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I've been using StackExchange sites frequently for several months now. However, I'm still baffled as to where to post shell/bash/zsh questions. SuperUser, ServerFault, Unix and Linux, StackOverflow, and AskUbuntu all seem like good candidates.

For example, I want to ask a question about how to see zsh default settings for variables like HISTSIZE and SAVEHIST. On which site do you recommend asking this question?

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    You left out unix.se, as most bash related questions are not ubuntu specific...
    – dmckee --- ex-moderator kitten
    Aug 11, 2012 at 15:50
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    I wouldn't go anywhere else but unix.se for my shell/bash/etc questions. There's a few bods over there who really really know their stuff.
    – Kev
    Aug 11, 2012 at 16:10
  • Thanks dmckee and @Kev, that's helpful! I've now added "Unix and Linux" to the list above.
    – Rob Bednark
    Aug 11, 2012 at 21:16

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When in doubt, search.

  • SO has a tag; predictably it's often used for scripting
  • Super User has a bash tag too. Note they're less about scripting and more about using it as a normal user; just getting around, what commands there are
  • AskUbuntu basically has both types of questions in it's bash tag

Bash is on topic on all three sites; if you're using it as a programmer to do programmy things, ask on SO. If you're using it as a normal user, Super User is appropriate. Since it's a Linux tool, Unix and Linux is appropriate, as is AskUbuntu. It all depends where you need your answers from; would you ask a programmer, a Linux geek, or a device agnostic group of enthusiast geeks?

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    To clarify what Ben is saying, this is one of those special topics where you can actually take into account the audience whom you wish to direct your questions to...
    – jmort253
    Aug 11, 2012 at 21:42
  • @jmort253 really you should always take into account the audience to whom you wish to direct your question to...sites are based as much/more around communities than topics
    – Ben Brocka
    Aug 11, 2012 at 23:11
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    I agree with your statement, but my point was that in most cases I can't really ask the English Language and Usage folks what they think about my programming problem just because I want to know what they think. I know that's an "out-there" example, but that's sort of what I was getting at. In the op's example, there is more than one applicable choice. Many times there is just one choice and that's it.
    – jmort253
    Aug 11, 2012 at 23:17

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