the problem is that the person who has put a question needs an answer. Every person that answers thinks his answer is the best. It is up to the first one to decide, which answer is the best. So it is very right to say one's opinion - agree or disagree - but whether this opinion is the best or not... who can decide it? maybe this matter could be discussed in a forum?

Jacek is absolutely right.

I have personally experienced a couple of situations that a wrong answer had been awarded before I posted the correct one with solid dictionary references...

However, one must understand, that very often time is of the essence and quick responses are helpful, even if they are not 100% correct.

Besides, I do not see any virtue in waiting 24 hours before awarding points to a person who provides an anwer to my question, with good references.

Questions with no references available are a completely different story.

There is also an issue of VALIDITY OF REFERENCES.

Quoting websites is fine, PROVIDED THAT THEY ARE NATIVE OF THE LANGUAGE IN QUESTION!!!

For example, if a question needs to be translated into English, only native english websites are credible to prove that the answer is OK.
Others are more or less "skewed"

For example. If you search the web for ARCHICATEDRAL CHURCH, you will find a couple of links giving exactly this phrase and perfectly fitting the context. HOWEVER, THEY ARE ALL POLISH, LATVIAN OR OF OTHER SLAVIC LANGUAGES.
Thus, providing little credibility.

Hope to hear more opinions on these issues.

I think that while I agree with R. Pranagal's comment, I don't know what "native English site" means exactly. A site originating in an English-speaking country? That would include many places, India and Pakistan among them. I think an answer with no references has to be perceived as potentially as good as one with references (for easy questions). I myself am not fond of web-based references, there is plenty of crap and inaccuracies out there...

I agree with Jacek and I'd run for that 24 hours limit.

Just a little note as to the websites: you can find really everything there, including spelling errrors. I don't consider them as references. It could be helpful or supporting, but I cannot see any sense in long quotations of the sites.

How about using the scale of confidence valuation more? Seems like some of us are near ALWAYS 100% confident, and then we're finding 2 or more different answers with 100% confidence :-)

And, sometimes any answer is helpful, just to let you understand the sense of the sentence, so you choose it as the most helpful. It doesn't mean you use the exact translation proposed.

Ewa