31

Or better yet: xyzzy.stackoverflow.com to test against?

ETA: sandbox.stackoverflow.com is a much better name, and better encapsulates my idea. Thanks dbr.

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15
  • 17
    What are you testing?
    – jjnguy
    Jun 29, 2009 at 17:13
  • 1
    It doesn't really matter what, does it? Stackoverflow is not an appropriate place for any sort of testing (automated posting, cross posting, auto replies, etc [yes these are all bad bad things]).
    – Alan
    Jun 29, 2009 at 22:45
  • 9
    I would say meta-so is OK for this type of stuff, as long as it's tagged as "site-testing" and not done excessively. Maybe you should ask that as ANOTHER meta question, to see if the community is OK with a little testing here on meta.*
    – Jeff Atwood
    Jun 30, 2009 at 2:35
  • 7
    @Ivo - It might be helpful if you left comments indicating in what sense you consider these old random requests "completed". I'm guessing that you mean Jeff's comment is sufficient, but it'd be good for people who stumble across this later to be able to tell more easily what the resolution actually was.
    – Brad Mace
    Aug 18, 2011 at 17:43
  • 2
    I'm simply following up on flags, the mods have been clearing through the [feature-request] tag to clean it up. So don't shoot the messenger.
    – Ivo Flipse
    Aug 18, 2011 at 17:48
  • 2
    It would be nice to be able to test all the features of stackoverflow even when you don't have enough reputation on real stackexchange sites.
    – onokazu
    Aug 26, 2012 at 7:06
  • @Alan (I saw this question because it was active today, although I'm not sure how). Personally, I think sandbox.stackexchange.com would make more sense. If something like this were to go forward, it shouldn't be restricted to one site in the SE network.
    – John Bensin
    Sep 13, 2013 at 13:31
  • 1
    I can imagine exactly what this would be used for; "testing" when the serial voting script kicks in
    – Richard Tingle
    Sep 13, 2013 at 14:08
  • @JohnBensin: Yeah that makes sense. I think when I first asked this, there really wasn't stackexchange as being a network of sites (iirc).
    – Alan
    Sep 13, 2013 at 15:26
  • @Alan If you're still interested: Area51 Sandbox proposal :)
    – ᔕᖺᘎᕊ
    Jun 27, 2015 at 20:30
  • So we still not have this feature...?
    – ch271828n
    Aug 7, 2019 at 3:52
  • @fzyzcjy no and we'll never have, this request has been officially declined.
    – Shadow Wizard Strikes Back
    Aug 7, 2019 at 8:23
  • @ShaWiz Ah sorry to hear that... By the way where is it declined? (It seems that my Googling skills are not good enough to find it)
    – ch271828n
    Aug 7, 2019 at 8:24
  • @fzyzcjy see the question tags. On meta sites in Stack Exchange, a bug report or feature request might get a special status tag that explains the official decision about that bug or request. The status-declined tag set here means the developers decline to implement the suggested request. Often when setting such a tag they also add answer to explain, the answer in this case is here.
    – Shadow Wizard Strikes Back
    Aug 7, 2019 at 10:28
  • It was a good idea in 10 years ago :)
    – Alan
    Aug 7, 2019 at 15:48

3 Answers 3

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31

"SandboxOverflow"?

There have been times I'd have wanted to try something about the Stack Overflow site without touching the actual site. I can't remember specific examples, but one would be deleting my own answer when a bounty is issued, or how negative reputation is handled, etc..

The site could be reset every 24 hours, perhaps even users (with over x reputation on Stack Overflow, Server Fault, or Super User) could create (temporary) accounts with specific privileges/reputation.

The FAQ and sofaq tag has satisfied most of my curiosities, but it could prove useful...

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3
  • 17
    isn't that what this site is for, sorta?
    – Jeff Atwood
    Jun 30, 2009 at 2:28
  • 2
    Sort of, only SandboxOverflow would be even more.. chaotic
    – dbr
    Jun 30, 2009 at 2:41
  • 7
    One thing is for sure, you would probably get sand up your .... usb ports.
    – Brad Gilbert
    Jul 8, 2009 at 0:33
19

I would actually like to see something like this for new moderators. There are numerous new tools available, one of which is recalculating individual users' reputation. As a test, I recalculated mine and I lost the 99-point rep boost that everyone has when they start here. I emailed Jeff to see if he could restore it, but I haven't heard back.

There are also some other tools that I'd like to try out (like deleting/destroying users) but I don't want to junk up this site with test accounts.

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5

Meta Stack Overflow is the testing site / sandbox.

While it might be occasionally useful / amusing to have another one, in practice I don't know that it would enable much beyond what is already possible here.

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3
  • Yeah, considering the amount of bugs that are found here before changes are deployed network wide (small sample) it's surely a sandbox site!
    – Shadow Wizard Strikes Back
    Oct 24, 2013 at 18:56
  • here is example of test I want to do and I have no idea where. I want to add code in the comment. I read how, but it did not work for me in first attempt so I want to test test 02 code in comment without line break
    – Ronen Ariely
    Jun 26, 2018 at 13:49
  • OK, at least this orked so I know how to add code now ;-)
    – Ronen Ariely
    Jun 26, 2018 at 13:49

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