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321 votes
2 answers
39k views

Should questions include "tags" in their titles?

I've seen questions edited to remove the language name from the title. Won't search engines - and folks using search engines - have an easier time finding them if these "tags" are kept as ...
24 votes
1 answer
4k views

How do I remove an OpenID or login? [duplicate]

How do I remove login credentials (emails or OpenIDs) from my account? For more information, see "How do I add or move login credentials from my account?" in the Help Center. Return to FAQ Index
18 votes
4 answers
2k views

RSS feed for responses to your posts

2009-01-29: Due to website changes these pipes no longer work. Check out https://stackoverflow.com/users/recent/{user-id} (or write a pipe for it). Thanks to Beau Simensen's answer I've fixed the ...
56 votes
4 answers
3k views

Who owns the content I post?

Does Stack Exchange own the content that I post? What do I do if I want all of my posts and my user account deleted? Return to FAQ Index
13 votes
2 answers
133 views

Browsing through more than one tag on Stack Overflow

I want to browse everything tagged with both [linux] and [performance] on Stack Overflow. How can I do that?
user avatar
36 votes
4 answers
4k views

How does the SO voter fraud detection mechanism work? [duplicate]

A recent post on the Stack Overflow blog (Voter Fraud and You) states that the Stack Overflow team has implemented a voter fraud detection mechanism. I look at the user board and noticed at least one ...
38 votes
17 answers
12k views

How to ask a smart question

The title of the oldest revision of this SO question is, "Is it posible [sic]?" This doesn't provide any information at all. It should be mandatory for everyone asking questions on the Internet to ...
302 votes
1 answer
32k views

Do posts have to be in English on Stack Exchange?

Otherwise known as 必须用英语吗? ¿Necesito hablar en inglés? ?האם אני חייב לכתוב באנגלית Muss ich auf Englisch schreiben? 英語で書かなければなりませんか? Do I have to use English when posting a question, an answer or a ...
59 votes
3 answers
3k views

Denoting keyboard shortcuts in Stack Exchange posts

What is the recommended method/syntax for denoting keyboard shortcuts in Stack Exchange questions and answers? For example, how would you write the following in a less verbose manner? Press ctrl, ...
17 votes
10 answers
156 views

How do I know what the down votes were for?

I notice that I have been hit by 3 down votes. Clearly some people do not like my ideas and I would like to know which ideas people did not like so I can learn from my mistakes. Is there a way to ...
Phil Hannent's user avatar
11 votes
4 answers
6k views

How do I close my own question? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: What is a “closed” question in Stack Overflow? How do they work? Motives aside, I want to close some of my questions. Many of which have answers. Could someone ...
user avatar
13 votes
3 answers
824 views

How can I see only my interesting tags in Stack Overflow's list of questions?

As you know, in your user preferences, you can hide ignored tags. This is good, but I don't want to put all the tags I am not interested in. Perhaps there are too many in total, or perhaps I am only ...
user avatar
8 votes
4 answers
62 views

Who gets the credit for modified posts?

I'm a new user of StackOverflow. I posted an answer to a question and then someone went in and modified my answer, cleaning it up and fixing a typo. That was very nice of them, not a problem. What I ...
user avatar
56 votes
7 answers
6k views

View or search for unanswered questions with a certain tag

How do I view unanswered questions with a certain tag? How do I search for unanswered questions with a specific tag (or tags)? Return to FAQ index
1121 votes
1 answer
541k views

How does accepting an answer work?

What does it mean to accept an answer? How do I accept an answer, and what are the rules? Can I accept my own self-answer? What are the reputation benefits? Which answer should I accept? Should I ...
240 votes
4 answers
76k views

How is the default user avatar generated?

Is there a name for the default avatars that are generated for users who do not assign one themselves and register using an authentication mode other than Google or Facebook? Not the avatar of the ...
400 votes
1 answer
279k views

How do I format my code blocks?

How do I post text so that it is formatted as code? What do I need to do so that my code shows up properly — not escaped or removed — when posted? And how to get the correct syntax ...
195 votes
1 answer
15k views

Who is the Community user?

I see the Community user on the user page. It seems to edit posts sometimes. What is it? And why has it downvoted over 1800 times? See also: What are “Community Wiki” posts? Return to FAQ Index
9 votes
8 answers
3k views

Should tags use dashes, camel case or underscores? Should they be singular or plural? [duplicate]

Have you looked at the state of tags lately? Multiple versions of the same tag that are camel cased, use underscores or dashes, with both singular and plural versions.... Should there be an unwritten ...
6 votes
4 answers
794 views

How to earn the Self Learner badge?

We're encouraged to answer our own posts, yet we cannot answer our own questions. [At the time this question was asked, that second link said "You cannot accept your own answer to a question." –...
tsilb's user avatar
  • 349
18 votes
9 answers
893 views

Should I edit a question or answer with offensive content? [duplicate]

Occasionally, I will see a post that has PG (or even PG-13) rated content. The offensive flag can be applied to these posts. Should I wait for the community to declare it offensive and have the post ...
51 votes
7 answers
4k views

What third-party tools are there for the trilogy websites?

What third-party tools, plugins, addons, widgets are there for the trilogy websites? Return to FAQ index
109 votes
1 answer
3k views

How can we get rid of misspelled and unused (or "zombie") tags?

During the re-tagging of questions, tags sometimes become orphaned from existing questions. Are these zombie tags ever removed from the tags list? What if a tag is misspelled and needs to be removed?...
67 votes
2 answers
10k views

How do I correctly tag my questions?

Here are some tips for tagging questions. These guidelines will help you more accurately tag your questions, which in turn will help them get more attention and lead to better answers faster. For ...
535 votes
1 answer
96k views

How does deleting work? What can cause a post to be deleted, and what does that actually mean? What are the criteria for deletion?

What circumstances can cause a question or answer to be deleted, and what does that actually mean? How can a post be deleted? When can't I delete my own post? Can I still see my post even after it's ...
255 votes
1 answer
12k views

What are the limits on how I can cast, change, and retract votes?

What limits are there on how I can vote? How often can I vote? How do my votes become locked/unlocked? Return to FAQ index
57 votes
4 answers
2k views

Why does the "Unanswered Questions" tab show questions that have answers?

Why does the "Unanswered Questions" tab show questions that have answers? Return to FAQ index
54 votes
1 answer
8k views

What do "watched tags" and "ignored tags" do?

What are watched tags and ignored tags? How do they work? What are tag subscriptions? What are interesting tags? On Stack Overflow, the content of the main page question list appears to be influenced ...
63 votes
5 answers
16k views

How do I search for questions with (or without) specific tags?

How do I search for questions with specific tags? How do I search for questions that have specific tags? How do I search for questions that contain specific text, as well as specific tags? Are there ...
180 votes
6 answers
116k views

Links to URLs containing parentheses

How do I add a link to a URL containing parentheses () (or "round brackets" by heathens)? For example: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa752574(VS.85).aspx The parentheses around &...
58 votes
6 answers
4k views

What are the rules on using the Stack Overflow logo?

I want to use the Stack Overflow logo as an image on a blog post about this site. What are the rules on using it? Can I use it in any way? Can I chop the words out and just use the image, or must I ...
11 votes
5 answers
186 views

Why did my reputation go up?

Is there a way to tell why my reputation has changed? Overnight I gained reputation, and I'm wondering how I could find out which answers and questions got down and upvoted.
49 votes
8 answers
1k views

Should an answer that encourages illegal activity be marked as "Offensive"?

If I see an answer that involves some illegal activity, such as breaking license agreements, should I then mark this as Offensive or should I simply down-vote it?
59 votes
5 answers
15k views

Answer or comment: what's the etiquette?

I very often see comments about a question posted as answers, e.g., "format it this way" or "why don't you post it over here". I think this practice clogs up the answers and the comment feature is ...
25 votes
4 answers
3k views

If you are not satisfied with answers on someone else's question, should you ask your own?

Suppose you had a question, and you really want a good answer that would solve your problem, but noticed it was already asked by someone else. Now, a lot of answers had been posted and upvoted, and ...
Milan Babuškov's user avatar
19 votes
6 answers
675 views

How should a SO answer be credited when used in an open-source project?

I've looked through a few of the questions about the licensing of posts on SO, but haven't found any really satisfactory answers. Can an answer be used in an open source project (with an MIT license)? ...
VirtuosiMedia's user avatar
18 votes
3 answers
2k views

Is there a way to contact another member of stack overflow? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicates: Any way to send a personal message to another user? How do I contact other users? I've asked a very difficult question about javascript on IE, and haven't been able to get ...
Douglas Mayle's user avatar
14 votes
9 answers
792 views

Creative Commons attribution and copycat sites

Using a Creative Commons license means anyone can take this content and republish it on the web. Will our usernames be also republished? (I guess the answer is yes!) What's to stop someone from ...
user avatar
67 votes
3 answers
6k views

How does the “rude or abusive” flag work? [duplicate]

It is possible to flag a post as “rude or abusive” (formerly “offensive”). What is the effect of the “rude or abusive” flag? When should the “rude or abusive” flag be used? Is there any way to remove ...
142 votes
1 answer
14k views

How do "badges" work?

What are badges? How do users get badges? How can users get tag badges? Can badges be lost/revoked/taken away after they are awarded? If so, how and when? How can I suggest a new badge? For more ...
222 votes
1 answer
38k views

How do comments work?

Across the Stack Exchange network you may leave comments on a question or answer. How do comments work? What are comments for, and when shouldn't I comment? Who can post comments? Who can edit ...
589 votes
1 answer
85k views

How does "Reputation" work?

On Stack Exchange, users may gain a certain level of reputation. What does reputation do? How can a user gain or lose reputation? See also: What is reputation? How do I earn (and lose) it? in the ...
102 votes
1 answer
21k views

How does editing work?

It is possible for users to edit an existing post. How do edits work? Who may edit a question or answer? How can you tell what has been changed between edits? For more information, see "Why can ...
38 votes
1 answer
3k views

Flagging a post for moderator review

Suppose I want to have someone with moderator abilities review a post. What would be the best way to flag this? Is there already some standard way to do this that I don't know about? For more ...
302 votes
6 answers
112k views

Do I have to worry about copyright issues for code posted on Stack Overflow?

I was wondering about the copyright of code snippets from answers. Let's say you ask a question and the solution consists of ten lines of code, which are given in an answer. Are there any restrictions ...
120 votes
1 answer
8k views

What is a "locked" post?

On Stack Exchange, a post can sometimes be "locked": What does it mean to lock a post? Who can lock a post? When should a post be locked? Return to FAQ index
1069 votes
1 answer
115k views

What are "Community Wiki" posts?

Some questions and answers are marked Community Wiki and are owned by a community wiki user: (In fact, this very question is one of them) Why have Community Wiki posts? How do Community Wiki posts ...
211 votes
1 answer
27k views

What is a "closed" or "duplicate" question, and how does question closing work?

Questions can be closed or marked as duplicates. What does it mean for a question to be "closed"? What does it mean for a question to be marked as a "duplicate"? Who can close a ...
172 votes
27 answers
28k views

How should we deal with Google questions?

There have been a lot of questions that can be answered with a simple Google search. For these questions, an answer can be found by just copying and pasting the question directly into the Google ...
7 votes
7 answers
193 views

What is the best way to find questions to old answers? [duplicate]

I just want to know what the best way is to find previous questions that may answer mine (on Stack Overflow). I try to search, but I tend to get too many irrelevant results. What's your best method ...
Nescio's user avatar
  • 195