Placeholding...do you know what this Yahoo term means?

Question

Read it last night when I was looking at violations and appeals. Someone was told that they were placeholding for points. Have you heard this and can you explain? Thanks.

(And yes, I'm aware I'm asking this in Seniors!)

Answer 1

When you open up a newly asked question, and the first answer in line is merely a 'd' or other letter. But when you have typed out your response in full and posted it, and you review the other answers that got posted before yours, suddenly there is a long involved answer in the place of that initial 'd' in first place.



This is a "placeholder". That 'd' will hold your first place in line of answers, no matter how much time it takes you to post an involved answer...not exactly fair to the others who posted normally. Especially since I have seen placeholders that will deliberately plagiarise someone from farther down in the string of answers, and yet it looks like their answer was posted first.



Now the only reason that people would want to placehold are twofold...1) They absolutely HAVE to be first in line, because that is a requirement of their personality. And 2) If the question goes to a community vote it is most often that first answer that will receive the majority of the votes, because more than half the people doing the voting are only intent on earning maximum points for the process, using minimum time.

Answer 2

Nope, I haven't heard of this little d plan. Sounds silly, but I'll check it out. It must be part of the new yahoo update. I joined in so long ago, that I really haven't bothered to re-read the community guidelines, except for the violations rules! I never cared about the points to begin with, then it was too late & I was hooked & made tons of violations in the beginning & learned much. Now things have changed, yet stayed the same, cuz I was always a D student anyway! Sometimes those little d letters get flipped & look like little b's when I get tired!

Answer 3

I read the suggested link given and now am even more confused than before.....although I learned something about the drop down menu on Show Answers....



Seems as if 'placeholding' is a term in use in many different venues...not just Yahoo

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Edit: here is what Yahoo says:



http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/answers/abuse/guidelines-12.html



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Thanks Rita for translating it for me! NOW I understand!

Answer 4

Thanks for asking this. I had never heard of it. I followed the link another answerer provided and now I know. It all just seems silly to me. These points mean nothing! Absolutely nothing. I understand reporting abuse for foul language, racist remakes, etc., but don't understand the kick some people get out of reporting abuse for innocuous questions

and answers. This is a nice site to learn something and also help someone else now and then. It's to bad some people want to complicate it.

Answer 5

Iritadragon has it right...and we all know how valuable Yahoo points are! Just last week, with my points, I was upgraded from flying Coach to flying .. Coach! Yes, as far as I can see, they are very valuable. What I have noticed is that in most sections that are put to a vote, the only reason they are put to a vote is there was only one answer, it hung around for a full year, and then was "awarded" best answer...hmmmmmm I suppose that if there is only one answer, it is the best answer, right or wrong. Phil

Answer 6

You got it right from the folks here, and it really does pay off, two weeks ago I earned a 2 yr lease on a BMW. Yahoo pays off quick two (most of my points were from place holding)--paid off in school days too huh ? The epitome of popularity

Answer 7

the only placeholding I have heard of is when you wait in line and someone holds your place if you have to leave for some reason.

Answer 8

I did a search on the forums here , maybe this may give you an answer. http://suggestions.yahoo.com/detail/?prop=answers&fid=48551