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Suppose a story identification question (such as this one) has been satisfactorily answered.

Is it a good idea to propose another very good match for the question?

Should the question be treated as a list question, allowing answers that only have a thin link with the question?

How bad can a match be before the answer deserves a downvote?

2 Answers 2

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I think I'm the principle downvoter here. Where a question has already had an answer accepted, I have a simple criterion: is it plausible to assume that the person posting the new answer genuinely thinks the accepted answer is wrong or incomplete. If not, then I don't see what a suggestion of other works that are a bit like the work that's being looked for, but aren't actually it, can add to answering the question.

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    Without having given it a TON of though, I think disagree with you, here - it serves a secondary purpose in that people who are looking for a similar book that land on the "answered" question can see a list of other possible responses. There is value in that, to me.
    – TML
    Jan 29, 2011 at 4:03
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    I think that would be a better use of comments rather than answers though. The "similar book suggestion" isn't an answer to the question so shouldn't be posted as one.
    – dlanod
    Mar 4, 2012 at 21:29
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I agree with this other answer but wanted to say more than would fit in a comment.

Note other meta questions on this topic closed as duplicates:

Quoting from the accepted answer to the SE meta question How do I write a good answer to a question?:

  • Be accurate and correct

Unless you think the accepted answer is wrong, an additional answer to a question like this is not "correct". Hopefully we can agree that story id questions have a correct answer.

  • Actually answer the question. Do not post an answer stating you have the same problem or one which only answers a question different from the one that was asked.

Writing an answer to a question when you know the answer is incorrect violates this principle.

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