Posting multiple solutions in a single answer

Question

See this answer, for instance. The answerer divided it up into 3 numbered pieces, each of which is a separate solution to the problem.

As I understand it, the way the site works is that distinct solutions should be posted as separate answers, using the "Add Another Answer" button. This way they can be compared and voted up or down independently, and someone else looking for the solution will find an accepted answer with only one solution, not an accepted answer with three different solutions, and no way to know which was actually used by the questioner.

Can we encourage this in some way? Is there a way to break up other people's answers?

What is the official etiquette on answering a question twice?

Answer 1

I have given different solutions to an answer in the past, but then mainly when the question was something like "What possible ways are there to...?", where the asker expects a list of possibilities. I try to avoid it when just a solution is asked, and on at least one occasion I've split an answer which had two solutions into two answers.
Separate answers look more clearly structured if they're not directly related other than being answers to the same question. Knowing that they're by the same author isn't an added value.
On the other hand, if they're separate answers you can vote for each solution separately. I'm with Ed Koch on this, often asking myself "How am I doing?". Votes are good for this; if an answer of mine does get few or no votes at all I sometimes try to improve it.
Multiple answers in a single post may not get a vote from me, often because I'm not so fond of one of the answers. The poster will never know.

So, yes, I'm in favor of splitting up different solutions into different answers.

Answer 2

In my opinion this isn't a big deal. I suppose you're right from a purely structural sense. However, in reality people just want to type their answers, and often it's legitimate to present several possible solutions. I agree with Jeff, that it might be worth it to write multiple answers if they really are very different, but most of the time that isn't the case. Personally, I'm not likely to bother writing separate answers. If anyone doesn't like that, they can have all their money back they paid me for the free advice.

Answer 3

(1) I suggest that this question be closed as it is a direct duplicate of the reference that endolith gave as an example :-) - that's a joke by the way.

(2) (Please) leave my answers alone, divide up your own answers any way you like, I like my answers just the way they are, more or less :-).

If I put 3 "answers" in one post (as I did and which lead to this question) it's because I thought it was useful to do so. I have already explained why in the comments attached to that question.

I'm surprised that as endolith is specifically "attacking" an answer of mine that he did not provide a reference to it.

This is the question in question.

Here the relevant portions of our discussion:

• I think this should be split into multiple answers – endolith Sep 1 at 5:28 3

• @endolith - serious question - why split it? This is all on his topic AND forms a single point resource for others. – Russell McMahon Sep 1 at 6:10

• @RussellMcMahon: Because there are several different solutions here. They should be in different answers so we can vote each one up or down and comment on each independently. – endolith Sep 1 at 13:33

• @endolith - I'm here to try to answer useful questions usefully. Others can split up their questions to maximise voting outcomes if it please them :-). Very hopefully people will not seek to splt up mine by editing. – Russell McMahon Sep 1 at 14:14

• @RussellMcMahon: I said split up the answer not the question. You have 3 different answers here. – endolith Sep 1 at 23:56

• @endolith - sorry yes, split up answers is what I was referring to. There are 3 circuits but it's all one "answer". As I said, together they form a potential resource that allows ease of comparison, internal reference etc. I'm very happy for such things to be done as a whole. – Russell McMahon Sep 2 at 0:17

Note that this answer has a "score" of 10 so far and has been accepted. That seems like it is of value to a number of people. as a resource the various versions are clustered together and where relevant comments can be made on more than one of the circuits and the results of each can be compared.

Splitting the answer up would seem to be more about scoring and getting points than about being useful to the users. Frankly, I'm with Ret Butler on that one :-).