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This question was recently closed as duplicate and linked to another question:

However by the time it was closed it had generated a significant amount of interest including three answers. The post it was theoretically a duplicate of was this one:

Now this thread that readers are now directed to, only has one answer. And that answer's not accurate. It doesn't contain references to any vetted grammar sources and is generally misleading.

It would be better if interesting and pertinent questions were not linked to dead end posts with only one answer or, worse still, inaccurate or bad answers, especially if the more recent question is getting the attention that the subject deserves. There is no doubt that this would be better for readers here on ELU. (I'm not saying that answer's bad, but it's inaccurate).

There is of course the argument that one could write an accurate answer for the limping, duplicate thread, but we are all aware that this is very unlikely to happen. Old threads rarely get sufficient attention to merit anyone writing an answer for them.

The upshot of all of this is that as things currently stand, readers are not going to get to read a post on this subject with, for example, references to vetted grammar sources. The new thread is now closed and the old one is as dead as a dodo (a dead one).

Maybe the thing to do in such situations is to merge the old question with the new one, but I don't feel it's a good idea to link good questions to threads with no good answers - especially if the tag on the link says This question already has an answer here.

So two things really, is there any chance of reopening this thread, as I believe it would be beneficial for readers. Secondly, what should we do about good questions' being linked to lame threads, especially when they are thriving on their current page?

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    If the existing answer is "not accurate", write a better one.
    – Andrew Leach Mod
    Feb 17, 2015 at 18:43
  • It is most likely that this thread is a duplicate of another thread in this EL&U meta-land. :D
    – F.E.
    Feb 17, 2015 at 23:32
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    @AndrewLeach And how can anyone write a better answer when the OP's thread is locked and when the so-called duplicate thread does not address the issue that is in the OP's locked thread?
    – F.E.
    Feb 17, 2015 at 23:34
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    Perhaps this thread can be locked as a duplicate of some other thread that doesn't actually address the issue in this thread. :D
    – F.E.
    Feb 17, 2015 at 23:35
  • @F.E. It's this question which has the "inaccurate" answer.
    – Andrew Leach Mod
    Feb 17, 2015 at 23:39
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    Secondly, what should we do about good question's being linked to lame threads, especially when they are thriving on their current page? <== That's a good question. You aren't really expecting to get honest answers, are you? :)
    – F.E.
    Feb 17, 2015 at 23:39
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    @AndrewLeach In this specific case, a person could write a similar answer for both threads. But too often the so-called duplicate thread isn't related to the OP's question; and often it will already have an accepted-answer with bad info, so writing another answer for that so-called duplicate thread would not seem to be too productive. I have seen this situation a lot.
    – F.E.
    Feb 17, 2015 at 23:47
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    @AndrewLeach There's no point in pretending that people are going to write posts for dead threads with poor answers on! That's one of the points of my question ...
    – Araucaria - Him
    Feb 18, 2015 at 0:42
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    I find the mentions of "threads" as opposed to "topics" telling. Stack Exchange is not a discussion forum; it's a Q&A site.
    – Andrew Leach Mod
    Feb 18, 2015 at 8:11
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    @AndrewLeach That's just a silly thing to say as well as being completely off topic. The word thread is being used because there's meant to be both a question and a load of answers on the page. These don't constitute a "topic". But the whole of that's entirely irrelevant here.
    – Araucaria - Him
    Feb 19, 2015 at 15:59
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    No, it's neither off-topic nor silly. Threads are for discussions. But Questions are questions and answers about specific items or topics, and duplicate questions are grouped together. Using the word thread indicates a view that questions are discussion items, which is not the case.
    – Andrew Leach Mod
    Feb 19, 2015 at 16:26
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    @AndrewLeach It is completely off topic, it is just having a swipe at the person who wrote the question. That word is being used to refer to a series of posts on a page, not a discussion. Hope that helps. If you have a concern about people referring to series of posts in that way, please feel free to ask a question here on meta.
    – Araucaria - Him
    Feb 19, 2015 at 16:36

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