Are questions like Are there alternatives to some product?, considered a shopping question? If so, would it be strictly enforced? People give alternative products recomendations all the time in answers, but are you not explicity allowed to ask are there alternatives to x product if a that product isn't working for that user and doesn't know of similar but different products? In my opinion, there's a difference betweeen can you recommend a product vs the question the title addresses. I would imagine that the person with a question like

Example: "Are there any alternatives to Windows?"

Possible Answer: Mac, Linux, Unix, Chromium, and etc.

would be ok. It merely lists the existence of like products, not promoting one product over the other.

I think I already have an idea where this question is heading, but at least I'll know for sure...