sure this closure is correct, gold tag badge powers do feel weird for meta--can one really be an expert on discussion?--so if you disagree, feel free to vote to reopen and/or request that I do so.
    – Eliah Kagan
    Commented Oct 26, 2017 at 20:30

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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This is just not good tact. By answering the question you break auto-forwarding, which means we have to go and delete your answer to repair auto-forwarding when a user clicks on the question from a search result they go directly to the duplicated question.

tl;dr this is a borderline scumbag steve move.

thanks bro

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  • So your saying it makes more work for you? (as mods)
    – Seth
    Commented Dec 15, 2012 at 20:22
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    It's bad community practice, not only does it make more work for moderators it makes it more inconvenient for users who are new to the site. You are all here as editors and maintainers of the site, the reputation really shouldn't be your primary goal
    – Marco Ceppi Mod
    Commented Dec 15, 2012 at 20:26
  • 1
    OK, I'll stop. I just thought it made it easier on the OP to get an answer then get it closed. But I thought the answer deleting was automatic.
    – Seth
    Commented Dec 15, 2012 at 20:28
  • Ok, I was just wondering about that. Thanks for the answer (and the use of a meme!) :-D
    – ananaso
    Commented Dec 15, 2012 at 20:32
  • @iSeth. Marking a question as a duplicate essentially does answer it (assuming the original has an answer; if not, answer the original).
    – TRiG
    Commented Dec 17, 2012 at 17:40
  • @MarcoCeppi - answering questions isn't just for the rep - the point of a forum is to have a question answered, not just have flagged shut in 5 minutes... Rep ain't really worth much anyway, just a vague incentive, though it does show experience.
    – Wilf
    Commented Feb 10, 2014 at 20:45

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