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Let us say I have been playing a really old and obscure game and I've been looking all over the internet for an answer to a specific question about that game. Eventually, through much trial and error, I managed to figure out the answer by myself.

Wanting to make the internet a better place, I could ask the question here, knowing that I can supply an answer. However, seeing how the game is old and obscure, there is a high chance that I am the only one who could supply that answer (unless someone else is an amazing google wizard, as I haven't been able to find the information on the web). I'd obviously give other people a chance, but it is possible that no one else on the site will have the necessary knowledge to answer the question.

Will it be wrong to ask such a question? Should I ask it as a community wiki question (not that I'm entirely sure how to do that)?

I'd appreciate feedback on this matter.

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    I think the only person that can really answer this question is you...
    – Cyclops
    May 16, 2011 at 21:54
  • Technically there is no requirement on time before answering your own question, but I have always waited at least 24 hours and usually 2 days.
    – tzenes
    May 17, 2011 at 2:38
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    Small note: You have to wait 2 days before accepting your own answer, so that does provide some opportunity for another answerer to come along and not be as discouraged.
    – Matthew Read
    May 17, 2011 at 3:52

1 Answer 1

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Give it some time before you post your own answer. You may be surprised as to whether or not we have people that can answer it. After all, if our identification is something to be believed, our community has a lot of people familiar with some very old and obscure games.

I've always been fond of waiting one full day minimum before self-answering. Figure out your own threshold of comfort for doing so. The fact you do have your own answer makes it a better practice if only because it ensures that we have answers, and that's what we're here for, right? Asking questions for old, obscure games knowing that you won't get any answers, even from yourself, that's not too good.

Also, you can't mark questions Community Wiki. Whether you answer it yourself or not, you shouldn't need to make it Community Wiki.

One last caveat: try to ask at least 2 questions for that game. A tag needs at least 2 instances to avoid being pruned by the system for non-use. This ensures that the tag will stay and we don't have to juggle around to keep it.

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  • Ah, I didn't know that about the tags. Thanks for the heads up!
    – Aubergine
    May 16, 2011 at 19:33
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    +1, although I prefer to post my answer as soon as I have it, so that there's no need for the community to do fact finding twice; deduplication of effort, if you will.
    – badp
    May 16, 2011 at 19:38
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    @badp Fully agreed, waiting is and should remain fully optional. I'm personally fond of sharing the wealth rather than standing on the glory, but the factor of not using others' time can weigh more depending on your perspective.
    – Grace Note StaffMod
    May 16, 2011 at 19:43
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    Or you miss the chance to learn something new @badp, because somebody else did you one up but didn't share it because it was already answered.
    – Ivo Flipse
    May 17, 2011 at 12:46
  • Related: meta.stackexchange.com/questions/92723/…
    – badp
    May 26, 2011 at 8:37

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