What to do with "Opening local document files in Google Docs" from 2009

Question

Please bear with me. I'm asking this because I'm got an edit ban because several of my lasts suggested edits were rejected. I'm guessing that people don't want that google-drive be removed from newer questions despite this tag usage guidelines says that it's for questions about a deprecated Google Drive installable client that it's not working anymore. Anyway, my edit ban is not the focus of this question, I'm just mentioned it as context of why I'm asking instead of suggesting an edit.

Opening local document files in Google Docs (deleted, require rep +10k, https://archive.is/xELWu h/t JourneyMan Geek) was shown in the related links while viewing a recent question. This question is from December 11, 2009. The title says "Google Docs" but the product that was called not longer exists. Again, I not searching for / digging into old questions this was shown by the system as a related question in a recently posted question.

This product, Google Docs from 2009, was replaced by Google Drive and Google Docs in 2012. Nowadays Google Drive is for file storage and Google Docs for and document processing application.

One possible change is to edit the question title to "Opening local document files in Google Drive" but the content is about using making Google Chrome to open local files "straight" in "Google Docs".

This question has three answers, all of them are obsolete.

It has google-docs. This tag nowadays doesn't make sense as the current Google Docs products is doesn't include a general document viewer, it only works for docx and Google Docs files (Google own file format for document processor files).

I think that this question should be closed as off-topic, even it's not completely off-topic as it about using Google Chrome and the current answer might require Chrome extensions, but it's not a really good question. Or it's according to Super User current standards?

P.S. I might be interesting to know why this question was not migrated to Web Applications when other questions where migrated. The question history timeline doesn't include migration records, actually it's surprinsingly too short for being a question from the Super User 1st year.

Related

• What to do with [google-drive] and [google-drive-file-stream]

---

A bit of History

• Google announced Google Docs and Spreadsheet in 2006. Source Google Announces Google Docs & Spreadsheets | Google news from Google from October 11, 2006
• Google Docs become closer to what nowadays is Google Drive when folders were added in 2007. Source An entirely new way to stay organized | Google Drive Blog from June 26, 2007.
• Super User public access started in July 2009. Source : Super User Semi-Private Beta Begins from July 15, 2009
• Google Drive was launched in 2012. Source Introducing Google Drive... yes, really | Official Google Blog from April 24, 2012.

Answer 1

What to do with obsolete answers/questions is a bit of a tricky thing. I do recall its one of the hard problems of the network and frankly it is very tricky thing to deal with.

This question has three answers, all of them are obsolete.

I really don't suggest doing so in bulk but flagging such questions as you come across them for attention is a good idea.

Considering quite some meta posts get lost and forgotten, if you've got the time/energy, its worth considering bringing up the issue again.

Its a lot to ask for but its also useful if its needed in bulk to have a listing of the posts on hand - if you're looking through these anyway. If its a post that needs to go, editing after deletion would not obviously bump it, and it gives an opportunity for discussion and review in 'the open'.

I think that this question should be closed as off-topic, even it's not completely off-topic as it about using Google Chrome and the current answer might require Chrome extensions, but it's not a really good question. Or it's according to Super User current standards?

Its not a great question - but standard evolve and it seems unfair to penalise someone based on 'we changed the rules'. Frankly it even asks for a process and not a product, the way we prefer now and its neither OP's fault nor the answerers that google has the attention span of a toddler on a sugar high.

I'd argue that the question is unlikely to fit any of the current criteria for closure - and its only 'issue' is the product it is about is obsolete.

Since its about some form of native desktop access, it is also on topic

I also feel that downvoting answers correct at the time of posting is fairly unfair. Since reputation post older than 60 days with a score of +3 that's deleted is retained, there's some cases where it would cause a bigger effect than the single downvote if it dips to +2 and is deleted. The answer was correct when it was posted after all, and found useful at the time.

I'd consider two options - a custom closure explaining that the product is no longer available and a careful considered review and pruning of the tag - no more than a few tag edits a day, and honestly with the old tag cleanups we did, we had a lot of trouble helping folks get suggested edits through - and if its a planned/community sanctioned clean up, including that in the edit reason like "cleaning up the as per " would help.

I'd note I spent about... 2 years clearing up a tag, 2-3 edits a day over lunch breaks, so this is a marathon not a sprint, and nothing gets folks in trouble faster than being too enthusiastic about things like this.

The other is to simply delete these questions. If the majority of the answers are broken, or the product is gone, this is an option. Maybe both in this case. We'll need to review the tag in question and its posts for specific cases.