View source for Oddworld Questions & Answers

<b><dfn>Oddworld Questions & Answers</dfn></b> (<b>Oddworld <abbr title="Questions & Answers">Q&A</abbr></b>) is a series of threads stickied in Oddworld Discussion on the [[Oddworld Forums]]. These threads are provided as a place to ask simple questions for which a simple answer is expected instead of generating ongoing discussion, thus reducing the number of short-lived, low-content threads in Oddworld Discussion. It is also a media request thread, allowing members to ask for images, audio, videos and links. Only one thread is active at a time, with new editions created as the current incarnation grows to a length prohibitive to browsing.

It is not unusual for discussion to arise in Oddworld Questions & Answers threads, particularly when the absence of an official answer provides room for speculation. Sometimes this grows to the point that a moderator splits this discussion into its own thread. Conversely, threads containing questions that should have been asked in Oddworld <abbr title="Questions & Answers">Q&A</abbr> are frequently merged with the current <abbr title="Questions & Answers">Q&A</abbr> thread. There is no formal structure to the process, so any question may be answered at any point in time, with the addressing of several questions overlapping in time and sharing posts.

== History ==
The first edition of Oddworld Questions & Answers was created by TheKhanzumer in <time datetime="2002-10-24T20:11:26Z">October 2002</time> in an attempt to reduce the number of short-lived threads in General Oddworld Discussion; it was stickied by [[Xavier]] less than five hours later, and proved so popular that a replacement was required within a year, created by Xavier. The third edition, as with every edition since, was created by [[Wil|Max the Mug]].

The fourth edition replaced both the previous thread and the <b><dfn>Picture Request</dfn></b> threads, a similar series for the requesting of images started by Xavier in <time datetime="2002-02-22T19:36:21Z">February 2002</time> to share his extensive archive of [[Oddworld]] images. Its eighth edition was planned as its final incarnation as [[The Oddworld Graphics Gallery]] (<abbr title="The Oddworld Graphics Gallery">TOGG</abbr>) was planned for release in the near future, but it was expected that some members would still request missing, forgotten or other pictures. ‘Oddworld Questions & Answers Vα’ broadened this feature to requests for other media and links.

‘Oddworld Questions and Answers Vα’ includes an alpha in its title because an original fifth edition was created, but was amongst the data lost during an unsuccessful attempt to update the vBulletin software powering the Oddworld Forums. Subsequent improvements to vBulletin's search feature has allowed <abbr title="Questions & Answers">Q&A</abbr> threads to remain active and usable for longer.

‘Oddworld Questions & Answers IX’ was the last thread in the series, with the last post to it made in <time datetime="2016-11-05T17:34">November 2016</time>.

== Editions ==
=== Oddworld Questions & Answers ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
! scope="col" | Edition
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Title
! scope="col" data-sort-type="date" | Creation
! scope="col" | Posts
! scope="col" | Duration (days)
|-
| 1 || style="text-align: left;" | [http://www.owforums.net/showthread.php?t=6706 Oddworld Questions and Answers]
| <time datetime="2002-10-24T20:11:26Z">24 October 2002</time> || &#8199;301 || &#8199;241
|-
| 2 || style="text-align: left;" | [http://www.owforums.net/showthread.php?t=8353 Oddworld Questions and Answers 2]
| <time datetime="2003-06-22T18:49:53Z">22 June 2003</time> || &#8199;347 || &#8199;319
|-
| 3 || style="text-align: left;" | [http://www.owforums.net/showthread.php?t=10017 Oddworld Questions and Answers III]
| <time datetime="2004-05-06T05:07:47Z">6 May 2004</time> || &#8199;505 || &#8199;626
|-
| 4 || style="text-align: left;" | [http://www.owforums.net/showthread.php?t=13279 Oddworld Questions and Answers IV]
| <time datetime="2006-01-19T19:22">19 January 2006</time> || &#8199;588 || &#8199;224
|-
| 5 || style="text-align: left;" | [http://www.owforums.net/showthread.php?t=14386 Oddworld Questions and Answers Vα]
| <time datetime="2006-09-31T20:32">31 August 2006</time> || &#8199;603 || &#8199;139
|-
| 6 || style="text-align: left;" | [http://www.owforums.net/showthread.php?t=14890 Oddworld Questions & Answers VI]
| <time datetime="2007-01-17T19:58">17 January 2007</time> || 1441 || &#8199;389
|-
| 7 || style="text-align: left;" | [http://www.owforums.net/showthread.php?t=16599 Oddworld Questions & Answers VII]
| <time datetime="2008-02-10T11:08">10 February 2008</time> || 1545 || &#8199;778
|-
| 8 || style="text-align: left;" | [http://www.owforums.net/showthread.php?t=19094 Oddworld Questions & Answers VIII]
| <time datetime="2010-03-19T19:00">19 March 2010</time> || 1505 || 1342
|-
| 9 || style="text-align: left;" | [http://owforums.net/showthread.php?t=21432 Oddworld Questions & Answers IX]
| <time datetime="2013-11-20T13:38">20 November 2013</time> || &#8199;412 || 1081
|-
|}

=== Picture Request ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
! scope="col" | Edition
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Title
! scope="col" data-sort-type="date" | Creation
! scope="col" | Posts
! scope="col" | Duration (days)
|-
| 1 || style="text-align: left;" | [http://www.owforums.net/showthread.php?t=4084 Picture request]
| <time datetime="2002-02-22T19:36:21Z">22 February 2002</time> || &#8199;44 || &#8199;&#8199;6
|-
| 2 || style="text-align: left;" | [http://www.owforums.net/showthread.php?t=4301 Picture request second edition]
| <time datetime="2002-03-08T01:04:31Z">8 March 2002</time> || 152 || &#8199;37
|-
| 3 || style="text-align: left;" | [http://www.owforums.net/showthread.php?t=4793 Picture request n° III]
| <time datetime="2002-04-14T14:03:15Z">14 April 2002</time> || 184 || &#8199;37
|-
| 4 || style="text-align: left;" | [http://www.owforums.net/showthread.php?t=5167 Picture request n° 4 !]
| <time datetime="2002-05-22T01:49:14Z">22 May 2002</time> || 144 || 104
|-
| 5 || style="text-align: left;" | [http://www.owforums.net/showthread.php?t=6274 Picture Request Fifth Edition]
| <time datetime="2002-09-03T21:47:36Z">3 September 2002</time> || 248 || &#8199;74
|-
| 6 || style="text-align: left;" | [http://www.owforums.net/showthread.php?t=6861 Picture request number VI!]
| <time datetime="2002-11-16T02:54:01Z">16 November 2002</time> || 325 || 218
|-
| 7 || style="text-align: left;" | [http://www.owforums.net/showthread.php?t=8352 Picture Request n° Se7en]
| <time datetime="2003-06-22T18:35:53Z">22 June 2003</time> || 452 || 319
|-
| 8 || style="text-align: left;" | [http://www.owforums.net/showthread.php?t=11266 Picture Request Version 8.0]
| <time datetime="2004-05-06T17:15:49Z">6 May 2004</time> || 617 || 691
|-
|}
[[Category:Oddworld Forums]]