Where'd the "official answer" button go post-submittal?

Hmm, well I don't actually have an example right now, but I think I understand more of the issue. When I initially posted my response on http://getsatisfaction.com/socialthin... I was logged out. I quickly realized that that post had no option for "this solves the problem", so I deleted it and reposted while logged in. Is it possible that being not logged in initially had something to do with it?

FWIW, I noticed this too with a recent reply I made to a question... Revisiting the topic URL, however, revealed the "official answer" link. Maybe it's missing from the "ajaxy" region that is shown immediately after posting the reply, but then is displayed correctly when the page is re-rendered?

Or I could be blind and I just missed it. :-)

I think it's an issue of the timing of the login action. Let me explain:

When you visit a topic page to reply, and you're logged out, you'll see the most basic "everyone" version of the reply form. The easiest way to tell you're looking at this version is that your avatar won't be on the left side (it'll be a cupcake) and there will be no check box for marking a "best answer." Also, once you click "Post Reply," the inline login form will appear.

The issue presents itself when you are an employee, and logging in grants you the privilege to promote a reply. So the login returns successfully, the form updates, and the reply is posted. There's no way to sneak in any employee-specific changes halfway through (when logged in, but before the reply posts).

This was intended to make the process more seamless for everyone, but it seems like it might be a good idea to halt the process after login for employees, so that the extra options can be used. This would require that you click the "Post reply" button again.

Does anyone have opinions on the process or ideas for improving it? It might also be possible to change the logged out version of the "Post Reply" button to say something like "Log in and Post Reply."

And after posting that long reply, I think Ive discovered the actual issue you're mentioning, because my post doesn't have the "Mark as a company answer" link with the green icon! Whoops...

Right, so I think what we're all realizing is that there are two issues here:

1) If not logged in, there will be inconsistency, as the "employee" posting options are for employees and not the public.
Possible solution: I agree that having two buttons ("Login", and "Login and Post Reply") is a welcome compromise. As UX goes, it gives greater flexibility without the inconvenience of multiple clicks (with ajax loading in-between).

2) The other issue is that there is a pre-post checkbox and a post-post (yeah, I went there) -link- that both mark the post as "This answers the question, put it at the top". The checkbox doesn't appear if you're not logged in (expected, unless the "Login"/"Login and Post Reply" is implemented: it -should- appear after "Login" for employees). The link, however, -should appear- after you post, since you are now logged in and recognized as an employee.

Hope that helps.

I'm looking into this now.