This tag is for instructions and guidance on closing or migrating questions, and the reasons for those closures.
-5
votes
1answer
62 views
Close option for questions that can be answered with a simple research [duplicate]
I think that close options on Stack Overflow aren't complete. Ok, in off-topic options there's still an "other" option, but it's too bad that other users don't see the reason, but just see a comment ...
13
votes
2answers
104 views
Do we need a more generic “off-topic” close reason?
This question was just posted to SO:
Web Analytics & Statistical Softwares SAS, SPSS, R
The OP admits right off the bat that the question is "more of a career question", which is very clearly ...
0
votes
1answer
28 views
How to request to move a question to programmers.SE? [duplicate]
When I click the Migrate option in the close vote (in off topic), it lists a few sites. To be exact, it lists Meta (this), SuperUser, TeX.SE, DBA.SE and sharepoint.SE. There's not an option for ...
10
votes
1answer
108 views
Put restrictions in place for users who abuse/misuse custom close reasons
I was going through some questions today and I came across one that didn't fit the scope of Stack Overflow. On entering the close dialog I was presented with the following
(The user who created ...
14
votes
1answer
100 views
Auto Comment for Off Topic -> Minimal Understanding
When someone votes to close an issue as...
Questions asking for code must demonstrate a minimal understanding of the problem being solved. Include attempted solutions, why they didn't work, and ...
6
votes
1answer
68 views
Appropriate custom close reason for unanswered questions about deprecated server API
Within Facebook API, the REST API has been deprecated. Previously it was possible to clear out the unanswered list by closing these questions as "too localized". With the new close options, I am ...
12
votes
2answers
158 views
Questions .. must describe the specific problem and include valid code to reproduce it
I would like to see one of the reasons for closing questions changed. Specifically as mentioned in a comment to the War of the closes (which I'll repeat here).
I disagree with the wording of one ...
4
votes
0answers
35 views
Allow custom close reasons that are not off-topic
There is an automated downvote when ever a question is closed as off-topic. The new bespoke reasons, that seem to effectively replace too localized, are all in the off-topic section, which means each ...
1
vote
3answers
95 views
Everything tagged with [status-norepro] on Meta should be automatically closed as not reproducible
The status-norepro wiki states:
This tag indicates that the site developers were unable to recreate the behavior described in a bug report.
The not reproducible close reason states (emphasis ...
7
votes
2answers
83 views
Off-Topic reason usage and statistics
Now that the individual Stack Exchange sites have been given the ability to set three custom Off Topic reasons per site is there a way (or intention to provide a way) to analyze which of these reasons ...
5
votes
1answer
63 views
Why does the Meta off-topic close reason refer to Stack Overflow?
Closing a programming question as off-topic here on Meta generates this message:
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
"Programming ...
2
votes
0answers
11 views
Close reason display bug, italics text is vertically offset a few px [duplicate]
I've taken the following picture to demonstrate:
This is Chrome 28 in Ubuntu 13.04.
As you can see by the magnificent freehand circle, the should, which is wrapped in <i> tags (Really? Why ...
3
votes
1answer
87 views
Should this Stack Overflow question be closed?
I've just been looking at this question on Stack Overflow: Why is GWT app not displaying?
It drew my attention due to the unusually large bounty. Reading the question in more detail, I'm struck by:
...
6
votes
0answers
28 views
Edit History doesn't show custom reasons for closing
I noticed that the Edit History doesn't show the custom reasons given for the Off Topic->Other reason. Something like that should be in the Edit History.
This example should have a custom reason:
5
votes
0answers
46 views
Question about scripting closed as not being related to programing
This question about autohotkey was closed as off-topic.
programing: (from dictionary)
A set of coded instructions that enables a machine, especially a computer, to perform a desired sequence of ...
4
votes
1answer
58 views
If a question is both too broad and a duplicate, should it be closed as “too broad” or “duplicate of…”?
When a question is clearly too broad (shopping list style or opinion based) AND it has a clear duplicate (that is already closed) with a lot of good answers and information, should we close the ...
36
votes
0answers
135 views
Can we have more than 3 custom close reasons, pretty please? [migrated]
Ask Ubuntu mod here. We've exhausted our custom close reason slots and we need a few more.
We are a very broad site. We cater to development, application support, installation support, hardware ...
0
votes
1answer
50 views
How to close questions that are spam of some sort?
In the good old days I could close as not a real question and move on.
Now I get the pleasure of writing a detailed reason it's off topic.
See ...
3
votes
1answer
94 views
Make the closed-as-duplicate indicator grammatically correct
I just noticed this:
marked as duplicate by Bob, John, Joe, Jill, Jane 8 millennia ago
I'm interested in the marked as duplicate part.
I believe that before the big close reason change it said ...
2
votes
3answers
124 views
Need for factual errors as a close reason?
Many feel the need for a close reason that expresses that the basic premises of the question are incorrect (factual errors etc.). Shouldn't there be a need for this close reason on many (most?) SE ...
2
votes
2answers
102 views
Off-topic popup doesn't have a 'completely off-topic' option for flags [duplicate]
When I flag a question as "doesn't belong here", the new 'off-topic' subcategories are great, but there's a little disconnect between the top-level blurb and the options actually displayed beneath. ...
-5
votes
0answers
37 views
Necessity of providing comment along with reason for closing question [duplicate]
As a new user on SO I have had a few of my questions closed with reasons such as off-topic. I did not understand why it was off-topic, so I decided to study up on the criteria for having questions ...
4
votes
3answers
59 views
What close reason should we use for 'I want to do X' questions?
With the recent close vote reason overhaul, I now don't know what to do with questions like this:
I have this PHP code:
code
I want to make the user count sheep. How do I do that?
In ...
5
votes
2answers
75 views
Are questions which require constant updating fit for our sites?
Are questions that will likely require constant updating to remain valid fit for the site?
This is the question that sparked our discussion on Sci-Fi chat, but I think it's broad enough to be covered ...
39
votes
0answers
152 views
+100
Remove mentions of other sites in Stack Overflow off topic reasons
Currently, we have the following off-topic close reasons on Stack Overflow (emphasis mine):
Questions about general computing hardware and software are off-topic
for Stack Overflow unless they ...
2
votes
1answer
58 views
Where does this question fit into the new closing rules?
is this input option for select?
I am not sure which category this question fits into. Is it too broad because it asks "if anyone has a better idea"? Is it unclear for the same reason it may have ...
3
votes
0answers
44 views
What happened to the “other” option for off-topic flagging? [duplicate]
Don't get me wrong, I like the new flagging system (except the wording of the close reasons), but something is wrong I believe.
When you want to flag a question as [what apparently used to mean] off ...
1
vote
0answers
48 views
Update the close reasons on Area 51
Area 51 is still using the old close reasons. Could we update them to match the new and improved system?
10
votes
1answer
69 views
Some custom off-topic close reasons don't really describe off-topic questions
These two off-topic close reasons don't seem like they describe off-topic questions.
Questions concerning problems with code you've written must describe the specific problem and include valid ...
-38
votes
5answers
188 views
Put a question on hold when it does start to attract opinionated answers and spam, not before
Some questions are put on hold for this reason "..they tend to attract opinionated answers and spam".
How about treating users like mature responsible users FIRST and IF AND WHEN the question starts ...
14
votes
1answer
69 views
Can we get a “Manage off-topic close reasons” link in the “links” tab of the moderator tools? [duplicate]
The "Manage off-topic close reasons" page should be easily accessible. As of now a mod has to keep going to random questions and finding it through the close dialog. Can you please add a link to it, ...
1
vote
1answer
58 views
Update “What is an acceptable answer?” FAQ
Our What is an acceptable answer? FAQ still contains the following:
5 You missed a comma, " Vote to close as Yes
which is causing too ...
4
votes
1answer
76 views
What close reason for polling questions?
Most Stack Exchange site get their share of poll and list (shopping or otherwise) questions. (“What are all the fidgets that warble mildly?” “Where can I find tutorials about stambolgification?“ ...
5
votes
1answer
55 views
Can we make a slight modification to the “short, self contained, correct example” off-topic close reason?
Currently that close reason reads:
Questions concerning problems with code you've written must describe the specific problem and include valid code to reproduce it. See SSCCE.org for guidance.
...
9
votes
1answer
41 views
Please add a link to the custom close form to the moderator links page
I would like the link where moderators can edit close reasons to be part of the moderator links page.
Please add: http://apple.stackexchange.com/admin/flags/close-as-off-topic
To the page: ...
4
votes
1answer
75 views
How is this question on protobuf and RXTX too broad?
Yesterday I posted up the following question: How do I use Google protobuf to communicate over a serial port? and it was closed this morning as "Too Broad."
No comments were posted to the question ...
3
votes
1answer
136 views
Should this weird question be closed, and for what reason?
This question could easily be closed as too localized on old close logic:
Android Help Search PDF etc
However since I've not acclimated to new close logic, I'm not sure which reason it would fall ...
5
votes
1answer
78 views
Templated close reasons
There is some discussion on the close reasons - trying to simplify them to the "rep 1" level of understanding.
There was a desire for a close reason of "... what [language | technology | project] ...
6
votes
1answer
70 views
Custom OT closure wording not working
When this question had but three close votes, I clicked "close" to see the reasons offered, and all three were for "This question appears to be off-topic because it is about something fun. And we hate ...
6
votes
1answer
53 views
How do I edit custom close reasons?
There's a typo in one of our custom Off Topic reasons and I need to edit it, but I don't see an edit button:
How do I edit an already active close reason? Do I have to deactivate the existing one ...
6
votes
1answer
83 views
Why does a custom off-topic close vote trigger a comment when other reasons don't?
I just voted to close a Stack Overflow question with a custom "off topic" reason. I was surprised to see an auto-posted comment appear beneath the question.
Why is a custom close reason treated ...
6
votes
2answers
80 views
A borderline between on-topic questions and questions about library recommendation?
I have a consideration about new off-topic close reason:
Questions asking us to recommend a tool, library or favorite off-site
resource are off-topic for Stack Overflow as they tend to attract
...
18
votes
2answers
271 views
Now that too localized is gone should we embrace the “typo questions”?
The old "too localized" closing reason included "questions that are unlikely to help future visitors". It was generally agreed, that if a question resulted from a typo in the OP code those questions ...
10
votes
1answer
74 views
Site names mangled in close reason
As you can see, Genealogy & Family History.SE's generic close reason distorts the site name. The & hasn't turned into &.
Related bug: Site names need to be run through ...
40
votes
1answer
300 views
Which new close reasons carry automatic downvotes?
Historically closure as "off-topic" and "not a real question" carried automatic -1 votes given by Community when the question was closed.
Which of the new close reasons carry this penalty?
Is it ...
11
votes
2answers
95 views
The new default 'custom' Off-Topic close reason on per site metas makes no sense
Per-site meta's get their own separate batch of custom close reasons from their respective main sites. This is awesome. Unfortunately, the default text is a little bit nonsensical.
This question ...
24
votes
3answers
356 views
The “Other” off topic reason for closing can circumvent our actual mission
I'm really happy overall about the changes to closing. I think the new close reasons are much less full of jargon than the old reasons.
In practice, however, I'm seeing an actual issue with one ...
43
votes
2answers
269 views
Can we rename the off-topic close reason label on the primary screen?
When you click on the button to cast a close vote, you get a list of options: duplicate, off-topic, unclear, too broad, and primarily opinion based. These appear to be consistent across every site. ...
9
votes
1answer
69 views
Correct closure reason for “code plz” questions on SO?
While I love the new closure reasons, I'm confused which one I should select when the user has requested code that implements his requirements.
E.g. "I've got to make a JAva program that like sums ...
20
votes
0answers
97 views
Require the “Other” off-topic close reason to be specified
It appears that it's possible to select the "Other" off-topic close reason, and vote to close without actually providing a close reason. This results in a custom close reason and comment which read:
...
