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This answer to the question "How does one Install a Brother HL-2270DW Laser Printer on Arch Linux ARM and Raspberry Pi 4B?". It's deleted and used as an audit question.

For users who can't see deleted posts yet, here it is:

brlaser suggested in another answer will fail for large pages on this printer. Instead, you could try the packages from here

There's a comment from a ♦mod:

Welcome to Super User! Please quote the essential parts of the answer from the reference link(s), as the answer can become invalid if the linked page(s) change.

and the question was deleted by a ♦mod.

While this was also my initial reaction, after inspecting the link I've changed my mind. I think this is not a good audit question because:

  • It provides useful information about problems with solution proposed in the other answer
  • It links to a repository from which a driver can be downloaded
  • The driver package can't be hosted on Super User - the answer unavoidably relies on external resources
  • The linked README file which describes how the driver package can be built from scratch is way too long to be included in the answer and can't be summarized without removing essential information

I think this question should be excluded from audits. I'd also consider undeleting it.

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I'd also consider undeleting it.

I disagree with this part. I've uses strikeout to indicate ink is 404 for example

Instead, you could try the packages from here

It links to a repository from which a driver can be downloaded

The linked README file

Imagine what would happen if the link is no longer available.

I think this question should be excluded from audits

I agreed with this part - but I've no idea how to achieve this.

Lets see if another mod chips in.

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  • "Imagine what would happen if the link is no longer available" - I agree that link-only answers are bad and we should encourage including all necessary information in the answer. But in this case it's impossible/impractical. This answer is as good as it gets: it's useful and includes as much as can be included realistically. What about other questions where the solution is to install a particular driver? Here's an example, answer score +27. Another one but for a problem-focused question, answer score +16.
    – gronostaj
    Commented Mar 4, 2021 at 23:08
  • PS. While including a base64-encoded DEB file in the answer would be possible and would remove dependency on the link, I think it's not a sensible thing to do ;)
    – gronostaj
    Commented Mar 4, 2021 at 23:10
  • I'd say that the answer is entirely lacking useful information. 1) it is effectively link only 2) it does not describe what the link is or might be 3) it does not describe how to try those packages or 4) even how those packages might help. The links might contain everything, but should they die or the information there changes substantially then we lose all usefulness. We have no idea what to search for to restore some level of usefulness or to find a suitable fork, nor do we have a clue what it might be without hoping that the Wayback Machine might have cached a copy.
    – Mokubai Mod
    Commented Mar 4, 2021 at 23:32
  • If the answer were edited into something useful, using real information to qualify the link, then it could be undeleted. That series of actions would mean it is then probably automatically removed from the audit pool.
    – Mokubai Mod
    Commented Mar 4, 2021 at 23:34
  • In its current form is is nothing more than a comment. It needs at least some level of qualification beyond "go over there" to be an answer in my opinion.
    – Mokubai Mod
    Commented Mar 4, 2021 at 23:36
  • In fact, somebody did submit it as a comment last year, a new user submitted a link only answer this year. I would expect some sort of explanation on HOW to use that driver. However, as last year taught us, when YouTube-dl GitHub repository went dark even a repository isn’t safe from being nuked
    – Ramhound
    Commented Mar 5, 2021 at 3:57

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