I've seen several answers lately that are using an FAQ-style Q&A-format within the answer. The answer ends up as a set of Q&A's within a Q&A.
Examples:
Thinking of switching to Ubuntu!
Why does apt-get require sudo?
The content of the answers themselves are fine, but am I the only one thinking this is not a great way to format our answers?
I argue that in most cases, the Q&A format in an answer:
- Makes the answer cluttered and actually harder to read.
- Draws focus to the sub-questions and away from the info being provided.
- Tends to cause the sub-questions to become very artificial and overly wordy, also making the answer harder to read and detracting from the content.
- Often become a substitute for clearly thinking out how the parts of your answer work together to create a coherent whole. This makes the answer less likely to be effective.
Judicious use of headings, in contrast, tend to frame important information or highlight cautions; and create better flow within an answer, helping the answer stay clear and concise.
I was tempted to just edit them, but I'm not looking for rollback wars; so I'm seeking consensus first.