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For example, Slack is a multi-platform application (like iOS, Android, Web and desktop).

Should questions that aren't specific to a certain platform (like "Can your Slack account invite external users?", unlike "how do I start Slack in my Android phone"?) be posted on Super User?

Because for our example, Super User's Slack tag wiki states "Questions about the Slack web application are off topic and should be asked on webapps.stackexchange.com".

I just don't want a scenario in which I'll get blamed because my screenshots are casually taken from the web application, even though the question itself is general.

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    "questions that aren't specific to a certain platform (like "how do I start Slack in my Android phone"?)" sounds like a specific platform - Android.
    – VLAZ
    Dec 15, 2021 at 17:47
  • I've rephrased, this was an example of what is not general.
    – LWC
    Dec 15, 2021 at 17:48
  • Why not ask this on superuser's meta?
    – Robert Longson
    Dec 15, 2021 at 17:52
  • Because maybe there's even a better site that will be suggested here...
    – LWC
    Dec 15, 2021 at 17:56
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    The Slack desktop application is within scope at Super User. The other versions of the Slack client are out of scope. If you don't want your Slack question closed for being out of scope, ask about the Slack desktop client, otherwise per the tag guidance ask at the appropriate SE community.
    – Ramhound
    Dec 15, 2021 at 18:40
  • What about general questions, @Ramhound, which apply to all platforms (see example inside the question)?
    – LWC
    Dec 15, 2021 at 18:43
  • 1
    @LWC - I swing back to "is it with regards to the Slack desktop application" in order to determine if it's within scope at Super User. I saw your example, "Can your Slack account invite external users?", isn't very clear. Ultimately I suppose, that question being within scope, would entirely be dependent on the details provided in the question body.
    – Ramhound
    Dec 15, 2021 at 18:47
  • How about "Can a Slack member rename a channel they didn't create?"
    – LWC
    Dec 15, 2021 at 22:04
  • Whether that's possible may depend on the platform. Many multi-platform applications have different capabilities on web/desktop/Android/iOs.
    – Mast
    Dec 16, 2021 at 11:47
  • This seems like a toss up; I'd either ask about it on SU or WebApps metas, or just fire away with a question that focuses on the platform specific to the given site (eg. Desktop for SU and web for WA). Both Stack sites are platform-specific, but I imagine (and hope) that that wouldn't prevent someone from giving you a comprehensive answer on either site about what's possible on Slack as a whole.
    – zcoop98
    Dec 16, 2021 at 15:20
  • 1
    You might as well suggest to also choose iOS or Android sites. BTW, what's the policy on asking simultaneously? I just wish there was a site for conceptual questions to avoid scoping complaints. I understand the difficulty in maintaining only conceptual questions, but the world is going more and more towards multi-platform apps with pretty identical features.
    – LWC
    Dec 16, 2021 at 17:17

2 Answers 2

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  • The point is conceptual questions that aren't OS dependent.
    – LWC
    Apr 14 at 14:11
  • @LWC In that case, I would probably post it on Super User
    – Flimm
    Apr 14 at 14:14
  • But see what I wrote about what web screenshots could lead to in this case, simply because someone might use the web version and yet ask a conceptual question.
    – LWC
    Apr 14 at 19:42
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TL;DR:

It will depend on the specific question (details are required) that you want to ask. If it's merely a "conceptual" question, then don't include screenshots. If you found that the screenshots are indispensable, use the app that corresponds to the target site, or use a site where the platform is irrelevant, like Stack Overflow. Again, it will depend on the question that you want to ask.

NOTE: When asking a conceptual question in Stack Overflow about a cross-platform service like Slack, the best it to include a context explaining why that conceptual question is relevant for a programmer, i.e. describe a programming problem were the concept is relevant.

[slack] across Stack Exchange sites

I just found this SEDE query created by Glorfindel. Despite the name is

Search for questions with a specific tag across Meta sites

it returns all sites. Searching for question tagged slack and counting questions by sites, the site with more questions tagged [slack] is Stack Overflow.

sitename Platform
(IMO)		 COUNTA of question
Stack Overflow Any 3156
Web Applications Web 218
Super User Desktop,
Troubleshooting1		 121
Ask Ubuntu Desktop 68
Salesforce ? 22
Ask Different Desktop for Mac, Web when
there is an issue related to Mac
software and hardware i.e.
Safari, iPhone and iPad		 22
スタック・オーバーフロー Any 19
Stack Overflow на русском Any 12
DevOps ? 10
Meta Stack Overflow Any 7
The Workplace Any 5
Software Recommendations Any 3
Grand Total 3663

1 On Super User troubleshooting questions about OS, personal networking, web browsers, etc. (computer software and hardware for personal use) involved, might be on-topic but this kind of questions are tricky as they require to understands the site workings and system features (comments, chat, meta, content allowed in questions and answers). Ref. 2023 stand about "troubleshooting"

Note:

  • Android Enthusiasts hasn't a slack tag. slack (search or the word) returns 26 questions.
  • Unix and Linux hasn't a slack tag either. slack (search or the word) returns 211 questions.

Besides the site scope and the question count I suggest you to take a look to the site recent activity. Before asking your question spend sometime looking at the questions and answers. Learn from them, help to improve and moderate them.

Practical, detailed questions

From Web Applications tour:

Get answers to practical, detailed questions

Focus on questions about an actual problem you have faced. Include details about what you have tried and exactly what you are trying to do.

I have not reviewed all the Stack Exchange sites, but I think that it's fair to assume that this is one of the premises of how Stack Exchange sites works. While it might be possible that some sites deviate from this, that should be considered an exception.

In sites with low activity, the best is that besides searching the site, before asking your question you look to the resources for the corresponding audience, end-user, administrators, developers, etc. Learn from tutorials, learning resources, FAQ, whitepapers, etc.

The above because the Stack Exchange model doesn't work well for beginner questions, specially if there isn't a core community full of members willing to do a lot of back and forth interaction, aka mentors, despite of not getting reputation as reward for their efforts, if they use the system as it's intended.

In Web Applications questions a service like Slack that are independent of the platform might be well received if the meet the current quality standards.

  • A clear title.
  • A reasonable explanation of what your question is. Add as much detail as you can.
  • Any background research you've tried but wasn't enough to solve your problem.
  • Correct use of English spelling and grammar to the best of your ability.

Regarding questions about Slack, my suggestion is that before asking a question you search throughly Web Applications and https://slack.com/help. In your question share what you found and why it didn't meet your needs.

I recently posted this in Web Applications Meta: Guides to ask a question about a web application. It's a work in progress.

Posting in multiple sites

Posting in multiple sites asking about the same "concept" is OK while each post be tailored to each site scope and workings. Posting practically the same question in multiple sites is known as cross-posting, this is not allowed.

Related

Meta Stack Exchange

Super User Meta

Web Applications Meta

Complains from topic beginners

Help for topic beginners

Mentors

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  • That data query is cool! But keep in mind it might just be a platform popularity list. If you're optimistic, it shows most questions are about programming. If you're pessimistic, it shows most questions are asked on SE even if they belong to other platforms.
    – LWC
    Apr 14 at 7:00
  • @LWC Thanks. I agree, question count is not enough to decide which site is appropiate to ask a question about a cross-platform app. Because of that takes relevace to review questions here tagged with site-crossover. A more elaborate analysis of questions already posted might be helpful but it might require a sponsor / team of volunteers ;)
    – Rubén
    Apr 14 at 14:31

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