When should we discipline ourselves? (Also, I thought there was a way for the actual badge to show up, or am I thinking of tags?)

My answer to a question is ugly and buggy, but apparently worked for the OP's needs (as it was accepted). Another user (with a much greater knowledge of relevant packages) posted a much more excellent answer and very much deserves to be the first thing people see when they research the question.

EDIT:
I'd like to add that I, like many of us here, don't care about badges in and of themselves. What's more important is the idea behind the badge; what's more important is the fact that it must sometimes be necessary to delete an accepted answer to allow for better answers to receive the spotlight.

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2 Answers

In the case at hand, you simply couldn't delete you answer unless the OP revoked his acceptance before. IMO, you also shouldn't delete it because it shows an alternative approach that may be useful for other users (who may face not quite the same, but a similar problem in the future). "Disciplining" yourself rather is a proper course of action if you and another user have given almost identical answers witin a short timeframe (i.e., without knowing about each others answer) - in that case, the less "complete" (or, if that criterion still fails, the later) answer could be deleted.

P.S.: If you believe Alan Munn's answer to the question at hand should be "the first thing people see", you could suggest to the OP in a comment to accept it instead of your answer.

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I think I'll do that after Alan's answer becomes populist ;) (I know it doesn't matter, but it's still kind of fun. Like Xbox 360 without ten year olds making threats while you do it. Give it maybe another day or two - it seems the question is trending.). Lastly, is this the only time you can imagine deleting an answer in general? (or furthermore one that works?) –  Sean Allred Mar 2 at 18:16
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If you really feel your answer does not deserve being listed first, you have only one option: Make the OP unaccept it and accept the other one. There is no other way how to make the accept answer not to show first.

As another option, you can edit your answer and add a first bold line: I believe that the answer by Alan Munn is better then mine, and I recommend using the solution there. I'm quite sure that I have seen this on the site couple times.

Last remark: If it is left this way, Alan maight soon become Populist :)

Lastest remark: Badges in general (including Disciplined) are not really "goals", they are more a "nice thing to appear that somehow and not really clearly reflects your activity on the site")

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It was more of a thing that I was scrolling through before and noted that it could and would happen on SE sites. I was also wondering then at what times it might be so appropriate and then happened to find myself in the present situation. –  Sean Allred Mar 2 at 18:09
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I will definitely do the bold-line thing though. I've seen that around too, and genuinely appreciate it when it's there. It's part of what makes this place special. –  Sean Allred Mar 2 at 18:18
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