MAHALO: Collaborative answers/questions? Good Idea? Bad Idea?

I like the idea of adding to a question (a clarification or additional restriction) or improving the tip in order to get a better answer. Many times I see questions where there are two good answers that don't really overlap ... the best answer would be a merging of those two answers some how. Not sure how you would split the tip/points, perhaps allow the answering members to offer to "split the tip" and merge their answers into a mega answer?

Currently you can collaborate on questions by adding sources to an answer. If you mean having the ability to editing somebodies answer, I think that's a whole new can of beans. Some users might not appreciate having their answers edited by others, and it could open the door for much abuse.

Collaborative questions... that's interesting, perhaps being able to "up the tip" with your own balance, that might be easier to implement, either way, interesting question.

A wiki style environment would be a very different site. It would wind up losing the personal touch, I think, especially on questions needing analysis or opinions. On the other hand, what about a mechanism to allow team answers.

People familiar with each other in the community might like trying forming temporary teams for joint answers to some questions. I think it's a good idea to let people boost the tip for questions they'd like to see answered well. You can tip answers, but then it's too late to motivate people to answer who haven't yet.

I think this is very sticky. I've worked with other authors and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I can see someone doing most of the work and the other tagging along.

The other problem is the time needed to answer the question. One person can do the work pretty easily, but two adds to the complexity exponentially. I know I'm the dissenting vote here, but I think it's impractical.

I think it would make MA a completely different kind of site. I like the idea in a way, but there are some that would not want to collaborate, and making the site useable for everyone under their own criteria and still fair would be a real trick.

I like the concept. I've used the chatroom to ask for help. Once, Susan and Angie helped me a lot by giving me very useful links to answer a very special question.

Sometimes it would be good to check the answer with someone else before submitting the final text.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.