
The problem with StackOverflow - Mayzie
https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgrammerHumor/comments/7vh2rd/stackoverflow_in_a_nutshell/dts8kf6/
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EnderMB
What frustrates me the most about SO is that they've already solved this
problem.

The crux of the problem is that SO is great if you have a clear question, and
a clear answer. More often than not, this isn't the case, or what you're
seeing is a symptom of a larger issue that is several layers deep.

Initially, Stack Overflow created comments, but these didn't really fit the
need to get further information, except in the most basic of circumstances. To
make things worse, sometimes the answer is in the comments, and not in the
answers. A few years after, Stack Overflow added chat functionality, and later
expanded it to allow private question-based chats, and while these are pretty
much a localised Slack/IRC clone, they work well for their intended purpose.

What I don't understand is why this chat functionality isn't pushed by SO.
Instead of simply closing a question as a duplicate, or not being clear
enough, why not allow someone to request a chat, and to create a forum-type
thread that can be attached into the question and answer. If the chat answers
the question, leave it to the answerer to re-format the chat into a legible
question, and offer to leave a doctored version of the chat for reference.

This doesn't solve the communities constant need to close questions, so I
would also open the chat for further discussion around the decision to close.
If the decision is overturned by a group of peers, like it is now, the people
that first locked the thread should have to part with enough karma to re-open
and add a bounty, so that the question is answered properly.

~~~
blablabla123
It's definitely a thing, other forums with similar goals suffer from this as
well. For instance I know a math forum (not on Stackexchange) with exactly the
same (implicit) code of conduct. It works really well if you have a sharp
question and obviously invested some time yourself but just are stuck. And now
you describe exactly where and why you are stuck.

On the other hand, if the problem is open, it's less likely someone else had a
similar one before. In fact it might take quite some time to analyze it and
for the helper it's not clear whether it's afterwards possible to write an
answer that brings the OP forward. Thus SO might end up consisting of tons of
unanswered questions or answers of low quality - because they are just
answered by point seekers who don't care if it truly helps.

IMHO the best place for this is IRC, dev mailing lists or local meetups.

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King-Aaron
trout_fucker hits the nail on the head. SO frustrates me so much these days
that I haven't contributed there for nearly a year or so.

Although, I have to say, worldbuilding has some great responders there, and
motor vehicle maintenance and repairs do too.

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DerfNet
this is actually why I really like SO. Whenever you have a problem, you'll
eventually find one comprehensive thread covering the solution. If they
weren't so strict about duplicates or poorly formed questions, they wouldn't
have such a strong collection of answers.

