An interesting idea.
Yahoo Answers has an approach in which you start by categorising your question into one of a dozen categories (e.g. Science, Mathematics, Culture, ...). Then readers award points for the answers they appreciate. e.g.
Why do Americans still use those outdated units?
I mean like, why do they still use inches, feet and miles? It's not easy to convert them from one to another, and you can't use them when you have to do scientific measurements/calculations, you'd have to convert everything (when you have to calculate force/pressure etc.). Also, why do they still use libra pounds? And gallons? And why do they use Fahrenheit - it's such an unlogical scale? Why haven't they been abolished yet?
(N.B. He doesn't mean: 'why haven't Americans been abolished yet?')
And here's a few answers:
- What business is it of yours?
- Because they enjoy irritating British Engineers. (Sorry and all other Europeans too. And most of the rest of the world.) What I do quite like though is they also refer to BTUs and never quite give them their full title. "BRITISH Thermal Units."
- Almost all american professors and scientists wish we would change. All science classes are taught in metric and almost every time you learn conversions there's an explanation as to why it's ridiculous that we are one of only 3 countries that use the old english system still.
I often see people asking questions in the middle of forums that I have an answer to but the best I can do is quote them. It would be nice if we had a reply feature so that we can answer people's questions (or comment on their post) directly.