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I just realized I answered a question wrong, because I totally misread what the OP said and also I interpreted wrong one of the other answers.

So my current answer it is actually totally wrong. So I just deleted it. However I would like to post another answer, this time correct, in the sense that answers what the OP wants, but I don't think it would be right to edit my previous answer because although the text may be similar the actual answer is different, also I will be posting the answer a bit later because I can't at the moment due to work.

Is it alright if in this situation I just post a new answer later? Or is that against SE? and specifically IPS? I never had this occurring before.

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  • That's usually really badly seen and frown upon but, if it's a completely different answer... well, I don't know
    – Ael
    Sep 30, 2019 at 20:44
  • I know that it's discouraged to completely change a question because it might invalidate answers, but I'm not sure about an answer
    – Rainbacon
    Sep 30, 2019 at 20:49
  • @Rainbacon IMO, completely changing an answer after people have upvoted it is definitively wrong. But in the case of downvotes? I don't know.
    – Ael
    Sep 30, 2019 at 20:51
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    Related Meta.SE: Is it OK to write a new answer after I deleted a downvoted one earlier on? (TL;DR yes, definitely write a new answer) and Deleting a bad answer & posting new vs editing (TL;DR no, how could you even consider this) FWIW, this situation sounds closer to the first case than the second.
    – scohe001
    Sep 30, 2019 at 20:51
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    @scohe001 I think you should write up an answer with that
    – Rainbacon
    Sep 30, 2019 at 20:54
  • @Ælis the change is not prompted by the downvotes, because the downvotes, I am really not sure why they were, I think because I didnt add examples of my personal life, which I was in the process of doing but I had a contigency. In this case I have to think of other examples, the suggestion may be similar but it is different.
    – Mykazuki
    Sep 30, 2019 at 21:05

1 Answer 1

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In this specific case, write a new answer

I found two pretty polarizing cases from Meta.SE. One, Is it OK to write a new answer after I deleted a downvoted one earlier on? is answered with:

Yes, definitely write a new answer.

While another, Deleting a bad answer & posting new vs editing, is answered with:

No, by all means that is the last thing you should do.

Here's what I see as the big difference between the two. In the first, the OP is thinking of answering the question with a completely different answer. Ideally, there is no (or minimal) overlap with their previous, downvoted answer.

While in the latter, OP doesn't really specify. The assumption is made by the answerer that they know how to improve the answer, but the core of the answer would stay the same--that their core advice would not change.

And this makes sense, right? If you have a distinctly different answer, then it deserves to be posted as...well..a distinctly different answer. But if all you want to do is modify how you're delivering the same advice, or add some personal experience/interesting articles/or additional advice for different ways this can play out, well...that sounds like an edit to me.

But at the end of the day, if you think your post is distinct enough to be a different answer, go for it. And if it's not, the mods and community members who can see deleted answers will flag/remove the new one and let you know.

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  • So basically I told the OP "dont ask for permision", and now my new answer will be "Ask this way". Because I read wrong his question and I didn't see that he had to ask sicne he didnt have all the data he needed. The phrasing I will suggest is similar, but the actual answer, for me at least, is different.
    – Mykazuki
    Sep 30, 2019 at 21:09
  • @Mykazuki I've read your deleted answer and I can't really see you answering the same as that now that you understand the question. That, in conjunction with my conclusion in the last paragraph, is why I started off with "In this case, write a new answer" :)
    – scohe001
    Sep 30, 2019 at 21:10
  • A great, yes I wasnt sure you had managed to read it, since when i realized I had messed up I deleted it pretty fast XD
    – Mykazuki
    Sep 30, 2019 at 21:11
  • @Mykazuki I usually read all answers (include deleted ones) before I go to answer a question ;)
    – scohe001
    Sep 30, 2019 at 21:12
  • lol, well I can't do that, I didn't know you could. It is because of your reputation?
    – Mykazuki
    Sep 30, 2019 at 21:15
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    @Mykazuki on beta sites, you'll get the privilege at 2,000 rep (on full sites, it's 10k).
    – scohe001
    Sep 30, 2019 at 21:17

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