My apologies if this is a repeat, I searched, but I couldn't find anything quite like this.

There are times when users (particularly very new users) post a question as an answer to an existing question. I just ran across one today. The problem is that we have no way to answer an answer; it has to be reposted as a question. (We could comment on the question, but this just abuses the system, degrading it to something like a limited forum.)

I think it would be useful if the questioner or a moderator could convert an "answer" to a new question (preserving the owner of the question, so they can easily find it in their user page). It might also be useful if comments to the converted "answer" were preserved as comments to the new question; though this is very optional.

I do think the "answer" should be the responsibility of the user, but many of these are just drive-by users. If moderators could also access the function it would cleanup the existing question/answers, set a good example for other new users, and make it easier for people to search. Many of these "answers" simply languish without being moved to a new question as the users never come back.

Thoughts?

My apologies if this is a repeat, I searched, but I couldn't find anything quite like this.

There are times when users (particularly very new users) post a question as an answer to an existing question. I just ran across one today. The problem is that we have no way to answer an answer; it has to be reposted as a question. (We could comment on the question, but this just abuses the system, degrading it to something like a limited forum.)

I think it would be useful if the questioner or a moderator could convert an "answer" to a new question (preserving the owner of the question, so they can easily find it in their user page). It might also be useful if comments to the converted "answer" were preserved as comments to the new question; though this is very optional.

I do think the "answer" should be the responsibility of the user, but many of these are just drive-by users. If moderators could also access the function it would cleanup the existing question/answers, set a good example for other new users, and make it easier for people to search. Many of these "answers" simply languish without being moved to a new question as the users never come back.

Thoughts?

My apologies if this is a repeat, I searched but couldn't find anything quite like this.

There are times when users (particularly very new users) post a question as an answer to an existing question. I just ran across one today. The problem is that we have no way to answer an answer; it has to be reposted as a question. (We could comment on the question, but this just abuses the system, degrading it to something like a limited forum)

I think it would be useful if the questioner or a Mod could Convert an "Answer" to a new question (preserving the owner of the question, so they can easily find it in their user page). It might also be useful if comments to the converted "answer" were preserved as comments to the new question; though this is very optional.

I do think the "answer" should be the responsibility of the user, but many of these are just drive-by users. If Mods could also access the function it would cleanup the existing question/answers, set a good example for other new users, and make it easier for people to search. Many of these "answers" simply languish without being moved to a new question as the users never come back.

Thoughts?

My apologies if this is a repeat, I searched, but I couldn't find anything quite like this.

There are times when users (particularly very new users) post a question as an answer to an existing question. I just ran across one today. The problem is that we have no way to answer an answer; it has to be reposted as a question. (We could comment on the question, but this just abuses the system, degrading it to something like a limited forum.)

I think it would be useful if the questioner or a moderator could convert an "answer" to a new question (preserving the owner of the question, so they can easily find it in their user page). It might also be useful if comments to the converted "answer" were preserved as comments to the new question; though this is very optional.

I do think the "answer" should be the responsibility of the user, but many of these are just drive-by users. If moderators could also access the function it would cleanup the existing question/answers, set a good example for other new users, and make it easier for people to search. Many of these "answers" simply languish without being moved to a new question as the users never come back.

Thoughts?