24
votes
Accepted
Let me Google that for you
I too have noticed an increase in low quality questions as the ranks of our site's users rapidly swell.
There has been Meta SE discussion on LMGTFY, and I don't think using that site is a good ...
PolyGeoMod
- 63.9k
18
votes
Writing code snippets to get quicker answers
A code snippet that is included in a question here should not be just a copy/paste from a larger script that you are working on, and it should not be that larger script in its entirety. It should be ...
17
votes
Encouraging answerers to upvote question they are answering?
The upvote guidance on questions is:
This question shows research effort; it is useful and clear
It does not suggest that an upvote should, in any way, be related to whether the question receives ...
PolyGeoMod
- 63.9k
16
votes
Accepted
Should Statements of Urgency be removed from Questions?
I believe most users do not care about statements of urgency. We are all volunteers here, hence, we are free to follow our own schedule.
If the question is very new it is ok to remove the urgency ...
- 9,921
13
votes
Accepted
Answering question that is On Hold?
I added my re-open vote to the others that were already on your question so it is now ready for you to self-answer.
I agreed with its original closure as too broad, but I am almost always happy to ...
PolyGeoMod
- 63.9k
10
votes
Accepted
Dealing with unethical questions?
Is flagging the question with "in need of moderator intervention" the right course of action in theses cases?
Before flagging please consider other community options available to you. Use the Down-...
MidavaloMod
- 29.2k
9
votes
Getting answers for questions immediately
The best way to obtain quick and comprehensive answers here is by making your question as clear and easy to understand as you can. You have an edit button beneath it which you can use to keep ...
PolyGeoMod
- 63.9k
9
votes
Accepted
Edit that changes a user's choice of software
It depends. A question does not necessarily have to be about one specific software to be considered not broad, as long as it is specific enough in details to avoid five users casting a close vote as '...
- 9,921
9
votes
Accepted
Is there a draft mode for writing questions and answers?
This is part of the Stack Exchange mechanism for posting
"Drafts are stored in redis for 7 days, with each site having storage
for one draft question and one draft answer per user."
for a ...
MapperzMod
- 48.6k
8
votes
Accepted
Where does it state "one question per post" in the GIS Stack Exchange instructions?
The Tour is now updated
https://gis.stackexchange.com/tour
Thanks for the feedback and improving the GIS-SE site content
MapperzMod
- 48.6k
8
votes
Why are there so many question with no votes but with answers that have upvotes?
In my case, upvoting a question is also because of how the system is presenting the upvote. If you look at the question upvote, it says :
the question 1) shows research effort, 2) it is clear and 3)...
- 48.7k
8
votes
Accepted
What to do when question edits were rolled back?
What I would do is the following (consider the context of an edit war between OP and another user):
Edit Q in good faith trying to improve the post, like you did.
If OP rolls it back (and it bothers ...
- 9,921
7
votes
Let me Google that for you
A couple of points:
Some people really aren't that great at googling. They don't think of the right synonym, or aren't specific enough, or just can't even think of what it is they need to know ...
- 5,400
7
votes
Accepted
Should an off-topic question with an accepted answer be placed on-hold?
If we don't flag them then the next person who asks a software question points to it as precedent. I closed a similar java question yesterday - just because your file is a shapefile doesn't make it ...
Ian TurtonMod
- 75.5k
7
votes
Accepted
Why is this "Not an answer" flag disputed?
I suspect that the reviewer (not me) on this one must have hit the wrong button because to me it looks like your flag falls well within what Robert Harvey says in his answer to Not An Answer Flag ...
PolyGeoMod
- 63.9k
7
votes
Accepted
Splitting answer when it leads to another question?
I think that what you have done is exactly what is best for the site, and for future visitors to either of those questions.
Imagine a future visitor coming to look for the answer to just one of those ...
PolyGeoMod
- 63.9k
7
votes
Asking simple, non-technical questions on GIS SE
Succinct questions are encouraged at Stack Exchange. I appreciate how you point out that Stack Exchange can be seen as a repository for questions for the benefit of future users. With this said, all ...
AaronMod
- 50.4k
6
votes
Accepted
Could GIS Stack Exchange add new question option on menu?
I am not sure where you took your screenshot from but to see the Newest questions on our Main site I use https://gis.stackexchange.com/questions?sort=newest:
Finding questions with the newest answers ...
PolyGeoMod
- 63.9k
6
votes
Re-asking old questions with correct (but now dated) answers?
Please do not re-ask the question: that goes against one of the principal aims of the site, which is to have a well-organized canonical set of answers. Re-asking creates a duplicate. Duplication ...
- 67.8k
6
votes
Is there a draft mode for writing questions and answers?
One technique I use (frequently) is to copy the entire contents of a draft and paste it into a local text document.
If you want more capabilities than that, you can preview, save, and manage your ...
- 67.8k
5
votes
Importance of including software (often version too) details when asking most questions at GIS SE?
For most questions on GIS.SE I would say that naming the software is important/critical but the version is not.
In almost any case where a question is 'how do I...', the answer will vary (depending ...
- 15.5k
5
votes
Accepted
Importance of including software (often version too) details when asking most questions at GIS SE?
I agree that when a question involves software, it is critical that the version numbers of said software are included. As with any technical support procedure, this is among the first and most ...
- 35.5k
5
votes
Should I edit an answer, create a new answer, or create a new question (and answer it)?
Option (#) 1 is out of the table, because it would be an "attempt to reply" (custom reason for rejecting edit-suggestions from <2k users) and could also be considered a "conflict with the author's ...
- 9,921
4
votes
Splitting answer when it leads to another question?
I think you did the right thing by creating another post. Just so you know, we support asking and answering your own questions. Especially if it isn't relevant for the first post.
FezterMod
- 21.4k
4
votes
What to do with not-a-question questions?
Self-answering is quite acceptable here, and encouraged. There is even an option to Answer your own question while posting a Question
An answer should not be given in the body of the question, ...
MidavaloMod
- 29.2k
4
votes
Asking simple, non-technical questions on GIS SE
The question from Stack Overflow that you cited was, in its entirety:
What's the difference between the list methods append() and extend()?
and that was how it was originally posted with ...
PolyGeoMod
- 63.9k
4
votes
Dealing with unethical questions?
Please don't jump to conclusions.
1) Your first example is gone, so I cannot comment but scraping is not necessarily unethical and is repeatedly deemed legal in courts in various countries. What the ...
- 8,554
4
votes
Edit that changes a user's choice of software
That's interesting. It depends.
While the question specified was edited and subsequently answered by a moderator, this could just as easily apply to any user with edit privileges.
That question was ...
- 6,156
4
votes
Deleting merged questions asked by the same OP?
In the answer to What is a "merged" question? it says:
If you believe a merge stub is no longer useful, flag it for moderator
attention and ask for it to be deleted.
I think that is ...
PolyGeoMod
- 63.9k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible