

Ask YC: Viability of StackOverflow for other topics and community building. - izak30

YC:<p>I know that most of you have at least used StackOverflow.  I had thought that it would be a great platform for Q&#38;A of any topic.  I whipped up gamersaurus.com and now (before I even have any real users/questions) I'm not so sure.  For example:  Do most video game questions have answers that are 1) cannonical AND 2) not widely available?  To me, that's really the value propisition of stackoverflow.<p>So, my question is:  Is stack exchange, as a platform dead in the water for this, or is it as valuable as the community you build around it (or something else).  My friend who runs a video game forum with 220k members seems to think the former.
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dkasper
The concept of voting on questions and answers could probably be a valuable
metaphor for most communities. Once you've been on voting sites a regular
forum seems lame, what can you do when you really like an answer besides
commenting "+1 to OP"?

I think that if stack exchange could be improved to allow customization in
more ways it would be very useful, however the sites just seem too generic to
have broad appeal in my opinion.

~~~
izak30
That's one of the biggest complaints I had from "Guy A" who looked at it.
There was no decent way to 1) Interface with the content with his current site
2) port reputation two ways from his existing community.

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milkshakes
i, for one, would love a version for startup related questions, from
logistical, strategic and financial to technical implementation suggestions.
something like a more powerful Ask HN. users can respond to questions based on
their opinions or (hopefully) experiences, others can vote on the relevance
and usefulness of the response

~~~
rrikhy
your wish is granted:

<http://answers.onstartups.com/>

~~~
izak30
So, that brings up another good point. StackOverflow, like answers.OnStartups
was leveraged from an already burgeoning community, and quickly got other
communities involved. With something grassroots, are you stuck in a chicken
and egg problem?

I feel like if there are questions, there can be answers (some of us are
better at google than others.. or less lazy or whatever) but if there aren't
questions, it's dead.

