user11535: This site is not inclusive. In fact, it is elitist. It is everything Buddism speaks against. When you post a question anyone who has a thought on the subject should be able to post a comment and not have to earn the privilege to have an opinion.
Sandra Lockhart- I will not return, thanks anyway

user254: You wrote, "When you post a question anyone who has a thought on the subject should be able to post a comment"
In fact, when you post a question, anyone who has a thought on the subject is able, to post an answer (not to post a comment).
This is intended as Q&A site. The tour (i.e. the quick overview of the site) says:

Ask questions, get answers, no distractions
This site is all about getting answers. It's not a discussion forum. There's no chit-chat.

People can eventually comment on other people's answers ... but that (i.e. commenting on other people's answers) is not the main purpose the site ... it's a "privilege" reserved for people who have used the site enough to understand the difference between an answer and a comment. See also:

What is reputation? How do I earn (and lose) it?
Comment Everywhere

Note that the "Comment Everywhere" description has quite a long list titled, "When shouldn't I comment?" One of the reason for making commenting a "privileged" operation is so that users have time to get used to policies like this, before they begin to post comments themselves.
In summary:

You are welcome to post questions and answers, and post comments to your own questions and answers.

You can post comments to other people's questions and answers after you've "earned" some "reputation" (not very much is needed, i.e. "50" ... you can get 50 by getting 5 upvotes on your answers).



user289: The SE engine is a website type that can be reused for different special interests. It was created to address the problems of forums (e.g. phpBB) and mailing lists. Those online social mechanisms have a variety of problems, such as lacking features to encourage people to stay on topic, to create high quality content and be civil.
SE started out as Stack Overflow, which was for software development questions. It was very successful in that area and the developers of SO create SE for a long list of special interests that might fit the question-and-answer format, including Religions and so on. There is nothing in particular drawn from the field of Buddhism (or Personal Finance or Parenting or whatever) to make the rules. For example, I imagine a Buddhist site might have features related to sectarianism (this SE is all sects and sometimes that works, sometimes not) or the fact that some forms of Buddhism give special status to gurus, monks or the like (this SE give special status to people who write good answers and questions as judged by votes of people who happen to visit the site)

11535: <p>This site is not inclusive. In fact, it is elitist. It is everything Buddism speaks against. When you post a question anyone who has a thought on the subject should be able to post a comment and not have to earn the privilege to have an opinion.
Sandra Lockhart- I will not return, thanks anyway</p>
 254: <p>You wrote, &quot;When you post a question anyone who has a thought on the subject should be able to post a comment&quot;</p>
<p>In fact, when you post a question, anyone who has a thought on the subject <strong>is able</strong>, to post <strong>an answer</strong> (not to post a comment).</p>
<p>This is intended as Q&amp;A site. <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/tour">The tour (i.e. the quick overview of the site) says</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Ask questions, get answers, no distractions</p>
<p>This site is all about <strong>getting answers</strong>. It's not a discussion forum. There's no chit-chat.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>People can eventually comment on other people's answers ... but that (i.e. <em>commenting</em> on other people's answers) is not the main purpose the site ... it's a &quot;privilege&quot; reserved for people who have used the site enough to understand the difference between an answer and a comment. See also:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/help/whats-reputation">What is reputation? How do I earn (and lose) it?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/help/privileges/comment">Comment Everywhere</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Note that the &quot;Comment Everywhere&quot; description has quite a long list titled, &quot;When <em>shouldn't</em> I comment?&quot; One of the reason for making commenting a &quot;privileged&quot; operation is so that users have time to get used to policies like this, before they begin to post comments themselves.</p>
<p>In summary:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>You are welcome to post questions and answers, and post comments to your own questions and answers.</p>
</li>
<li><p>You can post comments to other people's questions and answers after you've &quot;earned&quot; some &quot;reputation&quot; (not very much is needed, i.e. &quot;50&quot; ... you can get 50 by getting 5 upvotes on your answers).</p>
</li>
</ul>
 289: <p>The SE engine is a website type that can be reused for different special interests. It was created to address the problems of forums (e.g. phpBB) and mailing lists. Those online social mechanisms have a variety of problems, such as lacking features to encourage people to stay on topic, to create high quality content and be civil.</p>

<p>SE started out as Stack Overflow, which was for software development questions. It was very successful in that area and the developers of SO create SE for a long list of special interests that might fit the question-and-answer format, including Religions and so on. There is nothing in particular drawn from the field of Buddhism (or Personal Finance or Parenting or whatever) to make the rules. For example, I imagine a Buddhist site might have features related to sectarianism (this SE is all sects and sometimes that works, sometimes not) or the fact that some forms of Buddhism give special status to gurus, monks or the like (this SE give special status to people who write good answers and questions as judged by votes of people who happen to visit the site)</p>
