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My question has been closed as not constructive.

Please note that I do not require the question to be reopened. The question has been answered already. I have included the best solution into the question for future searches as well.

This meta question is not to argue about the decision of the moderator. However I do want to understand the motivation for why my question has been closed so that I can improve my questions in the future.

I did put a lot of effort into the question:

  • Provided (pseudo) sample code to illustrate the problem
  • Specific question: What is needed, what is not needed
  • The 'Best performance' line to indicate what I mean with the subjective 'Best' term
  • Provided samples of solutions that I've thought of

My intention was to get arguments for why solution X or Y is bad or good, from the LINQ experts. It was not intended as an subjective discussion about what people 'feel' is the best.

People did came up with answers and good arguments. Therefore I wonder, what could be the motivation for my question that it was not 'constructive' enough?

// UPDATE

Despite my efforts to create a constructive question it appears that it invites to discussion that is not accepted on Stack Overflow. I do accept the motivation behind closing the question.

It has been suggested that the Code Review website would be an better alternative for future questions that could result in arguments, user opinions and debate.

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    I bet it's because almost anything asking about performance annoys many people to no end.
    – BoltClock's a Unicorn Mod
    Commented Feb 6, 2012 at 12:04
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    Getting/Polling arguments is always subjective and will lead to a discussion, especially when asking for "the best". See the close reason: "this question will likely solicit opinion, debate, arguments, polling, or extended discussion"
    – örs
    Commented Feb 6, 2012 at 12:05
  • @BoltClock'saUnicorn I will try to understand why it annoys many users. However I did not have enough experience to make the right decision myself. That is why I created the question.
    – Myrtle
    Commented Feb 6, 2012 at 12:06
  • @örs I agree with you there. That is why I have asked for aruments, and not to be subjective. I wanted answers from people that know the impact for the list of solutions. The impact that I can not predict because of the lack of enough experience with the technique.
    – Myrtle
    Commented Feb 6, 2012 at 12:07
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    But you were asking for "debate, arguments, polling, or extended discussion" and that is why it was closed. Those questions don't have a definitive answer, and that's why they are discouraged.
    – örs
    Commented Feb 6, 2012 at 12:10
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    @örs Point taken. Thank you. What could have been a better approach for me to ask the question that would not result in 'debate, arguments etc'?. I will try to prevent this behaviour in my future questions. (If you reply with an answer and I will accept your reply as the answer to this question).
    – Myrtle
    Commented Feb 6, 2012 at 12:14
  • For the record - Stack Overflow got tons of such questions, many of them old and not closed - yet. Nobody bothers to clean it up, but the moderators (and some members I guess) do try to block any new questions that do not fit.
    – Shadow Wizard
    Commented Feb 6, 2012 at 12:22

2 Answers 2

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Getting/Polling arguments is always subjective and will lead to a discussion, especially when asking for "the best". See the close reason: "this question will likely solicit opinion, debate, arguments, polling, or extended discussion"

You were asking for "debate, arguments, polling, or extended discussion" and that is why it was closed. Those questions don't have a definitive answer, and that's why they are discouraged.

Maybe codereview would be a good place for this question.

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  • +1 for providing the link to the codereview website. Thank you.
    – Myrtle
    Commented Feb 6, 2012 at 12:22
  • Actually, one last question (for your comment). In my opinion, questions have been answered objective and not subjective. The question has already been marked answered before closing. It has proven itself to be constructive. Even in that case, because of the rule (Getting/Polling arguments is always subjective), all questions of that kind should be closed? (Please do note that I now have accepted your answer and do not want to argue about that)
    – Myrtle
    Commented Feb 6, 2012 at 12:45
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    @Aphelion As with all things on Stack Exchange, if you have another question, ask another question, don't do it in the comments.
    – casperOne Mod
    Commented Feb 6, 2012 at 12:51
  • @Aphelion see ShadowWizards comment, there is an ongoing process to clean SO up, but this is all done by members of the community :). I believe that there were times on SO when broader questions were tolerated, but nowadays (because of the HUGE amount of incoming questions) there is a tighter focus on constructive content.
    – örs
    Commented Feb 6, 2012 at 12:52
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In my humble opinion, you have an excellent foundation of a question there -- your bullet points here are spot on, and I recognize the care with which you wrote. As Will suggested in the comments, however, there's an obvious immediate next step: do (at least a modicum of) the measurement yourself.

Were you to include some self-generated performance data and ask for clarification or explanation of it, I think the question would be moved squarely into non-subjectivity. Answerers would be providing specific expertise on the meaning of those concrete numbers. More expansive answers might stray into speculation, but that would probably only make them more valuable, given a core of objective commentary.

Another way to make this non-subjective, if you were perhaps unaware of the way to generate such performance data, would be to first ask for guidance on that, which would also constitute specific, factual expertise. A follow-up question then might ask for help with interpretation.

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