Questions tagged [off-topic]
This tag is for questions regarding off topic questions, including whether a question is on topic and what to do with off topic questions. DO NOT use this tag to post questions you know to be off-topic for the site.
3
votes
1answer
98 views
Wait, so what kind of discussion of hats is and isn't on topic here?
This question of mine:
https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/319993/i-especially-like-the-hats-this-year?noredirect=1#comment1048036_319993
Received -11 votes and was deleted as 'this kind of ...
3
votes
2answers
53 views
Remove one of the off-topic close reasons [duplicate]
Here on MSE, there are two close reasons within "off-topic" that mean exactly the same thing. This:
This question does not appear to be about the software that powers the Stack Exchange network, ...
1
vote
0answers
27 views
Where should I ask a question about a programming interface for a game? [duplicate]
I wanted to ask about the documentation for the programming interface of the game Vavio since I can't find it anywhere. I first was about to ask on Gaming.SE, where I found similar questions that were ...
40
votes
1answer
330 views
What is the cause of the recent increase in blatantly off-topic posts on Meta?
Since a few days, I have the feeling that there are a lot more blatantly off-topic questions ('lost souls') on Meta Stack Exchange. OK, that could be just a feeling, so I've created a short script (...
4
votes
2answers
85 views
What should I do if I cannot find the right community for my question?
I asked my question here: 1st post
Then I got feedback that my question was off-topic (unrelated to the community), with 2-closing votes, without any suggestion about which is the right community for ...
13
votes
1answer
140 views
Does the new unified design theme result in more off-topic questions where lost users asked on the wrong site?
This is partially a request for opinion, and partially a request for statistics.
For a very long time, Meta Stack Exchange has suffered from a problem where a lot of users ask blatantly off-topic ...
7
votes
2answers
115 views
Tour - Pull in On/Off Topic Guidelines?
Over the years, I have joined a number of Stack Exchange communities to varying degrees of participation. Unfortunately, it has often been at least six months between joining communities - just long ...
11
votes
2answers
196 views
How should we steer lost users?
Here is a thing I see fairly often here on Meta.SE:
The question isn't remotely on-topic and was rightly, and quickly, put on hold. Somebody left a comment (not shown) pointing out what Meta.SE is ...
-10
votes
1answer
71 views
Can there be a feature that redirects an off-topic question to the appropriate Stack Exchange site? [duplicate]
Background
I was on Stack Exchange today, asking a regular ol' question, the gist of which was:
What library do you use to make GUI-based apps in Java?
I asked it based on how apps that have used ...
-3
votes
2answers
103 views
Should the “can no longer be reproduced” off-topic close reason on meta be changed?
Here on Meta Stack Exchange as well as on Meta Stack Overflow, we have an off-topic close reason that says:
The problem described here can no longer be reproduced. Changes to the system or to the ...
3
votes
1answer
56 views
Can't see the specific off-topic reason in the Reopen queue
When I am doing the Reopen Review queue, I like to see why the question was closed. If the question is closed due to it being "off-topic" however, I can't see the specific off-topic reason:
It just ...
-2
votes
1answer
54 views
Should I downvote questions posted on the wrong SE site? [duplicate]
If a question is not directly "bad", but placed on the wrong SE network (e.g., posted on stackoverflow.com when it should have been posted on superuser.com), in addition to close-voting, should I also ...
0
votes
1answer
62 views
Dealing with obviously false answers
I would like to ask what to do if you receive an answer which is:
offtopic
containing false information
I'd like to ask for some guidance about what I did wrong.
I asked a question, someone ...
12
votes
1answer
188 views
Blatantly off-topic for all
As far as I see the "Blatantly off-topic" flag
Blatantly off-topic (this question has nothing to do with %site topic%)
is only available for low-rep users without the close vote privilege.
What ...
7
votes
1answer
60 views
Should you delete your own off-topic, answerless questions?
I unfortunately asked a very off-topic question here yesterday.
I requested to move it to the appropriate meta site by flagging for moderator attention, but got no response. Eventually the question ...
7
votes
2answers
110 views
Why do moderators choose to not delete obvious off-topic questions after they have closed them?
I see this happen quite often, and while I don't agree/disagree, I am just wondering why.
Often on the sites I visit regularly (Stack Overflow and Meta Stack Exchange), I see moderators closing ...
18
votes
0answers
224 views
I'm changing the “not generally applicable” close reason here on Meta SE
This is a small administrative note.
For the past 3 years and 11 months, we've had an off-topic reason defined here for use on questions that are only relevant to a specific site:
This question ...
-11
votes
1answer
74 views
Migrate to another Stack Exchange site without closing
The current process of flagging a post for migration to another Stack Exchange website is as follows:
Flag
It should be closed for another reason
Off-topic because
This question belongs on another ...
32
votes
1answer
463 views
People get lost and crash into meta - maybe we need roadblocks for their safety
I used to think that Sonic the Anonymous Hedgehog's idea of a survey was a terrible idea - it didn't actually fix anything, and I suspect most folks asking off-topic questions here are drivebys.
On ...
13
votes
1answer
545 views
Why do users often ask blatantly off-topic questions here on Meta?
For quite some time, newer users seem to ask a lot of blatantly off-topic questions here on Meta. They are mostly programming questions that should have been closed asked on Stack Overflow, along with ...
-31
votes
5answers
254 views
Should moderators collectively decide before deleting a question as off-topic?
Many answers claim that a collective decision on subjective issues; such as what is off-topic is just a waste of time. But too often they forget that newcomers are often clueless about what is ...
-16
votes
2answers
108 views
my question is always put on hold as off-topic or duplicate or closed why? [duplicate]
I posted many questions but most of the questions are put on hold as off-topic or duplicate or closed i dont know reason may be my english how to explain my issues or otherwise some senior stackusers ...
-7
votes
3answers
104 views
Closing questions because answers are off-topic
Usually one asks for closing questions that appear off-topic. But what about questions with answers off-topic?
It happened few times that I've asked a specific question and I've received a lot of ...
4
votes
0answers
45 views
Where to ask about cell tower technology?
I tried asking a question on Networking about how cell towers are installed, operated, and funded, and specifically how all this is done. I'm not asking for companies to contact to install a tower, ...
31
votes
4answers
360 views
Make “What's on topic for this site?” visible
Often, when I want to ask a question (such as now on tex.stackexchange.com), I wonder:
"Is it on topic or not for this specific SE site?"
then, I'm parsing the page visually, trying to find if ...
11
votes
4answers
289 views
Is asking for user stories off-topic on meta sites?
On English Language & Usage Meta there has been a recent debate about a question asking users for stories about:
how you ended up on ELU, how it has helped you, and perhaps more importantly, ...
7
votes
1answer
84 views
Why are there two different close reasons for questions that aren't about the site's topic?
On both Meta Stack Exchange and Super User, I noticed that there are two close reasons to choose between when a question isn't about the topic of the site (Stack Exchange on Meta and computers on ...
13
votes
1answer
98 views
What is the difference between the “scope” and the “on-topic” tags on most child metas?
In most sites I participate, their child metas have simultaneously two seemingly similar tags: scope and on-topic (or off-topic, on-topic-ness, off-topic-ness). Is this redundant? If yes, shouldn't we ...
1
vote
1answer
35 views
Handling questions asking for data, statistics or marketing share?
I often see questions asking for data, statistics or marketing share (that are not about SE) and I'm finding it hard to tell that they are OT. But as far as I can tell, those answers are likely to be ...
-9
votes
2answers
100 views
Questions based on opinion [duplicate]
How can I post questions to know the community opinion about a theme, in 'A or B' style, without get 'off-toppic'?
1
vote
1answer
32 views
Where can I ask questions when I don't know which SE is the right one? [duplicate]
On which SE should I ask a questions if I don't know which is the right place for it.
For example, I asked a question on Stackoverflow about websites with programming challenges (recommendation), ...
2
votes
1answer
56 views
When are “blatantly off-topic” flags marked helpful?
From this FAQ,
Flags to close a question will be dismissed as helpful as soon as another user votes to close it. However, if you don't have enough reputation to see close votes, it will appear as ...
3
votes
1answer
80 views
Is it ok to explain the justification for a question in the question itself (or comment)?
If a poster has a question that is clearly on-topic according to the help, but is drawing comments that it is "off topic", should the justification for the question (such as citing the relevant line ...
-16
votes
1answer
157 views
Should there a proposal for a lost question section for Area 51, where they can be connected and to taken to a new proposal for a site? [duplicate]
TL;DR: This is not a "dump and go" site for people that don't have a place for their questions, but almost a reverse Area 51 process. This is for high-quality lost questions to find the right site ...
0
votes
2answers
93 views
Inconsistent response on Stack Overflow [closed]
I have started using Stack Exchange websites regularly recently and Stack Overflow very often since I am programmer.
I see that the responses are very inconsistent. Inconsistent in the sense that ...
10
votes
3answers
86 views
Handling comments that answer closed questions
On our site (economics.SE) we discourage (via downvoting) people from writing answers to questions that look off-topic to avoid providing incentives to write such questions in the first place (see ...
12
votes
1answer
87 views
When is it worth to edit an off-topic question on MSE into a site-recommendation?
Today the following question (<10K) was posted on MSE:
Screw loosener disolved
I have a question for experts in mechanics and people who like to build stuff. Is there any type of screw ...
5
votes
1answer
41 views
Wait for question to close before rejecting migration [duplicate]
This question was recently asked on superuser, flagged as off topic and migrated to WebApps StackExchange (Google Hangouts Account Disconnection), all of which makes perfect sense, since the question ...
2
votes
1answer
47 views
Deleting or Closing an Answered Question if Off Topic
I have a question elsewhere which has been voted down, and has 2 votes to close it.
I think anonymous down votes are supremely unhelpful, and that topic has been discussed already. However, I accept ...
6
votes
1answer
63 views
Sending questioners to other sites
If I know that an off-topic question can be answered on a third party website/board, is it OK to send the Asker there?
-11
votes
3answers
107 views
Why is asking for application recommendations considered Off-topic? [duplicate]
This is the motivation "Questions asking us to find or recommend an app, device, ROM, accessory or off-site resource are off-topic as they tend to attract opinionated answers and spam and become ...
-5
votes
1answer
129 views
Where to ask good practice questions? [duplicate]
OK, I got it. There has been plenty of zombies asking dumb good practice questions. And yes, most of the good practice questions lead to opinion-based answers.
But then, good practices a essential ...
2
votes
1answer
79 views
Is it a good idea to introduce an additional reason: “Closed as Bug”?
I am moderating two Stack Exchange beta sites which both are quite active and deal with very new technologies. At least once a week we receive questions which at some point turn out to be a bug.
...
-9
votes
2answers
140 views
Defending questions against abusive closes/migrations
The SE system is probably the best on the internet for connecting questions with those with the expertise to answer them, allowing all of us in the community to learn and share together. I wish it had ...
3
votes
1answer
142 views
Improve migrating questions between Stack Exchange sites
This question is related to Move questions between Stack Exchange sites but as I don't want to bring back a 7 years old topic for an improvement, allow me to make a new one.
Problematic
We are all ...
1
vote
1answer
70 views
Policy for flagging a question as off-topic when it already has an answer
I saw a question which, to me, was off-topic. (Taking the answer below into account I would have flagged it if it were not for my question). I thought to flag it but noticed there was an answer in ...
-1
votes
1answer
75 views
Why are off-topic questions put on hold, rather than migrated? [duplicate]
I posted a question on Server Fault which a moderator put on hold for the following reason:
Questions on Server Fault must be about managing information technology systems in a business environment....
1
vote
1answer
20 views
What to do when site to migrate to isn't one of the options
This question clearly belongs on android.stackexchange.com However when voting to close, under Off Topics > This Question Belongs on Another Stack Exchange Network, there is no option for android....
3
votes
1answer
55 views
Is submitting edits for a question multiple times until it is considered acceptable okay?
I recently encountered a question I think could be useful to others if it were phrased better. The question had been flagged as off-topic originally, but I submitted an edit to nudge it into asking ...
-3
votes
1answer
60 views
Does “topic” have a special meaning on Stack Exchange, and should it?
Often on at least some Stack Exchange sites you see people equate "topic" with any and all qualities of a question, answer, or comment, rather than just their topic in the usual English sense. ...
