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I have been using the various content-review options, and trying to flag things as appropriate.

However, I got a response to a comment on a answer where I never left a comment!

It seems that if I flag a question as "Not a real answer" using one of the content-review mechanism, it automatically adds a comment:

This does not provide an answer to the question. To critique or request clarification from an author, leave a comment below their post - you can always comment on your own posts, and once you have sufficient reputation you will be able to comment on any post.

Using my name, without being obvious that it's going to auto-insert something using my name.

enter image description here

While I think adding a "Add this pre-defined comment" button for people with enough rep, adding such a comment, and particularly making such a comment using my username, without asking or clear notification that this is going to happen is a very bad idea.

I'm generally OK the idea behind this function (and I do think that something in it's vein is actually a good idea), but I think it should be a separate button, or similar. The flagging and the automatic-comment-insertion should be two separate options, so if someone else has already added such a comment, or in a situation where (such as the example above), where the OP was basically saying he did what was detailed in the original answer, and it worked.

Clarification

My issue is mostly that the SE forum software is impersonating me without letting me know that it is impersonating me, and then putting words in my mouth. I really dislike it when a computer/whatever does something claiming to be me without at least indicating it's going to do so.

Basically, I log on today, and someone is responding to an automatic comment that the SE software made in my name that didn't appropriately address the issue at hand. If I had known the forum software was going to make such a comment, I would have deleted it, but I was never notified that it was happening.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Whenever I have used that dialog, I felt it was pretty clear that some of the choices would leave canned comments on my behalf. I can kindof see your point about the system leaving comments in your name, but you asked it to. Furthermore, I thinkg its a good thing that these kinds of actions are not anonymous. If you're not willing to stand up publicly and say something, you shouldn't be saying it at all. \$\endgroup\$ – Olin Lathrop Feb 17 '13 at 14:48
  • \$\begingroup\$ @OlinLathrop - Yeah. It looks I was using a different aspect of the moderation facilities, and expecting it to operate like the existing flagging mechanisms, and as such, wasn't paying too close attention. Of course, when writing the question, there wasn't anything in the moderation queue, so I couldn't tell I was being an idiot. \$\endgroup\$ – Connor Wolf Feb 18 '13 at 9:49
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As I can see here, you used the "recommend deletion" option in the review queue:

enter image description here

The "recommend deletion"/"delete" option in the review queue is pretty clear that it is leaving a comment for you:

enter link description here

To be clear, the NAA flag didn't cause this. It was the button you clicked in the review queue.

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If it should have been a comment and you click that then it adds a comment explaining it to the new user. This is ideal function.

In this case it really was not a comment, it was instead a new question, and the user does not yet understand how the SE system works unlike a normal forum where you just post your new question. Had it left that comment, others would validate your review, after a few validations it will delete the post. That automatically left comment will notify the user even after the delete, which you typing a comment will not.

As a new user, you post thinking it is a normal forum with a goofy layout. Suddenly your question is just deleted, no answer, everyone ignores you. That is not ideal, a comment explaining how we are different is, which this system handles.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ My issue is mostly that the SE forum software is impersonating me without letting me know that it is impersonating me, and then putting words in my mouth. I really dislike it when a computer/whatever does something claiming to be me without my knowledge and/or permission. \$\endgroup\$ – Connor Wolf Feb 17 '13 at 6:42
  • \$\begingroup\$ Basically, I log on today, and someone is responding to an automatic comment that the SE software made in my name that didn't appropriately address the issue at hand. If I had known the forum software was going to make such a comment, I would have deleted it, but I was never notified that it was happening. \$\endgroup\$ – Connor Wolf Feb 17 '13 at 6:45
  • \$\begingroup\$ @ConnorWolf Why delete it? Such a comment is very helpful to the user. \$\endgroup\$ – Kortuk Feb 17 '13 at 6:46
  • \$\begingroup\$ Because it was incorrect! See Dave Tweed's response. \$\endgroup\$ – Connor Wolf Feb 17 '13 at 6:47
  • \$\begingroup\$ And most principally, because I didn't actually say that! \$\endgroup\$ – Connor Wolf Feb 17 '13 at 6:48
  • \$\begingroup\$ I primarily have an attribution issue. \$\endgroup\$ – Connor Wolf Feb 17 '13 at 6:48
  • \$\begingroup\$ @ConnorWolf I believe that is because you selected the wrong problem with the post, you selected that the post should be a comment instead. You did say that. You just did not realize you said it publicly, which you did. When you review and select a problem it is public to the rest of the review queue and the user in general, explaining how the site works. You could feature request specifically that the site notifies you that you are going to be leaving a comment, but this is intended function. \$\endgroup\$ – Kortuk Feb 17 '13 at 6:49
  • \$\begingroup\$ So the other options also add comments automatically? I would have issues with that too. And yes, if the site is going to leave a comment impersonating someone, I think not notifying that person is a tremendous oversight. \$\endgroup\$ – Connor Wolf Feb 17 '13 at 6:50
  • \$\begingroup\$ @ConnorWolf Do you not want the user to have what they have done incorrectly explained to them? \$\endgroup\$ – Kortuk Feb 17 '13 at 6:51
  • \$\begingroup\$ Sure! Have one of the bots add the comment! Just don't put words in my mouth, please. I know (and am ok) with my moderating activity being publicly available. Alternatively, require me to enter a comment of my own to flag a post as such (or better yet, have an option of either using the pre-existing comment, or your own, with radio-buttons or similar). \$\endgroup\$ – Connor Wolf Feb 17 '13 at 6:53
  • \$\begingroup\$ @ConnorWolf This automatic comment is their solution to making a nice macro that does not waste your time, you can request a feature that it notifies you it is doing such or you could request it is under a bot name. Or you can think of it as that. I just dont understand the issue, you did not word it that way, but you did say that the post should be a comment. \$\endgroup\$ – Kortuk Feb 17 '13 at 6:54
  • \$\begingroup\$ Most people write very poor comments themselves unless they are macro'ed, this comment will even notify in the inbox after post deletion. That is a special function just for these review comments. \$\endgroup\$ – Kortuk Feb 17 '13 at 6:55
  • \$\begingroup\$ And I actually stand-by that the post should have been a comment, too. The OP was saying he did what another answer said (and repeated that answer), and it worked. \$\endgroup\$ – Connor Wolf Feb 17 '13 at 6:56
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    \$\begingroup\$ I seem to be getting caught up in the details here. Basically, I was just just surprised (and a bit put off) to get here today and see that people are responding to a macro'ed comment posted in my name, that I didn't know was being posted. Really, my primary complaint is this feature was added to existing functionality that I was already using, without any notification that anything had changed. If I had known it was there, I might have behaved differently. \$\endgroup\$ – Connor Wolf Feb 17 '13 at 6:59
  • \$\begingroup\$ @ConnorWolf Okay, I do feel it was a question of how to do the button, but verifying, like you often would on a forum, that the existing solution worked for them. That is arguing an insignificant detail, the next reviewer. should have also validated it was Not An Answer and it would have left the comment for why they felt it was not. After X number, it would be deleted. That is where the mess came from, otherwise, it allows other users to leave you feedback on why you felt an answer needed to be axed to share how they feel. \$\endgroup\$ – Kortuk Feb 17 '13 at 7:01

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