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Recently (Yesterday) my 2 Very Low-Quality flags were rejected for 2 answers

  1. This answer which I flagged as Very Low Quality was a link only answer. Are link only answers accepted here on SuperUser?
    Screenshot: enter image description here

  2. Second rejected flag was on an answer which is deleted now but the reason given for rejection is declined - it's a non-answer and use that flag. What does that mean? Because this is the first time I came across that comment and if that answer is to be deleted then why my flag was rejected?

Screenshot:
enter image description here

2 Answers 2

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1. Are link only answers accepted here on SuperUser?

They are accepted, but they are not classed as VLQ.

  • VLQ (Very Low Quality) is defined as "This question has severe formatting or content problems. This question is unlikely to be salvageable through editing, and might need to be removed."

  • A link only answer can be salvaged through editing, and the comment that was added is correct. If the OP follows the advice it becomes a good answer (and so it is not a VLQ answer).

  • If the answer is downvoted, it will appear in the "Low Quality Posts" review queue where users with sufficient reputation can vote to delete if the answer has not been improved.


2. The reason given for rejection is declined - it's a non-answer and use that flag.

Again this was a link only answer link for 10k+ users.

  • See above for why this is not a VLQ answer.

  • NAA (Not an Answer) is defined as "This was posted as an answer, but it does not attempt to answer the question. It should possibly be an edit, a comment, another question, or deleted altogether."

  • In this case the link just said "Ubuntu" so if the link fails it becomes "Not an Answer"

  • The rest of the answer said "So I am not really into Ubuntu but I think this will answer your problem.", which is an indication that the OP is not really sure and is just guessing. Such answers really should be comments, which fits the NAA definition.

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  • You just explained it very well, iam used to flagging link only answer as VLQ in SO, good to know that its not the same here. Jun 11, 2016 at 12:35
  • But accepting link only answers will not be good for Quality of answers we get, as we cant check every link if it is dead or alive. (this is the reason given on SO by mods). The user should at least give brief reproducible steps to solve the question. Jun 11, 2016 at 12:38
  • @ＳＡＮＤＥＥＰ of course, that's why we give them a chance to fix the answr.
    – DavidPostill Mod
    Jun 11, 2016 at 12:45
  • @ＳＡＮＤＥＥＰ, "Not an answer" is something other than an answer, but something. "VLQ" is nothing and unlikely to be salvageable. When I flag link-only answers, I use the custom flag and specify the reason. BTW, "link-only" is often taken literally: just "look there" with no hint or explanation at all.
    – fixer1234
    Jun 11, 2016 at 18:03
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Link-only answers are not OK. We consider them "not an answer"; they should be comments.

The VLQ flag is to be used only for complete trash that makes no sense and is utterly unsalvageable. (Source, from a cofounder of the network.) Keyboard mashing and other garbage fits that description, but not much else. Non-English posts, comments posted as answers, link-only answers, and questions are NAA but not VLQ.

If it doubt, use NAA. That flag would be been approved on both answers you mentioned.

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