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I had not read the FAQ and mistook Stack Overflow for something like Yahoo Answers. Obviously I was banned from posting Questions. Now I would like to redeem myself by editing and deleting my bad questions that have been closed.

I would just delete them but this post got me worried:

Are deleted posts taken into account too?

Yes, deleted questions (if less than 30 days old when deleted) and deleted answers count towards an automatic ban."

I have read several conflicting messages on whether it is fine to delete downvoted questions or not. Personally I would like to remove anything that is not helpful to me or others on SO, but at the same time, I do want to be able to ask Questions again.

Since the Questions are Closed I need an alternative way to answer my Questions:

  • Can I include the answer inside the Question Box? (Perhaps include an explanation that I will put the answer in the right place if it gets re-opened)
  • Should I include a request to get it moved to the right SO site?
  • Should I wait a month before I delete the questions that cannot be fixed?
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    I would choose different route: start posting answers. With enough votes on answers, the ban should also be auto lifted just fine.
    – Shadow Wizard Love Zelda
    Oct 25, 2012 at 14:57
  • Thank you for the edits. It does look better now :)
    – Oliver Schöning
    Oct 25, 2012 at 15:02

2 Answers 2

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You should improve your questions, then flag them for re-opening. Once they're re-opened (if that happens), then you can post an answer.

Deleting questions is only going to put you in a deeper hole. Your best way out is to answer other people's questions helpfully and to improve your own questions.

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  • What about Off-Topic Questions? Do they have any chance of being re-opened and moved?
    – Oliver Schöning
    Oct 25, 2012 at 15:01
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    @Oliver, I suggest starting with the ones closed as not constructive or not a real question first, as they may be easier to fix. Ones closed as NARQ mostly just need more details, like what you tried so far, why you are doing what you're doing, and a code example, if applicable. Good luck! :)
    – jmort253
    Oct 25, 2012 at 15:20
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    @OliverSchöning - off topic questions might be moved if a) they are good enough and b) the target site wants them. So your first action has to be to improve your questions.
    – ChrisF Mod
    Oct 25, 2012 at 15:21
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    @ChrisF And are less than 60 days old. But really, if you know the question is better off on another site, is off-topic wherever you posted it originally, and you have an answer, you might as well just post on that other site instead of doing the migration dance.
    – Adam Lear StaffMod
    Oct 25, 2012 at 15:38
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Instead of trying to find a way to answer a question that's closed, you need to improve the question so it can be reopened first. Read the message attached to the close reason for details on why it was closed (also refer to the FAQ). Once you fix what's wrong with your question, if you have 250 reputation, you can cast a reopen vote on it so it will go in a review queue for others to look at it and decide if it's in good enough shape to reopen and answer.

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  • Can he cast a reopen vote on his own question without at least 250 reputation, or is this privilege page just reiterating something the user already has? stackoverflow.com/privileges/view-close-votes
    – jmort253
    Oct 25, 2012 at 15:23
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    @jmort253 Good question. I assumed you could. Unfortunately I don't have a closed question on any site that I have less than 250 reputation that I can test on. Update: I'm told in the TL that you can't. Editing my answer.
    – Bill the Lizard
    Oct 25, 2012 at 15:25

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