Helpful reminder on creating poll options

[Hermitian]

This is far from a pitting, more like a helpful reminder.

When you make a poll, you need to have an “other”, “I don’t know”, or some kind of other snarky option at the bottom just in case the entire SD universe doesn’t fit into one of your few narrow-minded, xenophobic, prejudiced, uninformed options.

Examples:

1. Gym Memberships. All non-negative integers were covered except the billions of people that don’t have a gym membership.

2. Myers-Briggs: Since a link to test was not given in the OP, I think an “I don’t know” or “I think this is all hooey” option would be appropriate.

3. Clicking Lamps: This could definitely use a “I don’t have lamps,” “My lamps are on switched outlets,” “Get with the 20th century, I use touch lamps,” or “I’ve never noticed.”

Not to pick on anyone in particular. These aren’t the worst examples, just ones I could find on the first page.

There are always exceptions.

That is all. You may return to your offices/desks/mines now.

Edited to add: I thought about putting this in IMHO, but I decided it was truly something mudane and pointless that I must share. Mods feel free to move it.

[MsWhatsit]

I prefer a “none of the above; I just want to see the results” option. IMO the only real reason to provide an “other” option is so that people can just display the results without either voting for something that doesn’t apply to them, or having to click an extra link every time.

[twickster]

@Hermitian

Edited to add: I thought about putting this in IMHO, but I decided it was truly something mudane and pointless that I must share. Mods feel free to move it.

Since polls aren’t enabled in MPSIMS, this seems more relevant to IMHO, whither I shall move it for you.

[ZenBeam]

@MsWhatsit

I prefer a “none of the above; I just want to see the results” option. IMO the only real reason to provide an “other” option is so that people can just display the results without either voting for something that doesn’t apply to them, or having to click an extra link every time.

This. Then I can see the results at the top of the thread, on the same page.

[Tastes_of_Chocolate]

Except adding a “I just want to see stuff” option will throw off the percentages on the real votes. Not such a big deal if there are only a couple of options, but if there are a bunch, mentally recalculating to remove those is a PITA.

So no, there doesn’t “need” to be an “other” option.

[Doctor_Jackson]

@Hermitian

When you make a poll, you need to have an “other”, “I don’t know”, or some kind of other snarky option at the bottom just in case the entire SD universe doesn’t fit into one of your few narrow-minded, xenophobic, prejudiced, uninformed options.

I’m gonna need an “All of the above” option on those choices, please.

[Ponch8]

I don’t like the stupid jokes people often put as an option for their polls. An option such as “none of the above” or “I don’t know” should suffice when the other options don’t cover every possibility.

[Trinopus]

@Hermitian

. . . When you make a poll, you need to have an “other”, “I don’t know”, or some kind of other snarky option at the bottom just in case the entire SD universe doesn’t fit into one of your few narrow-minded, xenophobic, prejudiced, uninformed options. . . .

Nope; some questions can be answered with a “yes” or “no,” and, while I do enjoy playing the silly “I like pie” game now and then, it doesn’t have to be played all the time, every time. If I offer you a “yes” or “no” choice, and you don’t have the experience at all, and thus can’t vote – don’t vote.