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This question: https://superuser.com/questions/596703/transfer-amazon-s3-data-to-mysql-database, was closed as Not Constructive. Before it was closed, I thought it might've made a good fit for dba.stackexchange.com, so I asked in The Heap and a moderator confirmed. I flagged the question for migration (I think I might have hit mod attention?), which was declined:

Asked in The Heap if they wanted this question. Mod said yes. Would probably do better there. – May 17 at 14:42 declined - flags should only be used to make moderators aware of content that requires their intervention

How could I have gone about getting a question like this migrated?

I realize odds are that if a question is not constructive on one site, it's probably not constructive on another, but this isn't strictly true (this is why I asked in the Heap.) Aside from Programmers being the obvious exception, there are questions that are on topic for Server Fault and not constructive, but work for Sec.SE. How does SSL work? for example. And while it might not be the best practice, smaller SE sites tend to be a little less aggressive about Not Constructive than SU, SF, SO.

Speaking specifically about dba.stackexchange, I think at least a few of these are arguably Not Constructive under our standards:

Should we periodically refersh the mirrored copy of a SQL server database?

Why are numbers tables invaluable?

Which is better: One database per application, or just one database?

Should I be regularly shrinking my DB or at least my log file?

Why is database administration so hard?

Which database could handle storage of billions/trillions of records?

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Reset to default
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You don't.

If the question is not off-topic, then there is no reason to migrate it. The user picks which site he wants to ask on. If there are multiple sites where the question is on-topic, it's the users decision.

You can leave a comment on the question, telling the user about the other site, on which his question might be a better fit. You should make it clear that the user can flag the question and ask for it to be migrated, as cross-posting is discouraged.

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    This doesn't make sense to me. The question is considered not constructive for Super User. Why couldn't we have done the migration for the user considering the question was likely to be (and was) closed?
    – rtf
    Commented May 24, 2013 at 18:22
  • @Tanner essentially what Oliver is saying is that if a question is not constructive on one site, it won't be constructive on any site -- all SE sites have the same general criteria for what makes a good question. If the OP wants to edit their post and improve it, then it could probably be migrated if it met SE's criteria.
    – nhinkle Mod
    Commented May 24, 2013 at 18:48
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    @nhinkle Ah, good point. I didn't think to address that. While it's true most the time, it isn't always the case. Edited a little to explain.
    – rtf
    Commented May 24, 2013 at 20:18
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    Maybe I'm missing part of the picture, but if a mod on the target site said they want the question, there shouldn't be a problem with migrating it (and in the worst case they could just close it). I agree though that in the more general case, NC questions probably should not be migrated—except for the case where the target site asks for it. cc @nhinkle
    – slhck Mod
    Commented May 24, 2013 at 20:47
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    @Tanner To make my point clearer, at the time you raised the flag on the question, it was not closed. So there is really no reason at all to migrate the question away from SU unless the author requests it. Migrations are an exception, not the rule. We simply do not migrate questions just because they would be a better fit on another site as long as they're on-topic for Super User. It's not like we want people to think they can post on any SE site they like and the mods will then just migrate it to the correct site ;P
    – Oliver Salzburg Mod
    Commented May 24, 2013 at 20:50
  • Hmm, it was pretty clear to me that the question would be closed as NC, but I definitely see your point about silly users posting anywhere. +1
    – rtf
    Commented May 24, 2013 at 20:59
  • Oh, I didn't notice the question wasn't closed back when you flagged it, @Tanner. That clears up my confusion—Oliver has a point there :)
    – slhck Mod
    Commented May 24, 2013 at 21:36
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    I'm confused, since it was about websites or web services, shouldn't it have been closed for being off-topic on SU? ALso, now that the question is closed, can it now be migrated to dba.stackexchange.com where it appears it will be welcomed?
    – Kevin Fegan
    Commented May 25, 2013 at 20:03
  • @KevinFegan 'erm... as odd as this sounds, I wouldn't call Amazon Web Services a web service. I don't really know how to give a definitive reason, but in my mind it's not too different than dedicated hosting.
    – rtf
    Commented May 28, 2013 at 21:45

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