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I recently realized that my highest voted answer on SO had disappeared into thin air. After some investigation I found out that the question had been deleted with the following reason: not a real question. I am stumped as to why, considering that I didn't have any problems understanding what was being asked and managed to write an elaborate answer that have helped many people since and would have continued to do so if it hadn't been deleted together with the question.

This particular SO-question ranked 3rd on Google when searching for jquery ajax post, right after the jQuery API docs, and I've kept it up to date to cover changes in jQuery's API. It saddens me to see this answer go to waste, much because of the time I've invested into perfecting it but also since it has obviously been helpful to users.

Is there any way this question can be revived, with a possible revision to the question so that it does not fall into the not a real question category?

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    "How should the JS code look like? How should the form look like? How should the php code look like? How should the callback look like?" Eh.
    – BoltClock's a Unicorn Mod
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 8:59
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    That question should have been heavily downvoted, despite the fact that your answer is a very good one. It isn't really a specific question so much as it is a request for a tutorial. Nevertheless, I think it should have survived, since it contains information people find useful.
    – user200500
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 9:02
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    @BoltClock'saUnicorn Ok, I can agree with you that there's more then just one question in there. But wouldn't it be better to revise the question rather then just closing it and lose helpful answers?
    – mekwall
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 9:02
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    The question should definitely be closed; but deleting it also deletes the answers...
    – ben is uǝq backwards
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 9:06
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    Stack Overflow purpose is to provide high quality answers and/or solutions to specific programming questions/issues/problems - there are plenty of other sites with documentations and examples.
    – Shadow Wizard
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 9:06
  • By the way, the reputation you gained for that answer is preserved and the question even appears in your reputation tab
    – Shadow Wizard
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 9:10
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    @ShaWizDowArd Couldn't care less about the rep. What I do care about is that it was helping people, and now it doesn't anymore.
    – mekwall
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 9:13
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    @ShaWizDowArd: I am not sure that matters to him.
    – BoltClock's a Unicorn Mod
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 9:13
  • I am inclined to undelete this for the sake of your (very good!) answer, but I don't know how the question could be revised to take it out of the NARQ category. It's just... way too broad. Unless the OP provides a specific case themself, I'm not sure we can get it reopened.
    – BoltClock's a Unicorn Mod
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 9:14
  • @BoltClock'saUnicorn We could still undelete it and leave it closed.
    – user200500
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 9:18
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    OK, it's undeleted.
    – BoltClock's a Unicorn Mod
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 9:20
  • @BoltClock'saUnicorn Thanks for that! The question is old and is probably best left closed considering. I don't think the OP will provide a more specific question anyway.
    – mekwall
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 9:20
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    I've made an attempt to tailor the question to fit the answer.
    – user200500
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 9:31
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    I think that edit definitely adds to the question
    – Travis J
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 9:35
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    @MarcusEkwall The edits are a bit drastic, but you have to keep in mind that the original version of the question is one the community deemed delete worthy, this is one of the rare occasions were drastic edits are more than welcome.
    – yannis
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 10:16

1 Answer 1

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Note, questions aren't deleted with a reason, they are closed with a reason.

Deletion doesn't require a reason like closing does, just a vote to do so.

That said, the question is a crappy question and has probably only gotten upvotes because of your answer. I'm ok with it being undeleted but I don't see how it can or why it should be reopened, even with the edits.

The question, in its current state doesn't show any original research effort and is overly broad, failing to meet the following criteria of the FAQ, titled "What kind of questions can I ask here?" (emphasis mine):

but if your question generally covers …

  • a specific programming problem

There is nothing specific about this problem at all, hence the closure. We typically refer to these as "gimme teh codez" questions, and close them with the "Not a real question" (NARQ) close reason.

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    +1. The original question was so bad I'm tempted to downvote the answer just because making that much of an effort just encourages that kind of bad question.
    – Wooble
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 13:47

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