Questions tagged [off-topic]
The off-topic tag has no usage guidance.
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Why is the general off-topic close reason when closed by a moderator slightly shorter than when closed by the community?
I noticed a discrepancy in the general off-topic close reason (when the question is not about computer hardware or software within the scope defined in the help center). When the question is closed by ...
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Are .htaccess questions ever on-topic on SuperUser?
.htaccess is well discussed on StackOverflow's meta, in particular there are a lot of discussions about whether, and exactly when, questions about .htaccess and URL rewrites, and so on, are on-topic. ...
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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 ...
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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
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Are questions regarding "how to research things on the internet" on-topic
I came across this question:
https://superuser.com/questions/659831/how-to-search-for-a-specific-program-with-a-specific-set-of-features
The title seemed innocent enough, but the bulk of the ...
user201262
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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 ...
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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 ...
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is this question off topic
I recently asked https://superuser.com/questions/650929/tool-software-to-surprise-during-birthday on Super User. Will the question would be off topic? I have mentioned my problem clear. Normal search ...
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Belongs on another SE site [duplicate]
When you click close, off-topic, belongs on another SE site, there are a few common options. I believe iPhone/iOS (thinkdifferent.stackexchange.com) should be on the list. Ideally, one should be ...
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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, ...
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Off topic close reasons – do we need specific points for Stack Overflow or Web Apps?
It's been a couple of days since we're using the new off-topic close reasons, including:
Questions seeking product, service, or learning material recommendations are off-topic because they tend ...
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Why is question 112455 not off-topic?
This question, which seeks "a program where I can type one, two or more components of chemical reaction and find out the result of it," is a blatant software rec question.
I flagged it as off-topic (...
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Request to reopen question 600447 (How can I edit multiple text files as one virtual document?)
To try and explain what I'd like to find (which I had thought not readily doable in a sound-bite), I posted a rather lengthy question earlier today that was closed for being off-topic. One person ...
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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 ...
- 9,067
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Request to reopen question 581643 please
I'd like to have my question reopened and the down votes removed. It was closed for being off topic. Its not. Read it, and you'll see it clearly has to do with Software and how its used. Closing a ...
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Tagged Topics Are Off Topic?
The list of tags for Super User includes...
Android
Date-Time
So I posted this question
To my surprise, the question was down-voted, my reputation has been hit, and the question was closed as off-...
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I'd like to know why my question was closed
I posted a question detailing my problems with Windows 8's File History. I use it for backups and I have a couple of things I'd like it to do, but it fell short. With certain specific needs in mind, I ...
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Where to ask a question about iTunes/AppStore
I had asked this question some time back and it had been closed as off-topic.
Now I have another question related to iTunes and the AppStore.
Can anyone say which stack exchange site would be ...
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'Preserve' State for keep real bad questions as reference
As this comment shows, even bad questions have some value in serving as a reference for, well, bad questions. However questions with a lot of downvotes tend to be deleted, so the system lacks a final ...
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How are these questions off topic?
How are these questions off topic?
https://superuser.com/questions/47150/does-anyone-use-elephantdrive-online-backup-for-personal-use
https://superuser.com/questions/368225/online-backup-that-keeps-...
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Why is question 480733 off topic?
https://superuser.com/questions/480733/communication-software-wanted-email-sms-im-phone-calls
Would you please explain, why this question is off topic?
I think I am a power user making high ...
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Anti-virus question, reasons vs opinion
This question was rapidly closed, as I was writing a detailed answer actually:
https://superuser.com/questions/458666/is-it-neccessary-to-use-antivrus-tools-for-linux
I'm not questioning why the ...
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OT: Community Wiki or Blog Post request
I was wondering if SU would support the idea of having a case modding contest of some type, NOT for reputation points, but for sheer SnG.
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Which forums can we point people to when they're asking for shopping recommendations?
Every once in a while, people ask for plain hardware shopping advice, which is off topic per our FAQ.
However, there are probably countless forums that deal with hardware, and possibly even encourage ...
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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 ...
- 226k
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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 ...
- 226k
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Are questions about TVs off topic?
About 2 hours ago, the question Why do enormous TVs take longer to turn on than smaller TVs? got closed for being off topic.
The question also has a comment that reads
TVs are not computer ...
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Request for reopen question 352656
It was closed as off-topic by being mobile question, but in fact it is an windows software question to find a software to handle bulk installation/setup for several similar devices.
I rewrote the ...
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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 ...
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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
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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 ...
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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 ...
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Flagging Questions as off-topic
When flagging questions as off-topic, and we are given options to choose a site it should go to... What determines that list? For example, if I see a question on SU that I think should belong on the ...
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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?
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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 ...
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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
- 110k
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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 ...
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Are questions about Joomla considered off topic?
Currently I am fighting with Joomla and XAMPP installation and trying to make it to work so I would like to post a question on the main Superuser site but searching for Joomla on the Superuser I get ...
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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 ...
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Off-topic : network discussions
The following question : https://superuser.com/questions/257073/good-book-for-networks has been closed as off-topic.
The question I'm asking: if network discussion are not meant to be on super-user, ...
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How to reply to a user about something off topic without derailing a comment thread?
Since I started using Super User a short while ago, I've been wondering how to comment on a user's attitude, spelling or similar without getting into a long off-topic comment thread which doesn't ...
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Too liberal use of the "off topic" button
I've seen a small handful of questions here marked as off topic that just baffle me. Here is the latest:
https://superuser.com/questions/197939/best-host-for-vmware-workstation/197942
How is that ...
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where to ask about website CMS, like wordpress SU or SO?
Wordpress is technically computer software, but it is also programming and development. So where should I ask a question about a WP plugin on SO or SU?
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Off-topic questions on Super User
In the Super User FAQ, the following questions are stated off-topic:
Programming, ask on Stack Overflow.
Servers, ask on Server Fault.
Web design and HTML/CSS layout, and your job title is "designer",...
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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