What is meta? ×

I have started revising some of my old answers. For some questions I'm finding much better answers. I'm torn on whether I should leave my original answer, which is correct but not the best answer, and just append the new better answer. Or, should I completely replace my old answer with the better answer. I suspect leaving old correct answers, even if they are not the best, betters the community more than if I were to remove it entirely. What should be best practice in this instance?

share|improve this question

1 Answer 1

up vote 4 down vote accepted

Keep it.

Basically, do one of two things:

  1. Clean-up your answer and let it go. You aren't always going to have the best answer, but if it's right then it's good.
  2. Do what you said, and make your answer better. Don't copy the other answer, but if you can add something that he/she didn't include than go for it!
share|improve this answer
Yeah, it's definitely not helpful to more or less copy another answer. Who knows, your own answer might be more applicable to someone. Several technically sound ways of solving the same problem can never hurt. –  Tim Post Dec 29 '12 at 4:17
Re: #2, what if I cite an answer from another similar or duplicate question and append it to my original answer? –  JSuar Dec 31 '12 at 2:26
@Jsuar that'd be fine. –  Dynamic Dec 31 '12 at 3:13

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .