1

With the introduction of Area 51 we are beginning to see a number of sites that have content which overlaps with Stack Overflow in some way; a few that come to mind are Web Applications, Pro Webmasters and Game Development. Although most of them target a more narrow subject area than Stack Overflow is meant to, there are some cases where a question posted on Stack Overflow would arguably be a better fit for one of the Area 51 sites.

My question is whether we should vote to close/suggest to migrate the sorts of questions that aren't an ideal match for Stack Overflow now that there are more specific alternatives?

Improve this question
2
  • Can I ask why this was down-voted? Seems like a reasonable question to me...
    – Nathan Taylor
    Commented Aug 4, 2010 at 18:32
  • people downvote more freely on MSO than on SO. It just means someone disagreed with you. (I wasn't the downvoter).
    – user27414
    Commented Aug 4, 2010 at 18:47

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
4

In the case where a question is allowable on SO but a better fit for another site, I think I would rather see the community simply suggest this through comments, rather than force a migration.

Improve this answer
2

Remember that the first and foremost message that migration creates is "This question is off-topic here", so it should only be done if the question first doesn't belong on the current site. Even if you get a serviceable answer on the current site, off-topic is still off-topic.

For on-topic questions, you may get better answers on the specialist sites in some scenarios. But if you can get a proper solution on the current site, and especially if you do, then there's little reason to migrate.

Improve this answer
1

You can't vote to migrate to an SE site, the option doesn't exist. I would certainly vote to close as off-topic something that actually is off-topic for SO, but not something that's on-topic for SO but also fits in an SE site. For example, a question about how to use a web application I would vote to close as off-topic and leave a comment like "Maybe you want to try Web Apps"), but a question about developing a game I would definitely not close. A comment about "there happens to be a dedicated game development SE" might be helpful; there was talk about adding links to the specific SEs at the top of related tags, like a link to TeX, LaTeX, and Friends at the top of [latex]

Improve this answer
0

The main issue is whether the question is on topic or not for the site it is asked on. If it's on topic leave it, if off topic vote to close. You should also bear in mind that the SE sites are all in beta. There's no guarantee they'll remain open after their 90 day beta is over, so I think it is best to proceed as if none of the SE beta sites exist for now.

Perhaps once they've graduated from beta they'll be made eligible for migration, at that point this question should be reevaluated.

Improve this answer
2
  • 'Course, people who like them want them to get out of beta, and therefore want as many users, questions and answers as possible...
    – dmckee --- ex-moderator kitten
    Commented Aug 4, 2010 at 16:52
  • 1
    @dmckee of course if there's an off-topic question that fits on a beta site I wouldn't see the harm in suggesting it be asked on that site
    – Rich Seller
    Commented Aug 4, 2010 at 16:55

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .