Improve experience for new users with helpful comments

Question

Can we somehow improve the experience for users, who have useful comments but can only post (non-)answers?

We regularly recommend deletion of (or delete for the top users) "answers" from new users. That is mostly fine as many are "Thank you" or "Having another question" answers. But from time to time there are answers with useful and eligible content which we categorize as "better suited as a comment". However the ever-present problem: the new users cannot comment.

Imagine being young again with no reputation: This must be quite frustrating. Getting the feedback that something is better suited as a comment but at the same time no being able to comment. I guess for important cases one could bring it to the attention of your moderators, they can convert things to comments, see related question Recommending deletion [However this system might need improvement, as I feel that only very few deleted answers are flagged for moderator attention].

But what is about the "small" cases. One example (not the best, but they are hard to find) https://tex.stackexchange.com/a/325303/36296. A new user, apparently willing to help, wants to ask for clarification. I would not want to trouble moderators with that, as other users asked for the same information shortly after. But wouldn't it be helpful if the deleting review would include a field "recommend conversion to comment" and with sufficient votes from experienced users, such cases could either be automatically converted or grant the new user the privilege to comment on this specific question?

Edit:

The example above was from the "low quality review". Available options in this queue are

• No comment needed
• This is commentary on another post, not an answer
• This is a “thank you” comment
• This is an “I’m having this problem, too” comment
• This is a different question posted as an answer
• This is a link-only answer (and not spam)

so no direct opportunity to flag for moderator attention. However when the answer opens one can click on the "flag" link below the question. But this is not very intuitive, because as soon as the window with the deletion options is open, it is hidden behind it and once having clicked for deletion the queue automatically jumps to the next answer and (at least before gaining the ability to see the history) it is very hard to find an answer again.

And I admit, I also voted to recommend deletion, because it is better suited as a comment.

Answer 1

Two suggestions here:

• We already have a method for converting answers into comments - flagging a post for moderator attention.

• Don't let the review queues define your actions. Go to the post and flag it. If it does warrant a review, you can find still find the post by viewing the Low Quality Post history tab. Alternatively, click the Back button on your browser after reviewing, and then click the permalink for the post:

  

A request similar to yours was to add this feature as a 20k+ rep user privilege. However, it was decided that his still is a moderator-only privilege.

This was again suggested as part of a 30k+ privilege under the umbrella of comment moderation, with the following addendum:

"... I think comment moderation is mostly a waste of time. I'd much rather let the system handle comments. Unfortunately, there are already so many comments that should have been edits (or even answers) instead that we can't blindly hide/delete old comments. Creating this privilege will mean committing to manual comment moderation for the foreseeable future. Comment moderation is tedious and unrewarding so I'd rather have our top users do something more productive with their time."

Closing argument: If you really feel an answer of a new-user is better-suited as a comment, make a comment in that regard and flag it for moderator attention.

_{Note that your request here speaks to the design of the user experience and is therefore not really limited to this site. As such, it may be better-suited on Meta.SE (pun intended).}

References:

• Why do I need 50 reputation to comment? What can I do instead? (FAQ)

• Lower the amount of reputation needed to comment

• Convert to comment

• Should moderators be able to convert answers into comments?

• Propose a new 20k reputation privilege

• What privilege should 30k users get?

Answer 2

This post is well intended, but it will fall on the deaf ears of those who are targeted. The mob we are talking about gets a kick from harassing under the guise of enforcing the rules. They hold grudges forever if one of their peers is criticized for doing so, and wage vendettas in response to what they perceive as crimes against their fragile egos.

Case in point: @Johannes_B, who has the audacity to claim he doesn't know what frustration @samcarter is talking about. He and @Kurt wrote disingenuous comments in my latest post, probably to avenge the person I criticized earlier, whose pseudo I don't (care to) remember, after he deleted an answer for the glaringly abusive motive that it was off topic. It's likely a bait to make me lose my temper, so the mob can use the pretext to censor/exclude me.

This is a pest to contend with, but it can't hurt to expose it.