Questions tagged [on-topic-definition]
The on-topic-definition tag has no usage guidance.
310 questions
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What's the proper to phrase a question pertaining to good practices so that it doesn't get closed?
I asked a question about good practices: Are there good practices or even conventions to store LLM prompts I use while coding?
It got closed as opinion-based. I looked at other questions tagged ...
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How to improve my question
I'm writing this question to follow the suggestion that @Thomas Owens has given me by a comment added to a his answer to one my question.
In that question on META I have summarized the content of one ...
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What's wrong to ask about a Python feature and why this feature is present in the language?
Some days ago I have written a question about Python classes. The question perhaps was a bit general, but I thought which this is the right place to ask this kind of question.
To be more specific I ...
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Should we synonymize these tags: scope, off-topic, on-topic-definition?
I see that there are 3 tags with similar usage:
Tag
Description
scope
Scope refers to "site scope," the area of topic focus within which users are permitted to ask questions. For example, ...
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Are questions about explaining concept of computer science on-topic?
Here is how I come up to this question:
I want to know what are the differences between immutable and readonly
There is already a question asking about this on this site: Immutable vs Read-only vs ...
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Is asking whether "the Java Collection framework is an example where 'favour composition over inheritance' is not suitable" on topic?
For instance, would the following question be on topic?
I was recently exposed to the design principle "favour composition
over inheritance", as well as some guidelines suggesting that ...
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is question review appropriate for meta?
Is it on-topic here to ask how you can improve a particular question before posting it on main?
Or is it required that the question be posted on main first?
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Guidelines for questions about a specific language lacking a specific feature
I have asked some questions about why a specific programming language does not have a specific feature. They seem to have unpredictable/mixed reception as they are sometimes but not always closed as ...
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Are questions about the architecture of well-known software products within the scope of the site?
Are questions regarding the internal workings and the architecture of a particular software product (e.g. Oracle database, SQL Server, etc) within the scope of the site?
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Are questions asking for better ways to represent a particular concept in a given language within the scope of the site?
I asked this question in CodeReview and I was informed that I could find better answers in the SoftwareEngineering community. But, just to make sure, would the question be within the scope of the site?...
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Are JIRA usage questions on topic here?
I recently asked Adding todos for myself to JIRA issues assigned to others, and it was quickly closed (and poorly received by multiple users) with a reason stating that it belonged on SO.
This is fine;...
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Is "citizen development" on topic in Software Engineering?
Tl;Dr: Are questions about citizen development, as defined by the Project Management Institute in the book of the same name, on-topic in Software Engineering?
Several webpages from software vendors, ...
user233431
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Is my question, about TypeScript and learning difficulties off-topic because I suggest supporting claims with evidence?
I asked https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/questions/440554 and defined what I though were objective criteria, and hoped to leverage the site's expertise in a software engineering topic (I ...
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Is this SE site the appropriate one for “Figma architecture questions”?
I asked the following question on ux.stackexchange.com, but it got closed as off-topic. Also, I suppose it does not belong on neither Stack Overflow, graphicdesign.stackexchange.com nor superuser.com. ...
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Why is asking if someone elaborated on a decision, an "Opinion based question"?
This question here:
Why is/was Bjarne opposed to adding strong/opaque typedefs to the core language of c++?
Is asking if Bjarne ever elaborated on why he opposed strong or opaque typedefs.
It got ...
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Why Is One Question Closed for Legal Advice and the Other Upvoted?
So I recently submitted a question that got shot-down immediately for asking legal advice. It is as follows: Hybrid Source License That Is Basically Open Source but Prevents Competition?
However, ...
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Why is this question closed as off-topic?
What algorithm to use for substractive machining RT simulation?
Regarding this question, I am asking about the current state of the art, that is, the proper algorithm for this problem.
To put an ...
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Can I ask for feedback on a list of ideas and thoughts, and the pros and cons I could think of, about designing a chess game?
I'd like to try coding a program to play chess. Therefore, to help myself, I'm writing down some possible choices that I will have to make to design the program (e.g. what data type for the chessboard,...
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How to ask for a list of usable criteria
In this post, I've asked for a list of criteria I can use to make a correct choice for a programming environment.
I received some pretty useless comments, and then, apparently after not more than 25 ...
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Interview questions are off-topic. What about questions that I, as the interviewer, have?
If I'm interviewing someone for a programming job and I have questions about how I'd best assess whether the candidate actually has a particular skill, would that be an on-topic questions?
An example ...
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When every question pertaining to Software Engineering has been more or less asked, do we broaden the scope of questions allowed to be asked?
Have other Stack Exchanges run into this, where activity slows due to the lack of novel questions remaining? Is that even seen as a problem?
If and when it does happen, would there be greater ...
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What is the process after a closed question was been edited to meet all the requirements but the reviewers don't react?
I asked a question.
The question was very shortly after closed by moderators without any comments. Isn't this bad practice? This also annoyed another contributor who was writing a detailed answer to ...
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Is this question on-topic here?
Not sure if SE is the right place to ask, so checking first...
I am writing a web-based app for use in a private office (local network, no outside access). We have an agreement that they are not to ...
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Does this site support questions asking to evaluate alternative solutions to a problem and if yes, how can I ask them?
This is how I tend to use this site (and other SE sites):
I work.
I run into a problem I cannot solve myself (at least not easily, without devoting very substantial time or effort I cannot now devote)...
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What's wrong with this question about React event handling conventions?
Is there a standard convention for onChange handlers for react components?
This question attracted -3 votes within the first hour of posting.
It relates to function signatures for onChange on React ...
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Is discussion of models for hiring, promoting, and reviewing developers on-topic discussion?
Background
tl;dr question is at the bottom
I am currently working as a middle manager for a mid-market manufacturing company that has an IT department consisting of:
6 developers (one lead, two ...
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"Most common “Y2K-style” bugs today" ... Keep or Delete?
This mildly interesting question has a respectable number of views, but it's clearly off-topic, it being a "make-list" question.
I've looked through the answers, and frankly I don't see a whole lot ...
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Why questions about "the correct way" are too broad
Questions of the following form are often closed as too broad:
"Review My Design"
"What is the Best Practice?"
"Will my approach work? Is it viable?"
"Is this the correct / preferred / accepted / ...
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First off-topic close reason text should be updated for new Stack Overflow phrasing
Recently, Stack Overflow changed the "mcve" (Minimal, Complete, and Verifiable Example) phrase to "mre" (Minimal Reproducible Example). While the old links still work, the new canonical link is to ...
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How to ask about "How to write specification for a web application?"
I'm a software developer, and I have a friend who isn't (maybe call him an aspiring product manager)
He has an idea for a web application, and wants to write a design or specification for it:
So ...
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Arguing with answers VS expressing ideas
I'm talking about this edit of Why not use SQL instead of GraphQL?, a quite controversial question by me.
Basically, I got a lot of enlightening comments and answers from this community, but I'm ...
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Popular, detailed, controversial answer on a legal topic deleted. Appropriate?
I was surprised to find that my answer
"Reports of GPLv3 and AGPLv3 "virality" are greatly exaggerated"
for the question "AGPL - what you can do and what you can't"
was deleted -- the first time a ...
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Where to ask questions about how to write a job application?
I have some special questions about 'job applications' for a software engineering job.
Is this the right place to ask something about writing a job application?
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Does Software Engineering SE accept GDPR and other legal compliance-type questions?
Related: Revisiting what is on topic, with respect to new sites: Open Source, Law, and Software Recommendations
With the impending deadline for GDPR implementation, questions have been popping up on ...
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Why was my question moved to StackOverflow?
My recent attempt to participate in this website has left me very confused about what is considered "on topic" here. I asked this question, which seemed like a good fit for this site because it is ...
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Is this a place to ask blockchain questions?
I don't have a specific question, but I can see the possibility of future questions about blockchain development. I believe there are enough questions that could and will be asked about blockchain ...
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First-time user suggestion for improved on-topic clarity
I have this question that I thought was well-suited to a site that describes itself as:
...a question and answer site for professionals, academics, and students working within the systems ...
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Scope clarification: Mediums and efficiency of those mediums on topic?
I've never been quite clear on the scope of this site (Yeah, I've read the scope many times, but different people interpret it differently), even after 5 gold badges and 21 questions, and I'm doubtful ...
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What is wrong with "does this (anti-)pattern have a name" questions?
I asked this question: Is this a known pattern: A utility class that attracts new methods, even when these are not re-used? - and the only "reply" that I got from the community is
If we had a name ...
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Why is this question off topic?
I've asked a question, trying to understand a language specific "anomaly", as it's not within my immediate skillset to answer.
What is the purpose of this forum if not to answer Software Engineering ...
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I think it's time we just make all licensing questions off-topic
Why? Because all the remaining questions are either crap, or they get closed anyway.
Crap questions
Most recent questions it seems are either some sort of:
Tell me how to follow this license ...
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Are diagramming skills off topic?
How to draw nice looking pointy oriented hexagon shape in monospace plaintext
I've read plenty of specs over the years. Some by people I wish had taken the time to ask a simple question like this. Do ...
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Is this place right to ask about specific clean code practices? [duplicate]
I've been focusing on clean code lately and I'd like to know if this is the right place to upload code that I believe can improve in this matter. Obviously well written and documented code.
If this ...
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reference-request tag is missing [duplicate]
Why there is no reference-request tag?
I want to ask where can I read about a certain topic.
Are questions like this offtopic?
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Do we need to provide guidance for questions related to ethics?
I would like to edit this question/answer to provide specific guidance for asking and answering questions related to ethics on Software Engineering:
Ethics questions are on-topic, given that direct
...
Thomas OwensMod
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Are Turing Machine diagrams on-topic?
I was hoping to get some feedback on a Turing Machine I designed, but I'm not sure where to ask it appropriately. Code Review's don't ask page says "We review code, not concepts, diagrams, or outlines....
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We have a scope problem with Software Engineering's tagline
Visitors to our site are taking the words "who care about delivering software responsibly" in our tagline as evidence of question topicality. Witness:
https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/...
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Is this the correct community to ask questions on style and procedure, rather than specific questions begging as specific answer?
I would like to gather opinions on matters of style, organization, and procedure related to software development. As an example, I'm looking for the right place to ask something like the following:
...
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Are questions regarding to Software performance testing off-topic?
I have been asked to prepare the whole performance test plan for the current project I'm working on. This is the first time I have to take forward such task by my own and ,honestly, I don't even know ...
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Is it on-topic to ask for an objective list of something?
A request question is asking to enumerate all JavaScript functions that return null or undefined.
I thought that questions which ask to make a list of things are off-topic here; however, I can't find ...
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