What would have led me to forget the Geographical location of Flint?
Does anyone bother to read the past comments anyway?

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Request for Question Clarification by tutuzdad-ga on 09 Jan 2003 14:48 PST

Could you clarify your question please?

Regards;
tutuzdad-ga

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Clarification of Question by kemlo-ga on 09 Jan 2003 14:55 PST

Ignor the first part the second should be self evident

Hi there Kemlo!

Well, your second question may not be quite as self-evident as you may
have thought, but hey, we’re researchers. We’re supposed to be able to
figure this stuff out right?  :-)

So, I researched and figured it out. 

The first half of your question, which I’ll ignore as per your
instructions in a minute, is a result of your comment here:

Which English county is Bavaria most like?
http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=139172


For the second part of your question I have an answer: 

While a question is still live -- that is unanswered-- the researchers
DO read each and every comment before attempting to answer the
question.  This keeps us from posting redundant information that the
customer has already received for free. It also helps us to use all
the leads provided by commenters and other researchers who may have
come up with partial answers.

Once the question has been answered (or expires) it leaves our
“Questions Needing an Answer” list and we seldom go back to it. Our
job is to keep moving through the unanswered list.

However, many non-researchers peruse Google Answers every single day.
If a person takes an interest in the topic being questioned, s/he will
certainly read all the comments and often make more. Sometimes the
comment exchange is more interesting than the actual answer!

Check this out:

How many people view this question
http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=69883

Or this:

English Word
http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=45805


But, as you can see, even those come to an end. Eventually the
question filters its way to back of the pack. Expiration comes in
30-days whether it’s answered or not, and then I’d guess the question
and its comments are pretty much forgotten.

Now, that doesn’t mean nobody ever looks at it again. Google Answers
is searchable. So if someone comes along and does a search, like I
did, for – England Wales – they will get a search result that looks
like this:

http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=search&q=england+wales&qtype=all

And then, if interested will go back and read the question and
probably your comments as well.

So, does anyone ever bother to go back and read past comments? Unless
it’s a really interesting question or popular topic, probably not a
whole lot once the question has past its expiration date.

So that should answer your question –

--K~

search terms:

Google Answers for:

England Wales
“how many people” Knowledge_Seeker
“English Word” voila

Comprehensive and well composed.
Thank you for your effort.
Kemlo

Hi, Kemlo

It happens to us all: answering questions that we thought had been
asked.

The questioner may have intended to say 'the UK' but actually said
'England'.

You identified 'Flint' - a very good choice until some pedantic
so-and-so pointed out that it was in Wales.

Sorry to have caused you any distress.

Kindest regards