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How does one try to add a comment to help clarify the quality of an answer if one's reputation points aren't enough?

On being sent a course outline that suggested I download Python 3.6, I attempted this on a Debian stable build. I've got a few hours until the course starts.

Someone blithely suggested we download all the experimental and unstable features, and it had 13 upvotes at the time of reading, which seemed sufficiently high, and there were no adverse comments to the answer.

How to install Python 3.6?

Accordingly, being a little bit short of Debian knowledge, but hoping for the best with a stable build, went ahead and switched Debian over to an experimental build.

After an hour of downloading, it seems that what I've done has suddenly changed the profile of my Debian build quite dramatically.

With a sinking gut feel, I'm now reading that changing the profile back is probably going to be a mission.

In order to save someone else from their ignorance, it would be nice to be able to add something to that particular answer, but I can't because I lack reputational points.

:(

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  • You should edit your question to have (some) back story, and ask how to fix it. Then it would be mostly on topic....
    – ivanivan
    Commented Aug 3, 2017 at 1:58
  • good suggestion, thanks ivan :)
    – christo
    Commented Aug 5, 2017 at 5:42

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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Gain 50 rep points.

Comments on other people's posts are enabled at 50 points. That's not hard to get, it's a deliberately low barrier to entry. A few good answers or questions will do it.

At 20 points, you can use the chat rooms so if there's something urgent that needs to be commented on, you can ask someone in there to do it.

At 15 points you can flag a post or a comment. Choose "needs moderator attention" and describe exactly what the problem is, what you want done, and why. Don't do this frivolously, it creates work for the mods even if they don't take any action.

PS: I just added the following Warning comment to the answer that recommends upgrading to experimental:

Warning: this will upgrade your system to a hybrid of whatever debian release you are running now (probably 'stable') plus 'unstable' plus 'experimental'. This will be far worse than just dist-upgrading to unstable and cherry-picking a few packages from experimental, or (better yet, staying with stable and cherry-picking from backports and/or unstable and/or experimental). Reverting from this will be near impossible. NOT recommended unless you have a LOT of experience with debian and debian packaging

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  • Many thanks Craig for: (i) the explanation on the reputational points - clear and logical; and (ii) appending to & editing the other answer
    – christo
    Commented Aug 5, 2017 at 5:44

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