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Here is the question I want to discuss about:

Delayed Expansion

I just want to know why the "Any help is appreciated!" message was removed

I have put such a message in AU questions too, but I don't know if it's an Ask Ubuntu thing or a general one. That's because this sort of thing was very popular on AU in the past.

I don't believe I can't show my appreciation here.

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    As an AU mod, I should point out that such messages are not welcome there either. Yes, many users post them, but that'e usually because they're new to SE and don't know such things are implied here. Please don't add this sort of message to your AU questions either.
    – terdon Mod
    Sep 9, 2016 at 9:27
  • @terdon Actually, I have seen >2k rep users doing that, although my memories are blurry. Oh, you should call yourself a N*X mod.
    – EKons
    Sep 9, 2016 at 9:28
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    I'm sure you have. They're still wrong. Sadly even users who've been around for a while make mistakes. Here are a few relevant discussions (although, if you want to discuss this further, let's move it to AU's meta instead): Have I got this right -- no explicit 'thank you' wanted? Am I allowed to say thanks? How much editing is fine? Removing hi, thanks etc.
    – terdon Mod
    Sep 9, 2016 at 9:34

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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Messages like the one you mention, or "Hello!", "Thanks" etc, are considered noise on the Stack Exchange network sites. SE aims to create a repository of knowledge in the form of questions and answers. It is not trying to be a forum where discussion occurs, so anything that doesn't actively contribute to the question is considered noise. That, in fact, is the first information given to new users when they take the tour (emphasis mine):

This site is all about getting answers. It's not a discussion forum. There's no chit-chat.

The ideal question would contain absolutely nothing that doesn't help the question be understood. So, a message like "Any help is appreciated" is completely useless. Of course help is appreciated, you wouldn't be posting here if you didn't need help. All that adds is one more line to your question and doesn't help clarify it in any way.

Additionally, questions and answers on SE sites are not only for the person asking them. The whole idea is that other people will find them useful so personalizing them in any way isn't a very good idea.

Your appreciation can be expressed with upvotes and/or by accepting answers. Nothing more is needed since nothing more is useful to the site. Don't worry, nobody will think you rude if you don't leave a "Thanks!" comment (that will be deleted as "too chatty" anyway) or if you don't sign off your question as though it were a letter. Different places have different cultures and norms and the SE norms are against anything that can be seen as noise. Such things are routinely removed from questions and answers across the SE network. Here's the relevant discussion (well, one of them, there are loads) from the main meta:

Should 'Hi', 'thanks', taglines, and salutations be removed from posts?

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  • I mean, should I fav my question to show appreciation or something? Because I don't think I can upvote anything to show appreciation before anyone answers.
    – EKons
    Sep 9, 2016 at 9:29
  • How could you show appreciation before anyone answers? You don't have anything to be appreciative of yet! :) And no, don't fav your question (I don't think that's even possible). Just ask. By asking you are already giving to the site. Good questions are just as important as good answers. That's why others will upvote you to show how they appreciate your question.
    – terdon Mod
    Sep 9, 2016 at 9:36
  • It is possible, and I have done it many times, so this might be a bug :( Just so you know. Favs can't even be locked, locks can't prevent fav'ing a question. Your answer has been alerady accepted and upvoted.
    – EKons
    Sep 9, 2016 at 9:38
  • @ΈρικΚωνσταντόπουλος huh, so it is. I guess it might help you find it when you have many. Probably not a bug.
    – terdon Mod
    Sep 9, 2016 at 10:58
  • Sorry, (this sorry will be removed) This is the ridiculous (ridiculous removed) thing that i ever see in all my life (all this will be removed). We are trying(trying removed) to make computers to be more like humans, this is ok, but it is ridiculous(ridiculous removed) to make humans to look like computers.
    – Luciano Andress Martini
    Sep 16, 2016 at 13:12

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