Folklore or official policy?

Question

At this question: Usage of "do not " vs "does not", I saw the following in a comment:

As Reg Dwight has said, '[W]e write stuff in comments that is too obvious to qualify for an answer. [This] is not really a topic for a site for linguists and etymologists, and we don't want it to become a topic.'

Is this just something that those in the know have gradually figured out, or is it articulated formally somewhere?

-- Edit -- Or something else (if so, please politely explain). I feel like I've come into the movie theater in the middle of the movie. Please, help me understand what's going on in this site and what is expected of me.

Answer 1

Please, help me understand what's going on in this site and what is expected of me.

The "search" function in meta can be very, very helpful. For example, searching "answers in comments" will get you 676 results, of which the top few should provide a lot of insight.

These may answer your query:

• Why are answers being posted in the comments on the question?
• Answering questions in comments (<- kinda the same question you're asking, I think)
• Why do people constantly answer questions in the “add a comment” section?
• Answers in comments

Etc.

Although the last two are closed as duplicates, the answers in the comments (ha) are very helpful.

Given that you have posted a number of questions about the site, I suggest that a giving a reason why your search of meta has not cleared your confusion about an issue will help you get a more helpful and satisfying answer.

Also, fyi: SE etiquette is that meta questions are about an issue, not a user, so names are usually left out of questions on meta to avoid making it about a particular user. :-)