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In 2 days from now, users of legacy versions of our client-side software will no longer be able to login due to forced SSL setup update server-side. the error message will be cryptic. Also, we don't have the email of all such users hence can't easily communicate with them.

Is it acceptable practice to ask a question on superuser.com (with error screenshot) and answer it ourselves (tell user to upgrade)? The idea is that superuser.com is well indexed and page ranked hence would show up high in results of users looking up the error message.

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    As long as it isn't too "advertisey", it should be fine. And it should fit within the scope of the site.
    – Oliver Salzburg Mod
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 10:02
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    No; We are not a bulletin board for your website. redirect the domain to another server, put up your message, use your own infrastructure to notify your users.
    – Ramhound
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 16:43
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    won't work: new versions of the software use the same domain. If we had a better way to display a nice message to users using our own infrastructure, we would certainly do it!
    – Serge Wautier
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 16:47
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    If you don't have the ability to put a notice like this on your website, you should add the functionality, we are not a bulletin board for eWON. Just use your existing knowledge base functionality
    – Ramhound
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 17:49
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    I think it's a great idea if it's the post a user would make after getting it. But, why wouldn't they find it on the product's site? Are we so used to product/company sites not being useful that we don't bother with them anymore? Peer support exists because in-company support is not approachable, and that's clearly not the case here.
    – JDługosz
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 21:01
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    Serge: I just saw the question you asked for this, it looks legit, reads like a perfectly normal question, which is great, but if your goal is to help users googling the error message, you should also copy in the exact wording of the error messages as text, as well as an image, for people copying and googling the full message
    – user56reinstatemonica8
    Commented Feb 25, 2016 at 15:24

1 Answer 1

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I'd suggest a few things.

Firstly, remember the question and answer format and don't make it like an ad. So, ask a question as a confused, lost user would, and answer it likewise

Secondly, make it clear you work for the company - I notice you have it in your profile, but including it in your answer as well.

Third is a general thing. Answers that link to a specific version are slightly lame. Link to a general update page rather than a direct link, so it would be usable should the version go off.

Its unusual, but ought to be fine, as long as you do it right.

I do notice some other non product activity and you've asked nicely, so as far as I go, I'm sure you aren't a spammer for doing this.

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  • So are you suggesting they should or should not ask a question specific to this problem they are creating?
    – Ramhound
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 16:44
  • @Ramhound it's up already, but it seems to me to be outside scope as it has to do with a corporate problem.
    – Raystafarian
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 17:39
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    @Ramhound Nowhere do I say that
    – Journeyman Geek Mod
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 21:18

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