Questions tagged [off-topic]
The off-topic tag has no usage guidance.
28 questions
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Update the FAQ to disallow any product recommendation questions
Foreword added at +2/-1:
To make this clear: As far as I can tell (and I quote a diamond moderator below), this is already official moderation policy on this site. I just want to have this added ...
Daniel BeckMod
- 111k
142
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3
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Is discussion of techniques for removing DRM permitted?
I just asked a question about how to remove DRM from Kindle books that I had purchased and it was promptly closed by the moderator studiohack with the following comment:
We don't encourage this ...
- 1,661
16
votes
3
answers
427
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Apple.SE as off-topic migration path
Update (2013-09)
Given that this seems to come up every other month or so, here's an update. Current migration stats (2013-09-08), not counting rejected migrations, are as follows:
Web Apps (68) *
...
Daniel BeckMod
- 111k
21
votes
5
answers
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Are purely non-technical answers to technical problems on-topic?
I edited this question yesterday as part of a cleanup spree. It had already gotten a fair bit of activity, but someone tweeted a link to it after I edited it, and things really took off.
The topic of ...
- 8,553
12
votes
3
answers
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Is there a valid Stackexchange for my home networking question, or should I just use the DD-WRT Forum?
I asked a question at serverfault, it was migrated to superuser, and promptly closed as off-topic.
Here is the question:
Is it possible to throw DD-WRT on a F5D8235-4 v2?
Now is there a valid ...
- 23.1k
12
votes
1
answer
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Questions about WordPress on Super User
I was updating my blog by installing wordpress on a server of mine, and I had a particular question.
As it seems, it is not allowed to ask any questions about WordPress the software, since the ...
Bozho
11
votes
3
answers
280
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Should we split up the off-topic "shopping" closing reason?
One of our current off-topic reasons reads like this:
Questions seeking product, service, or learning material recommendations are off-topic because they tend to become obsolete quickly. Instead, ...
- 232k
6
votes
2
answers
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Are printers and their hardware problems (NOT a driver issue), on topic for Super User?
I didn't think that this question was on topic under Super User. I didn't flag it because printers are sort-of computer related, but... if it's only hardware?
- 13.5k
2
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1
answer
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What makes a question "specific to corporate IT support"?
I encounter many problems every day where I work. Some of them I can't find the answer to, and eventually some of them get posted on Superuser by myself.
Of course, I don't bother mentioning I'm ...
user201262
19
votes
3
answers
679
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Are Hackintosh questions off topic because of community consensus or just moderation policy?
I was having a discussion with @Gilles lately, whether to allow questions about OS X being virtualized. In essence, the Apple license forbids virtualizing certain products, but the majority of votes ...
- 232k
17
votes
2
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319
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Which UPS related questions are on-topic?
My recent question about an APC UPS was closed as off-topic ("This question is not about computer hardware or software, within the scope defined in the help center.") I flagged another UPS-related ...
- 627
17
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1
answer
368
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Can we educate users to stop adding "Belongs on xyz.SE!" comments without further explanation?
Similarly to people telling the OP to ask their question on Apple.SE, even if it's on topic here on SU, I think that there's a general problem with comments like the following:
This should be on ...
- 232k
14
votes
4
answers
507
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Closure of questions regarding pre-release/beta software
Five years ago, the issue was raised as to whether questions related to problems with beta software are on-topic. The gist of the logic for why they are not is in suggested wording for a custom close ...
- 27.8k
11
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1
answer
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Question about Microsoft Outlook behaviour closed on assumption that I should contact Microsoft
I asked this question about an issue I am experiencing with software (Microsoft Outlook). The question was mod-closed under the assumption/reason that I should report the issue to Microsoft or more ...
- 349
11
votes
1
answer
140
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Is there an easy way to find out what this site's on-topic and off-topic questions are?
There is no quick and easy way to find what are the topics of Super User, nor what is off-topic
The superuser.com/tour: Gives a very (and too) brief information in its first paragraph as to what is ...
- 959
10
votes
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How to handle off-topic questions with a bounty
Second question that I recall in recent weeks where the question is completely off topic and the OP posted a bounty before it was closed: Select Google music track on Android to play via Nexus Play/...
- 27.8k
10
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Was I wrong answering an off-topic question?
It's quite clear to me the reason for establishing rules on any Stack Exchange site. Yesterday, I found this question, which I answered, and once sent, I read JakeGould's comment and realized ...
- 5,793
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How far can we go when asking about beta software?
This question asks about OS X Mavericks, which is still in beta. There's a close reason specifically for questions about software that's still in beta. However, once Mavericks is released, the ...
- 2,428
6
votes
1
answer
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Editing others' questions: etiquette issue with partially off-topic questions?
The quidelines for editing say don't change the meaning. And it's reasonable and just. But what about questions like this one: "Should I buy webcam of 720p or VGA quality?"
The first part, where the ...
- 23k
5
votes
1
answer
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Are questions about interfacing with printers on topic?
According to the current consensus on Meta, questions about printers are on topic, even questions concerning the hardware. Also, according to the help, it is OK to ask question concerning smartphones "...
- 394
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0
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Request to reopen question 600238
This question about creating CD+Gs from MP4s was closed this morning, 27 May 2013, at 04:05 UTC for being off-topic: in its original form, the question was obviously a software-rec.
Twelve minutes ...
- 9,207
5
votes
2
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Is giving a shopping recommendation prohibited?
I understand that questions that ask for a shopping recommendation are off topic. However, after reading this answer, a question came up: is giving a shopping recommendation in response to such a ...
- 46.4k
4
votes
1
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Are new questions regarding Windows XP on-topic?
Does superuser follow the same policy as askubuntu to mark new questions about "no-longer supported" operating systems as off-topic?
- 846
3
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Are questions about connecting smartphones to computers on-topic?
This question asks about connecting a smartphone to a computer and transfering files. It was put on-hold as off-topic.
The list of on-topic subjects, linked on the very on-hold message, says ...
- 7,056
0
votes
1
answer
79
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At what point do regexes become programming questions?
This question is tagged "perl" as well as awk and sed and asks about a regular expression.
Find number in string and replace it
At what point do questions that are answered with programs move from ...
- 4,464
0
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2
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212
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Trying to understand why attempting to get recommendations on software products is off-topic
I have a question here: https://superuser.com/questions/313573/recommended-time-attendance-time-clock-systems. It was closed and marked as off topic, but isn't the point of this Q&A to discuss ...
- 211
-2
votes
1
answer
55
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My question was wrongly "put on hold" as "off-topic"
My question is truly clear-cut: Do devices that implement certain machine code instructions (which are an extension to the ARMv8 ISA) exist? (I give instructions for how to check it.)
As per the ...
- 101
-6
votes
1
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74
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Why is the location of files used by a programme off topic?
I opened a question some days ago that has been closed. At this moment the reason given for the closure is:
the question where FreeCiv files need to go on an Android system is
off topic here
...
- 364