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As I understand, now only users with certain (pretty high) reputation can access deleted questions. This is an understandable feature, however it is no good to have SO filled with dead links to its own content. Either it should be impossible to delete question which is linked to within SO, or there should be a feature which keeps it visible (i.e., see this forgotten proposal Deleted questions and broken links).

This annoys me a lot on meta, since you can't learn to properly use the site when vast majority of links to bad questions don't lead anywhere - how would I know what is bad and what is good? Considering the fact that meta should be one of the main places where users come to learn proper conduct on SO, such things are crucial for this purpose.

I think there could be a few ways of dealing with it, i.e., by loading the contents of such questions to meta, or giving access to deleted questions with clear message that it is deleted. I really don't see any downsides to it - these questions can still stay unsearchable and still virtually unreachable through any other means but the direct link.

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  • 3
    Just a note, the questions are not completely deleted. Users with greater than 10k rep can see the questions.
    – Josh Mein
    Commented Nov 12, 2013 at 0:17
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    Your suggestion makes no sense to me. If the question is deleted, it's not visible or available for a reason. Allowing it to then be visible to everyone would defeat the whole purpose of deleting in the first place.
    – Ken White
    Commented Nov 12, 2013 at 0:27
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    Not being able to see deleted posts is annoying, but honestly, having the ability it view them is just as annoying. It is surprising how many posts (on meta at least) have just plan crap posted as answers.
    – psubsee2003
    Commented Nov 12, 2013 at 0:29
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    @KenWhite Creating broken links makes no sense to me. If a link is inserted, it is also there for a reason. Author of the post is not aware if link in it becomes broken and makes the whole discussion unusable.
    – sashkello
    Commented Nov 12, 2013 at 0:32
  • @psubsee2003 "having the ability it view them is just as annoying" - how is that annoying? Which particular usecase you are talking about?
    – sashkello
    Commented Nov 12, 2013 at 0:33
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    @sashkello You go into a question and see 6 answers, 4 ok, 1 good, one poor. Lets denote this as ..!..-. Well, then you get into the 10k view and the same question now shows up as .-.!.-.-.-..-. with all the deleted meh and poor answers. And don't even go near the ones with 40+ undeleted answers if you value your sanity.
    – user213963
    Commented Nov 12, 2013 at 0:40
  • Actually, being 10k isn't so bad - I tend to simply not read the red-backgrounded ones unless I really want to.
    – Undo
    Commented Nov 12, 2013 at 0:43
  • @MichaelT 1. No, it doesn't (rather shouldn't) show up like this because deleted and poor answers should be at the end. Also I assume deleted answers have some obvious look which you automatically can ignore. 2. I don't know where you saw me talking about always showing all the deleted things everywhere. I'm only talking about linked questions and answers.
    – sashkello
    Commented Nov 12, 2013 at 0:43
  • I do understand the problems with showing deleted answers though. Instead, the links can be automatically redirected to the question and it can be recommended to always include quotes from the answer in addition to the link. Also why not to "hide" deleted answers and reveal them only if you use direct link to the answer? This is kind of what I'm talking about.
    – sashkello
    Commented Nov 12, 2013 at 0:47
  • "Creating broken links makes no sense to me." People don't go creating links just to break them.
    – BoltClock's a Unicorn Mod
    Commented Nov 12, 2013 at 5:42
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    Atleast the link should be removed with the explanation that the question is deleted.
    – One Face
    Commented Jan 7, 2015 at 6:30

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