http://www.perlmonks.org?node_id=1029978


in reply to Lots of votes with nowhere to go :-)

Use some of the excess to downvote bad nodes; i.e., the "gimme, cuz I faked my knowledge of perl to get my job';" the homework nodes; the self-contradictory nodes (for exceptionally bad cases); and the nodes with content that boils down to a spec (possibly deficient) and a statement to the general effect that "my code doesn't work." Then spend some time clearly explaining why the node falls short of the standards suggested in the various FAQs.

Some consider this bad advice because downvoting bad nodes "might hurt the little darling's sense of self-worth" or might discourage a noobie, among others.

The noonbie argument may have some value, so instead of downvoting the first-timer who appears to HAVE MADE AN EFFORT TO FOLLOW OUR GUIDELINES, explain, clearly and gently, how to improve the node so that it does satisfy our guidelines --- does provide the code, data and spec that we need to actually be helpful.


If you didn't program your executable by toggling in binary, it wasn't really programming!