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When flagging/voting to on-hold a question, I seem to have missed the option to simply flag as off-topic or belonging elsewhere on stack exchange.

I'm presented with the following list:

  • general hardware/software->Superuser
  • non-specific programming->get more info
  • bad question not understanding problem->checklist
  • serverfault stuff to serverfault
  • recommend a tool/library
  • limited set of other sites

Which option should I use where a question is so blatantly off-topic that it can't even be remotely about programming or fit in one of the alternatives?

On Ask Ubuntu, my primary site, there's an option called "other" prompting me to type a reason, but on Stack Overflow, where I flag instead, there is no other option. Do I use the generic moderator request(thereby not allowing 20K users to see it, only elected moderators)? Will I get an "other" option at 3000 reputation? Am I missing the point entirely?

Can this "other" bullet be added for non-3K-users?

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  • 1
    At the moment, moderators are using the "Other" option on such questions, and deleting the comment that is generated.
    – user102937
    Jun 27, 2013 at 16:48
  • @RobertHarvey Can you please explain in further detail? What generated comment? And why do I see the "other" option on Ask Ubuntu without being a moderator?
    – nanofarad
    Jun 27, 2013 at 16:49
  • When you use the "other" option, you are asked to type in an explanation. That explanation generates a comment when the question closes. You can either delete the comment, or simply put in the explanation that "this question doesn't appear to be about [our subject matter]". The custom close puts the default close reason for the site in the banner, which essentially states that "this question doesn't appear to be about [our subject matter], within the scope of the help center". So the explanation comment is redundant.
    – user102937
    Jun 27, 2013 at 16:51
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    @RobertHarvey He doesn't have the "other" option on Stack Overflow because he isn't a 3k user.
    – ɥʇǝS
    Jun 27, 2013 at 16:53
  • 3
    Well, that's why we need a bullet for the default close reason, then. The only way to get that close reason right now is to use Custom and delete the comment.
    – user102937
    Jun 27, 2013 at 16:53
  • 1
    Seems like the new build broke just about everything...
    – ɥʇǝS
    Jun 27, 2013 at 16:56
  • What is the "default" close reason? Just "off-topic"?
    – ɥʇǝS
    Jun 27, 2013 at 16:57
  • 2
    On Stack Overflow, it is "This question does not appear to be about programming, within the scope defined in the help center."
    – user102937
    Jun 27, 2013 at 16:58
  • @RobertHarvey In reply to your deleted comment... Yes. This is what I get on SO (188 rep) i.stack.imgur.com/zwO4A.png
    – ɥʇǝS
    Jun 27, 2013 at 17:02
  • 4
    See, the problem is, we want people to pick a specific close reason. We'd rather they do that than "meh, it's just off-topic." The problem is, sometimes it really is "meh, just off-topic." I think I'll leave this to the Community Team to solve.
    – user102937
    Jun 27, 2013 at 17:03
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    Maybe allow the choice of any site in the entire network? I wanted to throw that question in question that inspired this post onto webapps and couldn't. None of the suggestions would fit.
    – nanofarad
    Jun 27, 2013 at 17:05
  • @RobertHarvey Same with "too localized"...
    – ɥʇǝS
    Jun 27, 2013 at 17:06
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    @ObsessiveSSOℲ: It's not a migration problem. Most questions that get posted to the wrong site are not worthy of migration.
    – user102937
    Jun 27, 2013 at 17:08
  • @RobertHarvey It's more of a semantics problem. What do you/the community want me to click in this case?
    – nanofarad
    Jun 27, 2013 at 17:08
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    @Seth: If you are referring to "fix my typo" questions, "Off-Topic Because..." with an explanation of "This question is so specific to the OP that it is unlikely to be useful to anyone else." Diamond moderator substitute for Too Localized: Delete.
    – user102937
    Jun 27, 2013 at 17:10

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