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I just flagged two comments during a review of a question in the First Posts queue (on another SE site). Then I wanted to select the button I'm Done, but it's unavailable (I can only select No action needed). Even if I refresh my page (while still on that review page), it remains the same.

If however I also downvote the question (only temporary, as a test, since I don't want to downvote the question being reviewed), then it seems to work as I'd expect it to: the button I'm Done becomes available, and No action needed becomes unavailable.

Why is the I'm Done button unavailable after only flagging comments in the First Posts review queue?

Notes:

  1. I'm not convinced that you're supposed to review the actual post, and not (only) the comments underneath it (as mentioned in tinkeringbell's comment). Because "if" I would post a new comment, or just upvote an existing comment, I can actually select I'm Done. While in this case I flagged existing comments which IMO had become obsolete.
  2. Flagging comments is "acting on comments". And if my flag gets accepted (in this case: "no longer needed"), and the comment is actually deleted (by the mod), then it makes the question a bit more readable (= don't waste your time digesting a comment which is obsolete). Therefor "IMO", in the end I also "acted on the post". Think about all those posts with a zillion of comments, of which many are obsolete (e.g because the post got updated already).
  3. I am not sure (yet) if a similar issue exist in any other review queue (i.e. the Late Answers queue).
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    I'm not sure, but I think you're supposed to review the actual first post, and not the comments underneath it?
    – Tinkeringbell Mod
    Commented Nov 3, 2018 at 12:09

2 Answers 2

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The rationale here is (probably) that by flagging the comment, you're acting on the comment, not the post. If the comment is gone before the author of the post notices, it looks like nothing has happened.

On the other hand, if you upvote a comment, you indicate that you agree with it and would've probably posted it yourself if it wasn't there to begin with. Both upvoting a comment and adding a comment do count as a review action (because the comment intends to improve the post; that's where comments are for!) and enable the 'I'm done' button.

The same reasoning applies to the Late Answers review queue; other queues do not have a 'No Action Needed' button.

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    Upvoting a comment enables the button.
    – Sonic the Anonymous Hedgehog
    Commented Nov 3, 2018 at 17:27
  • @SonictheAnonymousHedgehog indeed, that's what I also thought when first posting my question. You mind if I integrate that in my question (alternative: go ahead and add it as an edit in it)
    – Pierre.Vriens
    Commented Nov 3, 2018 at 17:50
  • @Pierre.Vriens You know your question better than I do :)
    – Sonic the Anonymous Hedgehog
    Commented Nov 3, 2018 at 17:50
  • This pretty much sums it up, great answer!
    – Welz
    Commented Nov 21, 2018 at 12:57
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You seem to think that pressing the button will unflag the comment(s) you flagged. The action of flagging the comment is not undone just because you hit "no action needed". The flag is still there.

The no action needed button indicates to other reviewers that you think the post is fine. The purpose of review qeues is for reviewers like you to decide "is there a problem here?" If the post looks fine, just hit no action needed. There is nothing wrong with the post itself.

From your ypdate:

You are right, looking at the comments gives you a better picture of what, if anything, is wrong with the post. If you clean up cluttered comments that are unneeded, it is always helpful.

The "I'm done" and "no action needed" buttons have the same effect. If you would prefer that the "I'm done" button is enabled upon flagging a comment, I would suggest aaking a new question with the tag instead of the tag, and specifying that you want the action to be changed.

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    I really think that what You seem to think is not what "I think". Maybe you can improve your answer to help me understand why you understood my question different from what I mean?
    – Pierre.Vriens
    Commented Nov 3, 2018 at 15:30
  • @Pierre.Vriens I guessed that you thought that pressing the no action needed button would remove the flag because of your first comment on Glorfindel's answer. You described how down voting the post made the button appear, so I guessed that you had assumed that the no action needed button would remove the flag or you needed the I'm done button to appear for some reason. That was backed up by the fact that one of your tags is support, not feature-request, implying you need help, you don't want to change how the button works. I am sorry if my assumption was incorrect.
    – John Locke
    Commented Nov 3, 2018 at 18:22
  • I had guessed that you attached some meaning to the button, so I wanted to clarify that the buttons do not make a difference. Glorfindel's answer gave a reason for the button setup, so I wanted to make sure that you understood that the two buttons have the same efdect, it is just a naming convention, because if a user changes nothing about a post, they would be confused by having to press I'm done. "Why is it I'm done? I haven't changed anything!"
    – John Locke
    Commented Nov 3, 2018 at 18:29
  • Merci @John , that helps to understand your interpretion of my question (which was different from what I wanted to communicate, but hey ...). I just integrated some of my prior comments in my own question (and deleted those comments, no need for "flagging" in this case of course).
    – Pierre.Vriens
    Commented Nov 4, 2018 at 10:21
  • @Pierre.Vriens Edited
    – John Locke
    Commented Nov 4, 2018 at 23:02

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