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83 votes
2 answers
28k views

How do I ask a question that may require recommending software?

I have a problem that I need solved, and it may require the recommendation of software. How do I ask these type of questions so that they aren't closed? Note: This is for reference to point users ...
James Mertz's user avatar
  • 26.3k
8 votes
3 answers
236 views

When should questions be moved to AskDifferent/AskUbuntu/...?

I read this question, which helped, but where is the line? Just because a question is about an Apple product, doesn't mean it is off-topic (not at all actually) just because another (more specific) ...
Oliver Salzburg's user avatar
71 votes
3 answers
4k views

Where can I ask questions that aren't Super User questions?

Thank you for your confidence in our abilities! But have you read our FAQ? We get a lot of non computer related questions on here. Yes, someone here might be able to help you, but you'll find that ...
15 votes
5 answers
506 views

Should Tablet Computer questions be allowed on Super User? [duplicate]

The current policy by community consensus is: Allow appropriate tablet questions, but not actively encourage iOS and Android. Basically they will be treated like Ubuntu and OS X are treated right now. ...
Lance Roberts's user avatar
12 votes
1 answer
270 views

Should I delete my own question if no new answer can be validated?

A while ago, I asked this question for which no solution was found. I have since re-installed the host in question and gave it to a family member. So now I will be unable to validate any answers given ...
Oliver Salzburg's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
362 views

Is it kosher to accept your answer on your own question?

I've on occasion come across the answer to my question, and feel that it's the best answer, but do not want to "rob" anyone of rightfully earned rep... What do I do? Also I'm assuming that I do NOT ...
James Mertz's user avatar
  • 26.3k
20 votes
6 answers
866 views

Official stance on Facebook questions on SU?

https://superuser.com/questions/73214/facebook-profiles-for-non-people-okay Ok, there are many questions that reference Facebook, but this one seems to be directly about facebook. I need an official ...
Troggy's user avatar
  • 10.2k
9 votes
5 answers
336 views

What to do about permanently outdated questions/answers on SU

I like Super User, often I have only to write the title of my question on the "Ask Question" page and the answer shows up in the "Related Questions" Thus I want to keep it great. Computer hardware ...
Nifle's user avatar
  • 34.4k
5 votes
1 answer
137 views

What does "too localized" really entail?

Having just received the ability to vote-to-close questions I have seen the option of "Too localized". At what point is the question deemed to be too localized? I personally have asked questions ...
James Mertz's user avatar
  • 26.3k
4 votes
2 answers
455 views

Should humorous/funny questions be deleted from Super User?

I was browsing through some recently deleted questions, and found this one: What is your most spectacular or interesting death of a computing device? What is your most spectacular or ...
Breakthrough's user avatar
  • 34.3k
3 votes
1 answer
339 views

Questions about Small Business environments on topic?

Are small business environment questions on topic for SU, or should they be put onto SF (with a server)? Just in case anyone is wondering, the question is https://serverfault.com/questions/352137/...
Canadian Luke's user avatar
20 votes
1 answer
477 views

A site seems to be mirroring Super User

There is a question on Super User that seems to be copied at earthwithsun.com/questions/13942/paint-net-equivalent-for-linux If you scroll down to the bottom of earthwithsun.com you'll see another ...
Ludwik's user avatar
  • 302
15 votes
4 answers
298 views

Are some questions too easy for Super User?

To put it another way: Can we assume that someone who asks a question on Super User has tried to find the answer elsewhere first? For many (most?) people, the first step in finding an answer to ...
boot13's user avatar
  • 5,839
15 votes
1 answer
268 views

Unattended first posts

I am fairly new in the Super User community, and I am still trying to understand how things work. So forgive me for asking this question which may seem a bit silly to some members. This is ...
Art Gertner's user avatar
  • 7,219
12 votes
4 answers
267 views

What to do with answers to abandoned questions?

This problem has been discussed in several ways by now, but I did not find the problem I am facing with it. I often face the problem that I answer a question and the user who made the question just ...
Michael K's user avatar
  • 3,428
12 votes
3 answers
340 views

Questions about bypassing or circumventing network security

I have seen a number of questions on how to bypass network security. I was wondering if superuser (or stackexchange) had a policy or stock answer about this? As a regular kind of user, I can ...
David's user avatar
  • 2,302
11 votes
1 answer
1k views

Canonical question on USB flash drives becoming write-protected

We have lots of questions about USB flash drives becoming write-protected and most of them aren't closed. The closest I can find to a canonical question is this, whose answers are rather lacking as ...
bwDraco's user avatar
  • 46k
8 votes
1 answer
143 views

What should be done about old, abandoned questions?

Whenever a retag request comes about - or when I'm wading through /review I often come across old questions which haven't been answered, with low views & most of the times the questions are by ...
Sathyajith Bhat's user avatar
  • 61.7k
7 votes
3 answers
250 views

Request to migrate a question to Raspberry Pi declined

I recently flagged a question to be migrated to Raspberry Pi. Backup data rate on Raspberry Pi maxing out at 5 Mb/s. Why? But it was declined with the following explanation. don't really ...
user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
94 views

Question ban warning although I haven't yet asked anything

If I go to Ask Question on Super User I get this message displayed: Wait! Some of your past questions have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from asking any more. ...
SilverlightFox's user avatar
24 votes
3 answers
405 views

OP edited question substantially after answer(s) were posted

Yesterday, for the second time in the past three months, I answered a question, only to get a response from the OP saying, in effect, This answer was correct when you posted it.  I’ve changed the ...
Scott - Слава Україні's user avatar
18 votes
3 answers
576 views

Do we need a canonical question for creating bootable Windows 10 installation media?

To this date, community-faq has only one canonical post for creating bootable installation media for Windows 7 which dates back to 2009. The answers are mostly "use this tool and it works" that are ...
user avatar
18 votes
6 answers
791 views

Where do you draw the line between a "stupid" question and an acceptable one?

I'll be honest, at times, I've been tempted to downvote a question simply because the solution is blatantly obvious to someone with even limited computer experience. Many questions like these are ...
user avatar
14 votes
2 answers
132 views

Need help with "need help" questions

Plz help! I really need help with all those "need help" posts!1 (x86 36) It's really urgent. No, seriously. The words "need help" in a title are a good sign of low quality posts. In most cases, ...
slhck's user avatar
  • 226k
13 votes
1 answer
168 views

Edit the question or ask a new one?

I have a question about memory usage that was a little ill-informed on my part, and it turns out the issue is being caused by something else entirely. Before I add any more information I'm inclined to ...
Ben's user avatar
  • 1,196
13 votes
0 answers
214 views

I have a suggestion on what to do with the Software Rec Tag

With the upcoming release of Windows 8 we expect an influx of users and questions. I feel that we need to prep for their coming. With that in mind, the software-rec is a nuisance in mine and others ...
James Mertz's user avatar
  • 26.3k
11 votes
3 answers
687 views

Real Question as Title or Statement as Title?

Am I right to understand that the title of a question does not actually have to be a question? It seems that I often search for a question similar to mine but do not find one, but later, after I post,...
bgmCoder's user avatar
  • 1,909
10 votes
1 answer
619 views

What's the proper role with respect to third-party EULA's, NDA's, and other agreements?

It's not uncommon on superuser, programmers, and stackoverflow to come across questions that involve, or where the answer may involve, violating some agreement that may exist between the OP and some ...
aroth's user avatar
  • 399
6 votes
1 answer
99 views

Why do old questions without any apparent activity get marked as active?

Why is it that some old questions will show recent activity yet when looking at the question page, nothing indicates any change? For example, How to combine with openvpn, dynamic-ip? has its last ...
freethinker's user avatar
  • 3,690
6 votes
0 answers
140 views

How to defend new users from unconstructive downvoting

This may be somewhat duplicate, but I think the issue still stands on its own compared to others. I've noticed a depressing trend for new users, who often write poorly formed questions, having their ...
CLockeWork's user avatar
  • 2,097
6 votes
1 answer
162 views

Should we allow theoretical questions, those asked due to curiosity? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Are “explain the technology to me” questions on-topic? You should only ask practical, answerable questions based on actual problems that you face. Chatty, open-...
Bob's user avatar
  • 61.3k
6 votes
5 answers
139 views

SuperUser organization for new computer build questions?

Ok, I saw another one of these questions come through SU today: https://superuser.com/questions/57798/new-computer-build-questions Valid questions, but they really become out of date and kind of ...
Troggy's user avatar
  • 10.2k
5 votes
2 answers
112 views

how to deal with an answer that is resolved, but not answered?

For example, if the problem was resolved without answering the question, how do you deal with the question so that it doesn't remain opened. Perhaps a device was replaced, or a different software ...
brice's user avatar
  • 2,386
5 votes
2 answers
155 views

What are the criteria for quality standards? Or... How do I get Super User to accept my question?

It seems a rather silly question to ask, but I'm attempting to ask a question on the location of wallpaper files on Windows XP. As always, I've explicitly stated my OS, very specifically spelled out ...
Journeyman Geek's user avatar
  • 128k
5 votes
1 answer
166 views

Too many edits issue. Post-ban support

Scenario I was banned the past year in 2014. I have a post-ban in which I can't ask any question in superuser.com. Here are two discussions about my problem: Am I a victim of any sort of ...
ElektroStudios's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
81 views

Migrating high-quality, off-topic questions to another site in the Stack Exchange network

I recently edited this question, and then flagged it to request migration to Electronics Stack Exchange. My flag was declined by a Super User moderator for the following inexplicable reason: ...
Cody Gray - on strike's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
170 views

What do you do if you want to ask a question, but someone already asked it, and there wasn't a decent answer response?

The example I've come from is this: Merging IMAP account into gmail I have already typed out a better-worded question on the same topic and will probably get fresh, excellent up-to-date answers. I'...
user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
66 views

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?
Manoj's user avatar
  • 806
2 votes
0 answers
24 views

Reviewing questions including "is there a script" about userscripts

Tl;Dr: I'm reviewing open questions about userscripts. During this review I might suggest edits and flag posts. The intention of this post is to share my current ideas about the edits that I think ...
user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
83 views

Asking questions that are clearly answered elsewhere

Recently, I turned to "the internet" looking to answer an Excel question. Over the past year, I have found myself gravitating directly to SE/SO to answer many of my technical questions (much like I ...
D. Woods's user avatar
  • 166
2 votes
2 answers
115 views

Are user-level troubleshooting questions appropriate?

Questions like: When Abode Reader plugin attempts to open web documents in IE8, sometimes a blank dialog box appears and the document fails to open.
ThomasMcLeod's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
79 views

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 ...
Yitzchak's user avatar
  • 4,424