Why is this simple, straightforward question on a standard Windows feature closed as "Needs details"?

Question

Once again, I find myself confused on why a question was closed as "Unclear/Needs Details":

• Why are there empty files in %localappdata%\Microsoft\WindowsApps?

What is unclear about that question? Is it just because the user didn't list their files? It really shouldn't be necessary in this case!

Almost any Windows user (especially Windows 11) should be able to check that location for their profile and see 0-byte files (e.g. Paint's pbrush.exe in Windows 11 or Edge's MicrosoftEdge.exe in Windows 10). These are App Execution Aliases, which is a standard Windows feature and has been for some time. Did those that VTC'd really not have anything in that location, or did they just not check?

And again, it seems to me to be common courtesy to just ask for some additional information when VTC'ing if you don't understand it. I've been told by a user in comments (here on Meta) that they don't do this because some users then argue in the comments that the question is clear as it stands. Well ... YES!!!! It is. If someone else can correctly answer the question as-is, then (a) the question wasn't unclear, and (b) the additional information that you thought was needed, wasn't.

As a side-note, I'm really surprised that I didn't find a duplicate here, since it is so simple a question. But I didn't see a match when searching for "Execution Alias" on the site, at least. (Update): Ramhound points to What's the AppData/Local/Microsoft/WindowsApps folder for? as being a potential candidate, but unfortunately since it is closed as a duplicate itself with no answers, it can't be used as the dupe-target for this question. And the original really isn't a duplicate of this new question, since it isn't about Python, but is about 0-byte files and that directory.

I would consider this much more useful to the user who asked if we could point it to an actual duplicate that would answer their question, rather than the unhelpful "Needs details".

Answer 1

The reason given in the comments for closing was that the OP didn't list any files in the directory, which I maintain was not necessary information for answering the question. Without examples of files, the voter didn't recognize it as the directory for App Execution Aliases in Windows, but I did, and others might have.

I would propose that the question is better without a list of files for two reasons:

• If multiple files were listed, some people here might vote-to-close as "Needs focus".
• If one file was listed, the question would become about that one file.

With no files listed, it actually serves as a great "generic" duplicate for future readers to find.

However, we also determined that there was a duplicate that would answer the question (related to python.exe as an example file), and to me, a duplicate is a much more useful Close than a "Needs details", since it ultimately provides an answer to the question for the user.

So while ultimately the question remains closed, at least it is with a worthwhile duplicate pointer in this case.