date stringlengths 10 10 | nb_tokens int64 60 629k | text_size int64 234 1.02M | content stringlengths 234 1.02M |
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2011/08/16 | 568 | 2,003 | <issue_start>username_0: Android.SE will soon be hosting a contest to reward new and established community members who gain certain achievements within a set time frame.
To an extent, the rules will resemble those established for last year's [Super User 1 Year Anniversary Super Contest](http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2010/08/super-user-1-year-anniversary-super-contest/):
>
> Four weeks, four winners each week, and the fabulous prizes are appropriately super-user-y.
>
>
> 1. The best rookie performance of a new user in that week, as measured by the Super User leagues, will receive a 32 GB USB key.
> 2. The highest reputation produced in that week, as measured by the Super User leagues, will receive a 22″ LCD monitor.
> 3. The “most awesome” new Super User question or answer that week, that most embodies the type of Q&A that make the site great — as judged by the Super User community moderators — will receive a two bay NAS device.
> 4. The most useful Meta Super User question or answer of the week — as judged by the Super User community moderators — gets a Super User t-shirt and stickers.
>
>
>
But we need a different set of Android-y prizes. And I'm not sure we need 4 separate prizes.
What do you guys want? What already released or soon-to-be-released devices make you drewl? Any Android accessories?
What's hot!?<issue_comment>username_1: I want a Nexus 3 when it's released (whenever Ice Cream Sandwich is released). I can only assume everyone else shares my craving for this device — or, at least, would be extremely happy to win one.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I wouldn't mind a Bluetooth headset.
Gift certificate for the Android Market/Amazon App Store/*et cetera*?
I suggest against a case. There are too many form-factors out there.
I've already got one, but one of the plastic Android toys would be cool to give away.
There's some new cool ones out: <http://www.neatoshop.com/product/Android-Mini-Collectible-Series-02-Blind-Box?tag=1588>
Upvotes: 3 |
2011/08/20 | 1,110 | 4,016 | <issue_start>username_0: I've been trying to figure out if a particular question I have is on topic, and haven't been able to find much in the way of guidance. I found the question, [Should the FAQ section on off-topic questions be clarified?](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/q/529/102), but that didn't seem to provoke much of a response.
I realize that the particular section being referred to in the above question is not editable, however, most sites, *especially* sites that are out of beta, have added this information by now. See for example:
* [Programmers FAQ](https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/faq)
* [Seasoned Advice FAQ](https://cooking.stackexchange.com/faq)
* [Mathematics FAQ](https://math.stackexchange.com/faq)
* [Gaming FAQ](https://gaming.stackexchange.com/faq)
* [English FAQ](https://english.stackexchange.com/faq)
I posed this question in chat and someone implied that it is somehow self-explanatory. I really don't think that it is. For example, which of the following are on topic, and what, if any, are the restrictions on them?
* App recommendations (what's a good X app)?
* App comparisons (which is a better X app, Y or Z)?
* Carrier/network concerns - (is phone X compatible with carrier Y)?
* General network questions (what's the difference between 3G and 4G)?
* General device questions (what's a Candy Bar form factor)?
* Extremely basic questions (how do I use the alarm clock)?
* Obscure tech support questions (error X in app-that-nobody's-heard-of Y)?
* Tactics for Android games (which may or may not be unique to Android)?
That's just off the top of my head. If they're *all* on topic, then that's great - please mention this on the *on-topic* section. If *any* of them are off-topic then it would really help to have a supplementary off-topic section in the FAQ, as many other sites do.
P.S. I also found the entries in [FAQ: "What kind of questions should I NOT ask here?"](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/q/247/102) to be of no help at all. Shopping recommendations, duplicate questions, and speculation questions are all already covered by the boilerplate FAQ and aren't on topic anywhere in the network. The complementary [What kind of questions should I ask here?](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/q/246/102) isn't much more illuminating.<issue_comment>username_1: >
> App recommendations (what's a good X app)?
>
> App comparisons (which is a better X app, Y or Z)?
>
> General network questions (what's the difference between 3G and 4G)?
>
> General device questions (what's a Candy Bar form factor)?
>
> Tactics for Android games (which may or may not be unique to Android)?
>
>
>
Off-topic. Recommendations can get a pass if they're very specific and there's a real problem you're trying to solve, but we prefer "How can I do X?" rather than "Is there an app that does X?" We only take questions *about Android*, so network/carrier questions are off-topic when they have nothing to do with Android. Device question are off-topic as well if they're not Android-specific; asking whether an Android phone has a particular feature is different from asking about general cellphone form factors. Android games are on-topic at gaming.stackexchange.com, not here.
>
> Carrier/network concerns - (is phone X compatible with carrier Y)?
>
> Extremely basic questions (how do I use the alarm clock)?
>
> Obscure tech support questions (error X in app-that-nobody's-heard-of Y)?
>
>
>
On topic. Note the caveat above — your example is on-topic because it's about an Android phone, but carrier/network questions are not on-topic when divorced from Android. This is all discussed here on Meta, but if the FAQ needs work I'll look into it as soon as I can.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I think most of those could be broadly summarized as
>
> What *problem* are you trying to solve?
>
>
>
and
>
> ... do you have reason to believe it can be solved with an Android device?
>
>
>
Upvotes: 1 |
2011/08/23 | 487 | 1,816 | <issue_start>username_0: The title pretty much says it all.
I find it puzzling that a reputable site would host stuff like this.
P.S. This post does not express my viewpoints on pirating and illegal distribution, I just find it odd.<issue_comment>username_1: I don't think questions about getting around (often arbitrary) regional restrictions are the same as piracy and shouldn't be conflated. There are any number of *legitimate* reasons why someone might need to do such a thing.
While I hate to fall back on this old chestnut, we're not experts in law. Further, the law varies by jurisdiction and the web (and this site) is international. If it's a gray area we should offer our knowledge; it's up to the recipient to know, and pay the consequences, if they take the knowledge they gain here and use it to break the law. (If you're afraid that someone will use information you give for nefarious purposes, don't give it.)
All that said, any obvious piracy and warez trading gets smacked down pretty quickly around here. Of course, it helps when users flag things for moderator attention, because moderators can't be everywhere.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: <https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/12712/plants-vs-zombies-outside-us-closed> was a new question, and has now been dealt with. I wouldn't call that hosting a guide to a pirated app. As for [my question/answer pair about the Amazon store](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/7254/how-can-i-get-apps-from-the-amazon-app-store-from-an-unsupported-region), let me quote my comment above:
>
> I live in Canada. It probably breaks Amazon's TOS and they could ban an invalid account, but there are no legal ramifications that I'm aware of here. Circumventing DRM is still legal here as well, at least for now.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 2 |
2011/08/24 | 383 | 1,367 | <issue_start>username_0: I see a lot of questions tagged [pc](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/pc "show questions tagged 'pc'") that are really better tagged with [windows](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/windows "show questions tagged 'windows'") or [linux](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/linux "show questions tagged 'linux'") as a lot of them are operating-system specific.
Example:
["MTP USB Device" driver error (screenshot) when connecting my Galaxy S to my PC in Kies mode -- How can I resolve this problem?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/3246/mtp-usb-device-driver-error-screenshot-when-connecting-my-galaxy-s-to-my-pc-i)
This is really a Windows question.
I've only seen a few that are "generic" enough to warrant the PC tag, this being one of them:
[Shutting down Android phone from PC](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/5099/how-to-shutdown-android-phone-from-pc)<issue_comment>username_1: I would tend to agree. Go ahead and start hitting that "edit" link.
I have updated the tag-wiki for [pc](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/pc "show questions tagged 'pc'") to direct people to more specific tags. It might help.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Agreed, it is now burninated.
Upvotes: 2 |
2011/09/07 | 567 | 2,136 | <issue_start>username_0: This is a question regarding the theme of android.stackexchange.com and meta.android.stackexchange.com.
Why is the font weight bold for almost everything on the sites? Am I the only one who finds that it strains my eyes? I often find it hard to focus on what I am supposed to.
I find it is ok to have titles, headings etc in bold but not the entire content of these websites.
**EDIT**
Posting screenshots of android.stackexchange.com and stackoverflow.com for comparison. I am using Firefox 6.0.1 on Windows XP SP3.
android.stackexchange.com screenshot
------------------------------------
stackoverflow.com screenshot
----------------------------
<issue_comment>username_1: Most of the text isn't bold for me?
None of the body text in people's questions and answers is (except where sections have been **deliberately bolded**).
Questions titles are, warnings are and some of the stats bits around the edge of the page are, but nothing much else is.
What browser are you using and on what operating system? Can you post a screenshot showing which bits are bold that you don't think should/need to be?
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Seems to me you have a messed up Droid font installed.
The CSS font stack on this site is
```
font-family: 'Droid Sans','DroidSansRegular','Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;
```
Check your system and uninstall any "Droid" fonts you may have. Then [re-install](http://www.google.com/webfonts/specimen/Droid+Sans) them properly.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: It's a bug with as @username_2 said, the Roboto font. I can't uninstall it as the Android SDK requires it, so I used user style-sheets to solve the problem.
Chrome doesn't support native user style-sheets, I used this extension called Stylist and here's what I did:
This works fine for me on both `Android.SE` and `Meta.Android.SE`. Really does a favor on my eyes. Hope it helped.
Upvotes: 2 |
2011/09/08 | 1,031 | 4,088 | <issue_start>username_0: I was just editing <https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/4060/what-blogs-write-about-good-android-apps-and-tips> when I realized we might have something of a problem. I moved the answer-in-the-question out to a proper answer, and added my own answer; now there are 7 answers. If we split all the other answers into one website per answer we'll have 14 answers, which is getting unwieldy.
On the one hand I would prefer one site per answer so that we can vote on them individually and the good ones can rise to the top. This also makes sense since it's impossible to create a single definitive answer (some editors will find a particular site useful and others won't). Once the answers overflow a page, though, you get into a situation where new answers never get seen or voted on, since few people go to the next page.
What should we do about this? I personally have no problem favoriting these sort of questions and keeping an eye on them, and deleting old low-voted answers to keep everything on one page, but I'm not confident that that's the best solution.<issue_comment>username_1: I don't think that's a good question for the site. It is, after all, subjective, a poll, and an infinite list. It's different than a resource like [When will my tablet get the Android 3.x update (Honeycomb)?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/7680/when-will-my-device-get-the-android-3-x-update-honeycomb) because that's dealing with facts (and, admittedly, rumors) but that can be confirmed.
It also covers similar ground as [Where can I ask questions that aren't Android Enthusiast questions?](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/371/where-can-i-ask-questions-that-arent-android-enthusiast-questions) Perhaps that question should be on meta?
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> On the one hand I would prefer one site per answer so that we can vote
> on them individually and the good ones can rise to the top. This also
> makes sense since it's impossible to create a single definitive answer
> (some editors will find a particular site useful and others won't).
>
>
>
Well, there are a few problems with these questions. Older answers will by default have more votes than newer answers, so for a question that's been open for months, you can't judge anything about the quality of a site/answer by the number of votes (unless they're into the negative, in which case it's a useless answer that misleads visitors who don't understand our voting and should probably be deleted).
>
> Once the answers overflow a page, though, you get into a situation
> where new answers never get seen or voted on, since few people go to
> the next page.
>
>
>
I think the StackExchange team have tried to combat this effect over time. Unlike us, who've all been here long enough and clicked enough links to change all the defaults, new users coming to those pages will see a semi-random ordering of the answers (I think there's an activity bias to the randomness) so no two visitors should see the same "first page" of answers.
I'd be tempted to say that if we keep these type of questions on the main site, then rather than treating them as a popularity contest between the answers, we do something more like the other "community resource" questions (like the "when will my phone get updated", "how do I root" type-stuff). So we make (almost) no obvious judgement on the quality of the sites and edit them all into one community wiki answer by category. (obviously the quality bar of each site will now be whether a user thinks they're good enough to nominate, after that all linked sites are treated equally).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: As others have indicated, perhaps go a bit deeper and ask:
>
> Maybe this question doesn't work because it doesn't belong here.
>
>
>
I would in fact argue this question really shouldn't be here -- any more than "favorite/best/most useful .NET/Java blog" should exist on Stack Overflow.
(This is generally known as the "Infinite List of X" problem.)
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer] |
2011/09/09 | 742 | 3,017 | <issue_start>username_0: In this [question about bypassing TOS](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/13290/is-there-anyway-to-bypass-the-verizon-wireless-block-of-the-tethering) on a device and allowing free tethering, is there any danger of legal action being taken against Android Enthusiasts or SE in general? I am aware that there are several sites/forums/etc that offer advice for doing just this, but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask the question.<issue_comment>username_1: I'm not a lawyer (I am a law student), but the short answer is likely "yes."
Third party interference in a contract ([Tortious Interference](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortious_interference)) applies here, since you're actually encouraging a party to breach their contractual obligations by circumventing anti-tethering measures.
Will carriers ever sue a site for hosting such information? There's been no sign they will, yet, but as paid tethering becomes more ingrained into the mobile data payment structure, and the majority of Americans start to see it as part of "cell phone service," I imagine they'll start taking *some* kind of action.
Speaking from the carrier's point of view (not that I agree with it), they'd compare it to posting an FAQ on how to send unlimited text messages, using the carrier's SMS, while hiding that information from the carrier (if that were possible - it's just a hypothetical).
Obviously, this would be seen as "stealing service." I think in the future, C&D letters may start popping up in inboxes of websites that post tethering circumvention methods, but who knows what the carriers will do, or when they'll do it.
EDIT: There's probably also related FCC regulations that might apply here, though the fact that it's mobile internet that you're "stealing" makes it unclear to me just how those regulations might be used here, if at all. You'd have to ask a telecom lawyer.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: In my opinion, *this depends*.
What is the motivation of the person asking? Is it to steal stuff and avoid paying for it?
Or is it to solve some actual legitimate technical problem they have, which they can't solve by any other legal means?
In the latter case I'm inclined to allow it because the *motivation* is honest.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Here is my take on this.
Breaking the terms of service of a contract is not illegal in the actual meaning of the word. The worst carriers can do about it is actually outlined in that very same contract, terms of which are being broken. Logically, if something is not illegal to do, it definitely cannot be illegal to talk about or host information about. Until and unless carriers start threatening sites, I think such questions and answers should be permitted.
The only thing I would do is amend the answers with the warning that the person themselves will be responsible for the TOS breach, and will be accepting any and all responsibilities their carrier may enforce upon them.
Upvotes: 2 |
2011/09/13 | 642 | 2,570 | <issue_start>username_0: I call your attention to the [blocking](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/blocking "show questions tagged 'blocking'") tag.
I see questions in there about blocking applications, calls, SMS messages, and processes.
That's no good.
I suggest the following replacements:
* [call-blocking](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/call-blocking "show questions tagged 'call-blocking'")
* [sms-blocking](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/sms-blocking "show questions tagged 'sms-blocking'")
* ~~[app-blocking]~~
The one about processes is an outlier. I don't think "blocking" is an appropriate tag/descriptor.
I also suggest that [blocking](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/blocking "show questions tagged 'blocking'") be a synonym for [call-blocking](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/call-blocking "show questions tagged 'call-blocking'") as that is how it is used most often. We don't want people to use the [blocking](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/blocking "show questions tagged 'blocking'") tag anymore.<issue_comment>username_1: I think it's a great idea and you should make it so!
If you need any tags destroyed in the process just let me know.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I think it makes a lot of sense to split these up sensibly, I'd propose something like this
* [call-screening](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/call-screening "show questions tagged 'call-screening'") <- [call-blocking](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/call-blocking "show questions tagged 'call-blocking'")\*
* [sms-blocking](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/sms-blocking "show questions tagged 'sms-blocking'")
Do we really need an [app-blocking](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/app-blocking "show questions tagged 'app-blocking'") tag? The one question that I think you're nominating for it, is really a PC question rather than an Android one (and quite an edge case even there) I'd think it would be better off on SuperUser than here, and even then I think "locking" is probably closer to what is happening than blocking (seems to be to do with locked handles on mounted drives/files).
\*I'd think that call-blocking should be set to a synonym of call-screening (as surely blocking is just a type of screening where you don't allow the call through after screening it). One of the call-screening questions even mentions blocking in the title.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer] |
2011/10/03 | 787 | 3,282 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm seeing lots of questions on the site where people are basically saying "Here's a great guide to X" and the content links off site.
My immediate thought is that Android Enthusiasts is the site I've come to find answers, not indexed answers linking offsite. I would argue that an answer with some text to pad a link to someones blog or article is a faux answer.
Is this a community preference? In what situations would linking off site be acceptable?
e.g. Vendor specific rooting, specific answer, or offsite linking?<issue_comment>username_1: If someone's asking a complicated question, which only has long, complicated answers, which are already written up elsewhere, would you prefer that the question doesn't ever get an answer here, because no one wants to spend a lot of time rewriting something that's already out there on a more specialised site? Or that there's something descriptive and helping out by pointing someone to that helpful article?
From what I've seen, most of the answers that link offsite are either questions about one very specific app having a very obscure problem, or problems with people using obscure ROMs on obscure hardware and having obscure problems. We just don't have enough different people here regularly using enough different ROMs on enough different hardware, with enough different apps. There's hundreds of Android handsets, each of them has tens of different ROMs in various versions and there's hundreds of thousands of apps.
We would need an awful lot of people to cover obscure problems with all of that. Compare that to say, an iOS site that only has six possible hardware devices, a handful of OS versions (and almost no use at all of third party modified OSs).
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: It's always a good idea to put an extract or a summary with a link.
If the link is dead someday, that can help track down the new location (if it exists) and/or give a guide to solving the problem in the absence of the original site.
Link-only answers should always be discouraged, as that would just make this an extension of google (or an old-fashioned curated yahoo).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: The answer is simple: **Because it is more convenient to just post a link instead of a comprehensive answer.**
But, as [this questions demonstrates](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/14074/how-can-i-stop-the-android-market-from-showing-bad-naughty-apps), users like it when it's more convenient **for them.** [username_1](https://android.stackexchange.com/users/156/gathrawn) and I have posted the same answer (I think we even googled the same page :-)), but mine was more rewarded by the community. I think mostly because my answer already contained everything that's needed, whereas the answer from [username_1](https://android.stackexchange.com/users/156/gathrawn) contains a short answer and a link.
So it was beneficial for me to include as many information as possible in my answer, including the source.
**I think that this be pointed out for new users/when posting answers:**
**A link as a first answer is a good start, but if the answer contains nearly everything that's needed, the chanches for upvoting are way higher (reputation $$$).**
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2011/10/04 | 380 | 1,550 | <issue_start>username_0: AFAIK the Kindle Fire runs on a custom version of Android - would questions on these be on-topic when it's released?
(I ask this mainly because because there was a question on Kindle Fire on [Super User](https://superuser.com/q/342720/4377), wanted to know as future reference for migrations as well as future questions that I or anyone else might have)<issue_comment>username_1: We already have questions on [google-tv](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-tv "show questions tagged 'google-tv'") and the [nook](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/nook "show questions tagged 'nook'"), just like the Fire both of those devices are running embedded Android that's been heavily modified/hidden.
I can't see why we wouldn't allow Kindle Fire questions as long as they're Android related. Some Fire questions won't be and may be more relevant to Super User or Web Apps, some will be relevant to us.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I'm getting one and hope to be asking questions here. Bryan and username_1 have explained why.
A minor note: Until it's actually released, I expect we won't be accepting questions about it — the only ones we could answer with certitude pertain to the information Amazon has publicly released. Just like with Ice Cream Sandwich, we won't speculate or post answers that say "go look at this thing <NAME> / <NAME> said"; premature questions generally get closed.
Just something to keep in mind before you migrate :)
Upvotes: 1 |
2011/10/05 | 1,330 | 5,376 | <issue_start>username_0: Given the (relativly) fast evolving process of Android development, there will always be obsolete answers. I wonder how to handle these?
* Downvote
* Inform moderator
* Edit
I think edit is best when the answer has only changed e.g. for a new release of android.
But what is considered best practice when it comes to a answer like [this](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/4955/how-to-change-the-account-for-android-market/4960#4960)? I am not sure, but I think the Market update, which brought multi-account support, was rolled-out on every Android devices (or >= 2.0?). The answer suggests a factory reset, where nowadays some clicks will do it. What possibilities are there to fix this?<issue_comment>username_1: Personally, **I would add a separate answer** (as P.T. did in this case). He provided the up-to-date information and should get credit for it. So far he's got 40 rep from the answer than he wouldn't have gotten by editing the other answer, and I think he deserves it. It also serves to alert the post owner that things have changed, which an edit would not. Finally, the editing page says you should "clarify meaning without changing it". This sort of edit would clearly be changing the meaning.
If the post is CW then an edit is appropriate, of course. For example, Separate answers on [our rooting question](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/1184/how-do-i-root-my-device) have been deleted and incorporated into the main post since we want everything to be cohesive.
It's certainly inappropriate to downvote the outdated answer (IMO) since the answer was correct and useful at the time it was posted; it's not the answerer's fault that Google changed the game. **I would consider adding a a phrase like "At the time of posting" to the outdated answer**, though, just to make it clear that the answer was once correct to anyone unfamiliar with the history of the issue. As Bryan notes you could also mention the newer answer in an edit, but I would be careful with this; you probably don't want to edit another answer to point to your own since it may be viewed unfavorably.
(And "wrong" answers should never be flagged, outdated or not.)
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: ### Edit, edit, edit, OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, *EDIIIIT*!
One of the most frustrating aspects of trying to track down a solution to a problem online is the mountain of dated answers you must wade through, usually without any clear indication that they are, in fact, *obsolete*.
[Your example](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/4955/how-to-change-the-account-for-android-market/4960#4960) is a prime example of this problem: how irritated would you be, if you found the question, followed the advice in the top answer, only to find out later that you'd missed a much, much easier solution further down the page? I've edited this to indicate the historical nature of the technique and point out the new answer. Note that while [Matthew is correct](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/635/how-should-we-handle-obsolete-answers/636#636) in noting that edits which fundamentally change the meaning of an answer are discouraged, this is meant more to avoid controversy - if an answer was once correct, editing to make it correct again does, in a sense, preserve that intent.
A more interesting scenario might involve an answer that becomes incorrect in a new version of the OS. Since not everyone will be able to upgrade, you'll want to preserve the original answer... But you'll also want to clearly note that it only applies to specific releases. If you want to go the extra mile and compile a comprehensive, "Here's how to accomplish *X* in every Android version" answer, that's *even better*.
Note that editing does *not* preclude also *answering*. If a substantial amount of new information is required to provide an up-to-date answer, posting this separately can be much cleaner than trying to cram it into an existing answer. It's a judgement call, really - but in no event should you quietly *ignore* an incorrect answer just to make your own look better - edit, down-vote, comment, or flag (in that order) as needed to ensure it isn't left as a stumbling block for future readers.
### Down-voting
If an answer is incorrect, unhelpful, or even just mediocre compared to other answers on the question, *please* down-vote it. And also up-vote the more useful answer(s). In the absence of an "accepted" answer, this will change the default sort order to put the more helpful answers nearer to the question and the top of the page.
### Flag for moderator attention
If you see an "accepted" answer (green checkmark to the left, pinned directly below the question) that is flat-out incorrect, and for whatever reason **are not able to edit** it to correct the problem... Then leave a **detailed** comment describing the issue (and ideally linking to a *correct* answer) and then leave a flag notifying a moderator. When necessary, moderators *can* delete accepted answers, something even the owner of the answer cannot do... In order for this to happen, it should be obvious that the answer is, in fact, incorrect and uncorrectable - don't *assume* moderators are familiar with the subtleties of the topic being answered, give them the information they need to make that call.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer] |
2011/10/11 | 848 | 3,357 | <issue_start>username_0: **Update x2:** See [the official contest meta post](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/667/samsung-galaxy-sii-twitter-se-giveaway-official-post).
**Update:** *This contest will now be taking place next week (10.17-10.21). Also, instead of leaving an Answer, contestants will only have to gain 5 points across the Android site during the contest period to increase their chances of winning **3x**. Eligible participants will be calculated on the back-end by the Community & CHAOS teams and a winner will be randomly generated and announced at the end of the contest period. Stay tuned for the official contest post, published Monday.*
.....
We have a Galaxy SII to giveaway via Twitter tomorrow (Wednesday 10/12). RT a message announced tomorrow morning, and your name will be entered into a random drawing.
This is an outreach initiative, and the main purpose is to use this goodie to spread the word on Android.SE. But I want to make sure that established Stack Exchange users have a leg up on the competition here. Also, I want to try something new.
With that in mind, I've proposed contestants can double (or triple - I'm undecided here) their chances by leaving an "Answer" in the official contest meta post. Leaving an answer in meta requires 5 rep points.
In a brief chat yesterday, @MatthewRead cleared using a meta Answer as contest platform in this instance. Depending on how it turns out, this may be a one and done contest model.
Any thoughts? Should an answer 2x or 3x a participant's chances? We want established users to be rewarded. Also, we want newbies to participate on the site (but not perversely). Yet we don't want to strongly discourage RT-ing the tweet as making this a Twitter contest was a precondition to receiving the phone.
Lemme know your thoughts!<issue_comment>username_1: Due to limited space, contest tweets normally look something like this:
>
> RT for a chance to win a Galaxy S II from android.stackexchange.com! Full details: link.to/details
>
>
>
I would suspect that most people won't look at the details if the quote includes the crucial info (who can enter). That *should* be enough to "hide" the extra entries (avoiding attracting spammers to the site or discouraging people who think they can't win with only 1 entry).
Couple that with a featured post here or a system message, and I think the contest should work well. And my vote is for a post here to increase one's chances by 3x :P
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Does the five points need to come from site participation or does the 101 points you get from linking to another exchange count?
Methinks participation should be required.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Umm - if everyone gets a 2x or 3x, you'll have the same probability of winning. It doesn't matter. You could do a 10x probability. Everything still remains the same.
Or did I miss something?
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: How will you link Twitter accounts with the persons stack exchange account? Will we have to register in some way?
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: I think there could be some way to link tweet-driven contest entries directly to your twitter and stack-exchange account by using a hash tag that would register the tweeter for the contest. Wouldn't that also help with trending?
Upvotes: 1 |
2011/10/11 | 449 | 1,724 | <issue_start>username_0: Just as the title says, same model, different names.
EDIT: my bad, meant samsung-gt-i5800, not samsung-galaxy-i5800 which has been a synonym as <NAME> commented.<issue_comment>username_1: Due to limited space, contest tweets normally look something like this:
>
> RT for a chance to win a Galaxy S II from android.stackexchange.com! Full details: link.to/details
>
>
>
I would suspect that most people won't look at the details if the quote includes the crucial info (who can enter). That *should* be enough to "hide" the extra entries (avoiding attracting spammers to the site or discouraging people who think they can't win with only 1 entry).
Couple that with a featured post here or a system message, and I think the contest should work well. And my vote is for a post here to increase one's chances by 3x :P
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Does the five points need to come from site participation or does the 101 points you get from linking to another exchange count?
Methinks participation should be required.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: Umm - if everyone gets a 2x or 3x, you'll have the same probability of winning. It doesn't matter. You could do a 10x probability. Everything still remains the same.
Or did I miss something?
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: How will you link Twitter accounts with the persons stack exchange account? Will we have to register in some way?
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: I think there could be some way to link tweet-driven contest entries directly to your twitter and stack-exchange account by using a hash tag that would register the tweeter for the contest. Wouldn't that also help with trending?
Upvotes: 1 |
2011/10/11 | 326 | 1,317 | <issue_start>username_0: A publicly downloadable version of the [Bluestacks Android app player](http://bluestacks.com/download.html) has recently been released for Windows. Should we accept questions related to using Bluestacks here?
On the one hand, it's not a full Android environment (no home screen, settings menu, that kind of stuff). On the other hand, it appears to be running an emulator instance under-the-hood, so you can, for example, interact with Bluestacks using `adb` and so forth.<issue_comment>username_1: Emulator questions are on-topic, as are questions about android-x86, so I don't see why this wouldn't be.
It may be too early to tell.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I think the conclusions we came to about the official emulator apply here: [Questions that are on the fence between development and power use](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/199/questions-that-are-on-the-fence-between-development-and-power-use)
In short, I think we should support end-user questions about it. I think this would extend to installation troubles as well, just like we do with drivers, rather than pushing them to Super User. As Al notes, we can wait and see exactly where we feel the line should be.
Dev uses of this player should be off-topic, of course.
Upvotes: 2 |
2011/10/16 | 676 | 2,652 | <issue_start>username_0: I don't see any difference between [mobile-phones](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/mobile-phones "show questions tagged 'mobile-phones'") and [cellphones](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/cellphones "show questions tagged 'cellphones'"). Should we merge them? :)<issue_comment>username_1: [phone](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/phone "show questions tagged 'phone'") and [phone-hardware](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/phone-hardware "show questions tagged 'phone-hardware'") are synonyms of [hardware](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/hardware "show questions tagged 'hardware'"). Perhaps these should be as well?
And what about [smartphones](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/smartphones "show questions tagged 'smartphones'")?
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Not sure about [smartphones](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/smartphones "show questions tagged 'smartphones'"). But there is also [tablet](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/tablet "show questions tagged 'tablet'"), so maybe it makes sense to keep the smartphone tag also.
I am in favor of blacklisting [mobile-phones](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/mobile-phones "show questions tagged 'mobile-phones'") and [cellphones](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/cellphones "show questions tagged 'cellphones'"). Matthew is right: If the phone functionality in question is calling, [calls](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/calls "show questions tagged 'calls'") is the tag to go. And for everything else, [mobile-phones](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/mobile-phones "show questions tagged 'mobile-phones'") and [cellphones](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/cellphones "show questions tagged 'cellphones'") is to broad and inaccurate.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: I've merged `smartphones` under `mobile-phones` (which was merged with `cellphones` as noted).
Only one question tagged with `smartphones` could be argued to deserve it. People seem to use these tags when they have a question about **a** phone, rather than a general question applicable to many phones, which is silly. `tablet` is a little better (probably because there are fewer of them) but we should keep an eye on it.
I didn't seen more than one or two `smartphones`/`mobile-phones`/`cellphones` questions that were actually about hardware, so I don't think merging them under `hardware` is necessarily a good idea.
Upvotes: 1 [selected_answer] |
2011/10/16 | 815 | 2,480 | <issue_start>username_0: We have several posts on the site, listed below, which belong to [<NAME>](https://android.stackexchange.com/users/254/kyle-cronin) but aren't associated with his account (the username is greyed out), presumably due to migration from the Electronic Gadgets site. Could a dev type person correct this? Or provide mods the tools to do so? :P
* [How to break in a new cell phone battery?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/1035/how-to-break-in-a-new-cell-phone-battery/1036#1036)
* [How can I store Android apps on my SD card?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/628/how-can-i-store-android-apps-on-my-sd-card/629#629)
* [How to post a link to an android market app?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/609/how-to-post-a-link-to-an-android-market-app/610#610)
* [Is there anyway to watch wmv and or divx videos on android?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/585/is-there-anyway-to-watch-wmv-and-or-divx-videos-on-android/586#586)
* [iPhone ringtones and other sounds on Android](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/547/iphone-ringtones-and-other-sounds-on-android/548#548)
* [Where can I get Android 2.2 for HTC Desire](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/542/where-can-i-get-android-2-2-for-htc-desire/543#543)
* [Should I buy a HTC Desire or an Nexus One (in Australia)](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/532/should-i-buy-a-htc-desire-or-an-nexus-one-in-australia/534#534)
* <https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/452/what-are-the-main-differences-between-android-2-2-and-ios-4/454#454><issue_comment>username_1: Sorry for all the flags, but [I was told it was the correct procedure](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/76/link-migrated-questions-and-answers-to-user-account/156#156). And there are also some comments as well that I was unable to flag. In general, it's pretty safe to assume if you have content that is attributed to "username_1" but without an account associated, it's stuff that I contributed to Gadgets and would like associated with my account here. Thanks.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: This takes dev intervention to accomplish. Incantations. Goat blood. *Dark magik* - that's right, magic with a *k* for *e**k**stra dar**k***.
So Jarrod took care of business. I imagine this will stay a dev tool unless team@ gets a crapload of emails about it. Something I would *never* encourage just for the heck of it.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer] |
2011/10/26 | 589 | 1,826 | <issue_start>username_0: There have been several point releases of Honeycomb, and we have tags to match.
* [3.0-honeycomb](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/3.0-honeycomb "show questions tagged '3.0-honeycomb'")
* [3.1-honeycomb](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/3.1-honeycomb "show questions tagged '3.1-honeycomb'")
* [3.2-honeycomb](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/3.2-honeycomb "show questions tagged '3.2-honeycomb'")
Unlike the move from Eclair to Froyo, or Froyo to Gingerbread, these updates weren't major enough to warrant a new codename.
I think that the tags should be merged into [3.x-honeycomb](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/3.x-honeycomb "show questions tagged '3.x-honeycomb'").
~~(Similarly, [2.0-eclair] and [2.1-eclair] could be merged to 2.x-eclair].)~~
Your thoughts, please.<issue_comment>username_1: I'm not familiar with Honeycomb and assumed that 3.0 vs 3.1 was more akin to 2.2 vs 2.3 than it was to 2.3.3 vs 2.3.4. If the opposite is the case then the merge and rename to `3.x-honeycomb` makes sense to me!
The `2.0-eclair` -> `2.1-eclair` mapping is a sure thing, I went ahead and did that bit now. Almost no one uses 2.0, and `2.x` implies 2.2 and 2.3 are included, so I think there will be less confusion if left as `2.1-eclair`.
(Follow a consistent numbering scheme, Google!)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Good question. While the [changes are not neglectable](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_version_history#3.x_Honeycomb), most changes are in fact development related. But this was also the situation with older version updates, where AN.SX still keeps distinguishable tags.
I am not completely decided, but **I tend to vote for keeping the honeycomb tags separated.**
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer] |
2011/10/27 | 291 | 1,089 | <issue_start>username_0: How should we handle these tags:
* [wifi](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/wifi "show questions tagged 'wifi'") 170x
* [wireless-network](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/wireless-network "show questions tagged 'wireless-network'") 16x
* [wireless-networking](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/wireless-networking "show questions tagged 'wireless-networking'") 8x
Should they be merged?<issue_comment>username_1: BlueTooth is wireless, but it isn't wifi.
Depending on the use, I could see wireless-network and wireless-networking merged, but Wifi is a specific type of wireless technology.
Grammatically, "wireless-networking" refers to the concept or practice, and "wireless-network" refers to a implemented instance. But I doubt those subtleties are present...
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I've merged all three into [wi-fi](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/wi-fi "show questions tagged 'wi-fi'") since it seems to be "more correct" with the hyphen.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer] |
2011/11/09 | 640 | 2,435 | <issue_start>username_0: We will have 5 Kindle Fires to give away over the course of a week in the near future. Android blogger [AndroidGuys](http://www.androidguys.com/) will help us promote this campaign. A rough draft of the promotion:
AndroidGuys asks 5 questions on Monday. The next Monday, the 5 users that have best answered the questions win the prizes.
Up for discussion:
* What should the questions be?
* Should the 'best answerer' be the person whose answer gets the
most upvotes **or** the person who provides the answer accepted by the asker (AndroidGuys)?
* Again, what should the questions be!?
Possible Questions (a place to start):
1. "What is the biggest difference between the Kindle Fire and the iPad?"
2. "What should I tell a friend who has Android battery problems?"
3. "What can we expect in the next round of Android releases and should I wait until 2012 to buy one?"
4. "... Android 4.0 ..."
5. "What does [the graphic published here](http://www.businessinsider.com/the-one-chart-you-need-to-see-to-understand-mobile-2011-11?utm_source=#frankguillen&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=FrankGuillen%20Buzz) mean for the future of Android?"
Which of these are unacceptable (for those of you new to the site, [please see here](https://android.stackexchange.com/faq#questions))? Which questions should be reworded? What question isn't listed here that you think should be included?
Thanks for the help!<issue_comment>username_1: I think only #2 is acceptable, though it might be closed as a dupe. #1 and #5 are way too subjective, #3 is an off-topic shopping advice question, and #4 isn't a question :P. (Note we don't take speculative questions either, which applies to most questions about 4.0 and the Fire right now.)
If a contest wants to use questions here I think they still need to be real questions, real problems, asked and answerable from a user's perspective.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I like the idea, but the proposed questions have the problems that username_1 has pointed out.
Would it be better to perhaps choose some of the currently *unanswered* questions *here*, find the more interesting ones, and promote those?
1. You have real questions from real people
2. Little chance of being closed as subjective, dupe, or off-topic, because presumably that would already have happened
3. Someone might actually get a useful answer to their thus far unanswerable question
Upvotes: 2 |
2011/11/10 | 1,458 | 4,873 | <issue_start>username_0: Please answer if you've asked or if you see an [**unanswered Android question**](https://android.stackexchange.com/unanswered/tagged/?tab=votes) that you think is a good question today and will remain a useful question in 6 months.
Once we identify a few, we'll consider offering up [a physical bounty](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/686/a-kindle-fire-giveaway-lets-discuss)!
Thx for the help!<issue_comment>username_1: There are many that are good questions and also very hard to answer, generally due to obscurity. There are some that seem more broadly useful if solved, though. One that stood out:
* [Samsung Galaxy 5 Wi-fi stops working: "ar6000 driver fails to load"](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/12883/samsung-galaxy-5-wi-fi-stops-working-ar6000-driver-fails-to-load) (August)
And a newer one:
* [How can I download email attachments only when requested?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/15093/download-only-email-headers-and-body-text-no-attachment) (October)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Here's a few:
* [Text-to-speech reader for Google Voice SMS text messages?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/10643/text-to-speech-reader-for-google-voice-sms-text-messages) (June)
* [Android Email application dropping profile](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/3278/android-email-application-dropping-profile) (December 2010)
* [Multiple USB Storage Devices on Honeycomb](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/8648/multiple-usb-storage-devices-on-honeycomb) (April)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: This is great. Any way we can create a system message or do something else to nudge users to dig thru the old unanswered questions and submit them here? Or how about... can you sort old unanswered questions by view count (I can't) to see what garners interest today?
I'd like to maybe nominate 10 or 15 old questions for this initiative & attach a "bounty" -- answer a question, throw your name in the hat for a Kindle Fire.
Also, I don't see why moderators can't be eligible here.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: I really like the idea, I think there are a lot!!
Here there are some of them:
[Block all sounds going out through speaker when headphone connected](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/10996/block-all-sounds-going-out-through-speaker-when-headphone-connected)
[How can I fix the WiFi button or prevent WiFi errors when turning it off and back on?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/4504/how-can-i-fix-the-wifi-button-or-prevent-wifi-errors-when-turning-it-off-and-bac)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: In going back through the unanswered questions, the following twelve seemed to be more likely to garner a response or interest from average user types.
1. [Why does a single MMS message show up as three separate download
buttons?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/3284/why-does-a-single-mms-message-show-up-as-three-separate-download-buttons)
2. [How can I download email attachments only when requested?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/15093/how-can-i-download-email-attachments-only-when-requested)
3. [Multiple USB Storage Devices on Honeycomb](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/8648/multiple-usb-storage-devices-on-honeycomb)
4. [Text-to-speech reader for Google Voice SMS text messages?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/10643/text-to-speech-reader-for-google-voice-sms-text-messages)
5. [Google Latitude and multiple devices How to prevent location jumping?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/15012/google-latitude-and-multiple-devices-how-to-prevent-location-jumping)
6. [How can I download email attachments only when requested?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/15093/how-can-i-download-email-attachments-only-when-requested)
7. [Multiple update notifications from Android Market](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/14934/marketplace-offers-downloads-in-notifications-but-when-i-tap-notification-none-a)
8. [How can data on an unrooted phone be backed up?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/12470/how-can-data-on-an-unrooted-phone-be-backed-up)
9. [HTML signature in Gmail app](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/15552/html-signature-in-gmail-app)
10. [How can I prevent my screen from turning off while on a phone call?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/13343/how-can-i-prevent-my-screen-from-turning-off-while-on-a-phone-call)
11. [Dialer app becoming too slow and less responsive](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/15317/dialer-app-becoming-too-slow-and-less-responsive)
12. [How can I change the naming convention of the stock camera/gallery app?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/13954/how-can-i-change-the-naming-convention-of-the-stock-camera-gallery-app)
Upvotes: 2 |
2011/11/17 | 2,088 | 6,583 | <issue_start>username_0: Below are ~~15~~ 30 unanswered questions that will soon be included in a contest to win 1 of 5 Kindle Fires. See information about the contest [here](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/686/a-kindle-fire-giveaway-lets-discuss) and [here](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/691/what-older-unanswered-questions-are-still-relevant-today).
Please **upvote** the below "answers" if you think the question is a good evergreen question that you want answered.
Please **downvote** the question if you think it is outdated, already answered, or flawed in some way that makes it inappropriate for this contest. Feel free to add notes to an answer to explain your opinion.
Please **add** any old(er) unanswered question that you want answered or that you think the world wants answered. (See here for: [Unanswered Android questions](https://android.stackexchange.com/unanswered/tagged/?tab=votes); [Not closed questions without answers and more than 600 views](https://android.stackexchange.com/search?q=answers:0%20is:question%20closed:0%20views:600&submit=search); [Not closed questions with unaccepted answers and more than 4k(!) views](https://android.stackexchange.com/search?q=hasaccepted:0%20is:question%20closed:0%20views:4000&submit=search))
Thanks for your help! I'd like to get this contest started the Monday after Thanksgiving (11/28).<issue_comment>username_1: Q: **How can I change the naming convention of the stock camera/gallery app?** ([Sept 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/13954/how-can-i-change-the-naming-convention-of-the-stock-camera-gallery-app))
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **Dialer app becoming too slow and less responsive** ([Nov 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/15317/dialer-app-becoming-too-slow-and-less-responsive))
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **Is it possible to set a HTML signature in the Android Gmail app?** ([Nov 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/15552/html-signature-in-gmail-app))
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **How can data on an unrooted phone be backed up?** ([Aug 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/12470/how-can-data-on-an-unrooted-phone-be-backed-up))
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **Marketplace offers downloads in notifications but when I tap notification none are available.** ([Oct 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/14934/marketplace-offers-downloads-in-notifications-but-when-i-tap-notification-none-a))
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **Google Latitude and multiple devices - How to prevent location jumping?** ([Oct 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/15012/google-latitude-and-multiple-devices-how-to-prevent-location-jumping))
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **Text-to-speech reader for Google Voice SMS text messages?** ([June 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/10643/text-to-speech-reader-for-google-voice-sms-text-messages))
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **Can I use multiple USB storage devices on Honeycomb?** ([Apr 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/8648/multiple-usb-storage-devices-on-honeycomb))
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **Why does a single MMS message show up as 3 separate download buttons?** ([Dec 2010](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/3284/why-does-a-single-mms-message-show-up-as-three-separate-download-buttons))
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **How can I download email attachments only when requested?** ([Oct 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/15093/how-can-i-download-email-attachments-only-when-requested))
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **How can I prevent my screen from turning off while on a phone call?** ([Sep 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/13343/how-can-i-prevent-my-screen-from-turning-off-while-on-a-phone-call))
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **Samsung Galaxy 5 Wi-fi stops working: “ar6000 driver fails to load."** ([Aug 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/12883/samsung-galaxy-5-wi-fi-stops-working-ar6000-driver-fails-to-load))
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **Why is my Android email application dropping my profile?** ([Dec 2010](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/3278/android-email-application-dropping-profile))
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **How can I fix the WiFi button or prevent WiFi errors when turning it off and back on?** ([Jan 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/4504/how-can-i-fix-the-wifi-button-or-prevent-wifi-errors-when-turning-it-off-and-bac))
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **How to block all sounds going out through speaker when headphone is connected?** ([June 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/10996/block-all-sounds-going-out-through-speaker-when-headphone-connected))
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I'll throw one of my own in:
Q: **How can I prevent Google Talk from disconnecting?** ([Jan 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/4345/how-can-i-prevent-google-talk-from-disconnecting))
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **How to add an Android packet data shortcut in 2.3.3 Gingerbread?** ([Aug 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/12960/android-packet-data-shortcut))
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **How to flush/clear DNS cache on an Android phone?** ([Sep 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/12962/flush-clear-dns-cache))
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **Media volume issues on a rooted Samsung Galaxy 1551.** ([Sep 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/13302/media-volume-issues))
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **How can I mount a USB flash drive on my Acer Iconia?** ([Sep 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/13094/how-can-i-mount-a-usb-flash-drive-on-my-acer-iconia))
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **How do I change the name of my Android device without rooting?** ([Sep 13](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/37/how-do-i-change-the-name-of-my-android-device))
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **How can I prevent applications from running on startup?** ([Sep 2010](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/158/how-can-i-prevent-applications-from-running-on-startup))
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_1: Q: **Why does my Droid X (Gingerbread) turn itself on automatically?** ([Jun 2011](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/10082/droid-x-turns-itself-on-automatically))
Upvotes: 2 |
2011/11/23 | 517 | 1,713 | <issue_start>username_0: I've updated the first section of the [FAQ](https://android.stackexchange.com/faq). I hope that some clarity there will reduce the number of off-topic questions we've been getting.
I welcome any suggestions for improvement.<issue_comment>username_1: Here's some other posts on meta which have helped:
* [FAQ: "What kind of questions should I ask here?"](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/246/faq-what-kind-of-questions-should-i-ask-here)
* [FAQ: "What kind of questions should I NOT ask here?"](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/247/faq-what-kind-of-questions-should-i-not-ask-here)
* [Are questions looking for apps on topic? As in: "I need an app that does XYZ?" or "I want a widget that does ABC"](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/353/are-questions-looking-for-apps-on-topic-as-in-i-need-an-app-that-does-xyz-o)
* [Are app recommendations still considered off-topic?](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/494/are-app-recommendations-still-considered-off-topic)
* [Should the FAQ section on off-topic questions be clarified?](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/529/should-the-faq-section-on-off-topic-questions-be-clarified)
* [Can the FAQ be expanded in terms of what's on topic?](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/589/can-the-faq-be-expanded-in-terms-of-whats-on-topic)
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: **I like it :-)**
Maybe you could change
```
Professional and enthusiast programmers, ask on Stack Overflow.
```
to
```
Professional and enthusiast Android programmers, ask on Stack Overflow.
```
under *What kind of questions should I not ask here?*
Upvotes: 1 |
2011/11/29 | 2,165 | 8,623 | <issue_start>username_0: I am the author of an as-yet-unresolved question, [How can I prevent applications from running on startup?](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/158/102) that has now become part of the [Kindle Fire Contest](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/740/kindle-fire-contest-ready-go).
I'll admit straight up - I'm not very active on this site. So I was a bit surprised when I saw 3 new answers to that question. I was even a little excited - for a very brief moment, until I actually *read* them.
My question was hardly complicated or unclear; its only notable characteristics were:
1. No mention of the underlying motivation (which was intentional, as there might be many different reasons to want to prevent auto-start); and
2. A request for solutions *other* than task-killers.
So it was rather annoying and depressing to find that **all 3 new answers seemed to blatantly ignore or misrepresent the content of the question**. Each new answer very pointedly (a) explicitly assumes that I am worrying about RAM and (b) leaves the advice *not to kill tasks to save memory*. Thanks for nothing, guys. I understand that maybe there is no good answer (with mobile devices, we're used to it) and would certainly upvote/accept a well-substantiated answer explaining why it can't be done, but I didn't even get *that*.
Afterward, I noticed the [kindle-fire-contest](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/kindle-fire-contest "show questions tagged 'kindle-fire-contest'") tag on my question and read about the contest, and quickly realized why I was receiving these duplicated, half-assed cookie-cutter answers. To that point, I have some concerns about the way this contest is structured; what I definitely *don't* want (for me, or for this site) is a bunch of low-quality non-answers posted by people who just registered for the contest and don't really understand our philosophy or expectations here on Stack Exchange - in particular, the expectation to [**answer the question**](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/how-to-answer).
So to get to my point, and I apologize for the long-winded nature of this post: **I don't think that this contest should be open to anyone and everyone**. That turns this contest into more of a sweepstakes where people are encouraged to shoot from the hip. A major contest like this should be rewarding *active* contributors, not bounty hunters. In other words, **it should have been/should be limited to users with at least some history of participation on the site**, probably in the form of minimum reputation.
No entry requirement encourages people to answer *only* the contest questions (often sloppily), and quite possibly fade back into obscurity after the contest is done. A minimum rep requirement would force new or casual users (like me) to contribute *properly* for at least a few days in order to be eligible, increasing the chance of retention and benefiting the site more even if they don't stick around.
I would propose a minimum 200-rep eligibility criteria and a 2-3 week contest duration instead of 1 week. That would give people who are truly worthy of the prize plenty of time to *make* themselves eligible if they aren't already. If 200 rep, which is just *20* upvotes (10 for associated accounts) seems like too much effort for them, then there's no *way* we want to reward them for their apathy.
Any thoughts? Do others agree that the incentive structure here is a bit unbalanced? Would a minimum reputation help or are there better ways to control for the unintended consequences?<issue_comment>username_1: I share your concerns. I've been deleting non-answers on all the questions — most of which have been flagged — but Al has undeleted some. I haven't heard from him yet but I would assume he's trying to offer the benefit of the doubt and give everyone a chance at the contest.
I totally understand that point of view, but I am really uncomfortable with flooding you and the other OPs with crap. Not to mention that everyone who sees these questions (a significant number due to the contest) will see the crap and either follow suit or think this site is full of crap. [One OP has withdrawn his question](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/741/can-the-tag-for-the-kindle-fire-contest-be-made-a-mod-only-tag). There are a couple others where the OP is clearly not going to come back and the issue is pretty localized, so the new answers are extra-useless.
SE isn't built for contests and promotions, and it shows. [kindle-fire-contest](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/kindle-fire-contest "show questions tagged 'kindle-fire-contest'") is a ["meta tag"](http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2010/08/the-death-of-meta-tags/), and meta tags are thoroughly reviled and discouraged throughout the network. I don't think using one so visibly is a good idea, even though it attracts much more participation than a meta post does. ([Gaming has had this low-participating problem with their grants](https://gaming.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/3236/gaming-grant-round-10-week-of-november-15th#comment-8639).)
Nor is repeatedly abusing the system message function every time we have a contest a good idea. Android has a lot of hit-and-run users already, and I'd argue that these contests don't do anything to change that behavior without a rep/activity requirement as you mention. And we certainly don't want to drive away users with annoyances.
One option is to protect all the questions involved, but that cuts out involvement without necessarily cutting out all the noise. (Some are being auto-protected by Community, though, so should we un-protect those repeatedly? Ugh.) The other problem is that we can't really change the contest now that it's started without some trouble. Personally I'd lean towards that anyways, if not terminating it, given the trouble we're already having.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: @Aaronaugh & @MatthewRead, you both make very valid points and I appreciate the input - this coming from the guy who organized this contest, perhaps a bit too hastily.
But yes, this monster is already underway, and [there](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/691/what-older-unanswered-questions-are-still-relevant-today) [was](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/700/unanswered-questions-please-vote) [ample](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/686/a-kindle-fire-giveaway-lets-discuss), if underpromoted, opportunity to chime in about the design of the contest. Clearly there are shortcomings to this model of outreach (this is an outreach effort, not a community reward campaign, though mods, too are eligible to win a Kindle Fire) and maybe it wasn't clear what the shortcomings for this format were until now.
So it's a learning experience, and we'll take these lessons (especially, perhaps, the 'meta tag problems,' which appear to elicit particular rage among community leaders) with us into the next campaign.
For the time being though, let's power through this contest. Hopefully out of the sea of crap, we will find gems, and in doing so improve Android knowledge available on the Internet.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: >
> I don't think that this contest should be open to anyone and everyone.
> ... it should have been/should be limited to users with at least some history
> of participation on the site.
>
>
>
***Noooo***. Contests are here to attract and recruit **new** users. The problem comes from the general concept of the contest. IMHO *most* "kindle-fire" questions didn't produce good answers because there are none/no solutions (yet) and therefore produce only low quality answers. The majority of questions won't benefit from the contest.
Therefore I think that the best contest rules are like **"get 200 (or XXX) rep within 2 (3, 4) weeks (minus the 100 rep bonus) to be eligible for a prize"**. SX's downvote and close system will make sure that the answers and questions, that are produced in order to get the rep, are of good quality. This also encourages user not only to ask good questions and provide good answers, they could also get the rep by making valuable edits and providing good tag descriptions. After the contest, the site will have a few more >200 rep users, which will later be equipped with more and more permissions and privileges, helping to moderate the site. **Everybody wins.**
BTW: If the SX network want's to make regular contest for promotion (which is a good idea) don't abuse the tag system. **Provide the appropriate tools instead.**
Upvotes: 4 |
2011/12/03 | 733 | 2,945 | <issue_start>username_0: The tags [home-screen](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/home-screen "show questions tagged 'home-screen'") and [launcher](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/launcher "show questions tagged 'launcher'") seem to me to be not usefully distinct. Does the rest of the community see a distinction that I don't?
If not, I propose they be made synonymous.<issue_comment>username_1: Not sure there. It seems to me that you can talk about one without talking about the other. Can you offer some sample questions where one could be used instead of the other?
I expect that there are probably a bunch of questions that are mis-tagged as one instead of the other, but that doesn't necessarily make them synonyms.
I don't feel strongly either way, though, so I can be convinced.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: They could be merged. But
1. I don't see a benefit atm
2. As I stated before, the don't exactly describe the same
That's why I am against making [home-screen](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/home-screen "show questions tagged 'home-screen'") and [launcher](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/launcher "show questions tagged 'launcher'") synonymous.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: Coming late to this one, as I was just thinking about the same (and found this by a "search-before-ask"): there are actually 3 tags here going very close together.
* [launcher](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/launcher "show questions tagged 'launcher'") seems to be the "parent", having two children
* [home-screen](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/home-screen "show questions tagged 'home-screen'") is part of a launcher (no need to explain which one, as the name is self explaining)
* [app-drawer](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/app-drawer "show questions tagged 'app-drawer'") is the second child of our launcher, which you usually get to pressing the "middle button" in the tray.
Though at a first glance it looks like they all could be merged-and-synonymed, we should not do so – as all 3 of them have their dedicated purpose:
* use [app-drawer](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/app-drawer "show questions tagged 'app-drawer'") when your question is explicitely and dedicatedly relating to the drawer only, but not to the home-screen component
* same way, just opposite, use the [home-screen](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/home-screen "show questions tagged 'home-screen'") tag when not relating to the app-drawer
* use [launcher](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/launcher "show questions tagged 'launcher'") when either referring to both, or not being sure which part you're referring to
However, these tags should be used in XOR manner: I see no need for any combination (except for making them easier to find, maybe ;)
Upvotes: 2 |
2011/12/06 | 540 | 1,724 | <issue_start>username_0: I always find it irritating that questions marked as duplicate show up as closed in the overview. Of course these questions are closed, but they are not closed because they are off-topic or because they have a poor quality. That's why they should be distinguishable from other closed questions by displaying [duplicate].
I'd like to point out the good arguments from <NAME>
>
> But when you look at a lower-volume site with a lot of closing (eg
> programmers.se) the [closed] markers are telling what's welcome here
> and what's not. When things are closed as dupes they look unwelcome,
> which they're not. I think the "first impression" is better when dupes
> are marked as such.
>
>
>
[Source](https://meta.stackexchange.com/a/92738/156683)
Please change
>
> How can I do XY? [closed]
>
>
>
to
>
> How can I do XY? [duplicate]
>
>
><issue_comment>username_1: As noted in Bryan's comment, this is not possible at the moment [for technical reasons](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/90672/can-we-make-the-title-of-duplicate-questions-say-duplicate).
I'm not completely convinced the distinction is all *that* important. Note that we do distinguish between
>
> [migrated]
>
>
>
and
>
> [closed]
>
>
>
But to me, a close is a close; duplicates may not be "not a real question", but they are still fairly low-value, we only keep them around so variants of the text can be found.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: [This has now been implemented](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/90672/can-we-make-the-title-of-duplicate-questions-say-duplicate/164651#164651).
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2011/12/08 | 13,201 | 40,743 | <issue_start>username_0: The following is a "digest" version of the [2011 Moderator Election Town Hall Chat](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/749/2011-moderator-election-town-hall-chat). The format, [as described on Meta Stack Overflow](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/77831/how-can-we-improve-the-town-hall-digests), is one *answer* to this question *for every question* asked in the Town Hall, containing all the candidate's answers to that question.
**To view the digest chronologically, please sort the answers by "oldest"**.
If you have questions or comments about this, **please do not answer this question** as the answers are designed to be used for the questions from the Town hall itself. Instead, please ask on [the parent question](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/77831/how-can-we-improve-the-town-hall-digests) or in [the Town Hall Discussion Room](http://chat.meta.stackoverflow.com/rooms/352/town-hall-discussion).
If you see any corrections which need to be made to this digest, or if you were a candidate who was unable to attend the town hall and would like your answers included, please @Rebecca or @TimStone in the chat room and let us know!<issue_comment>username_1: *Shog9 [Shog9](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/3435/shog9) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639128#2639128):* What would you do if someone starts yelling angrily about how such and such a question breaks their NDA?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
** [Al Everett](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/142/al-everett) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639150#2639150):** Well, first I'd get them to calm down. Then explain that the site offers user-contributed content and we can't control other people. If they persist, I'd refer them to the Stack Exchange team and by extension their attorneys. Certainly I'd shoot an e-mail off to the Community Managers to give them a heads-up.
** [eldarerathis](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/7634/eldarerathis) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639171#2639171):** An NDA seems like a type of situation that should probably be handled similar to a DMCA/Copyright situation. I'd want to try to reasonably explain to the individual that the we can't know the origin of all content that comes into the SE sites, but that they'd need to make some kind of case to the SE team. I'd also probably bring it up wherever appropriate (chat, email, etc) to make sure that the team is aware of claim.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/2661/matthew-read) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639185#2639185):** Remain calm. I believe SE's usual procedure when someone wants content removed is to ask them (or let them) file a formal DCMA takedown request. I know there's something on MSO about it so I would point them to that, and to the team if needed. Otherwise I would handle them like anyone else being disruptive: Point them to the site's policies, warn them about the results of their behavior, and proceed to suspension iff needed.
**[<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21/bryan-denny) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639760#2639760):** I would approach the situation in a calm manner and explain that if it is a copright issue then a DMCA request should be issued. Otherwise, I would explain the site guidelines and rules and close the question
** [Flow](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2641191#2641191):** If there *really* had been a violation of the NDA, it was done by the user who asked/answered the question. I would ask the person, which complains about the NDA violation, to contact the user directly, if needed by asking SE officials for support contacting the user. Content can easily be deleted by the users - but should maybe be completely wiped by the SE admins in such cases.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_1: *username_1 [username_1](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/23/rebecca-chernoff) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639129#2639129):* How would you handle an off-topic question that gets lots of upvotes/answers that the community likes/supports?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/142/al-everett) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639175#2639175):** I think the current way Stack Overflow handles this is probably the best. Close and lock it, and attach a note that it's kept for posterity but is not a good example of a question for the current topic guidelines.
** [eldarerathis](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/7634/eldarerathis) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639206#2639206):** Close it as off-topic, leave a comment explaining the reasoning for the close. I don't think that off-topic content should exist solely because of perceived usefulness since it sets a poor precedent and gives people questions to point at later down the line if they disagree with the closure of their own.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/2661/matthew-read) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639245#2639245):** I'd go to Meta if it's near our scope. Perhaps the scope needs to be expanded if the community is behind it, and we should discuss that. Another option is to talk to the OP and see if they're open to a rewrite that would push it on-topic.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/2661/matthew-read) [continued](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639246#2639246):** If it's fully off-topic then I'd close as OT with a comment explaining my reasoning. I'm not particularly a fan of locks and I don't think they're needed on Android -- at least not till we get more high-rep users who can enter a voting open/closed battle :P
**[<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21/bryan-denny) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639772#2639772):** I see this on Stackoverflow a lot. Although these questions are popular, they are very distracting to the main purpose of the site. The question should be closed with an explanation of why
** [Flow](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2641191#2641191):** If it’s clearly off-topic as defined by the scope within the FAQ I would close it and ask for discussion about possible corrections or other actions on meta.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_1: *[<NAME>ett http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/bf539ceaee7e3bc432077bfad2061834?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG](http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/bf539ceaee7e3bc432077bfad2061834?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG) [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/142/al-everett) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639212#2639212):* What do you think is the biggest obstacle to the success of the Android Enthusiasts Stack Exchange?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
**[<NAME> http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/bf539ceaee7e3bc432077bfad2061834?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG](http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/bf539ceaee7e3bc432077bfad2061834?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG) [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/142/al-everett) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639259#2639259):** To me, it's the preponderance of "fly-by-night" users. It seems like we have an awful lot of people who show up, drop a question or three (usually badly asked, too) and then disappear, never to be seen again, often without responding to comments or even waiting for their answer. I'm continually frustrated by trying to engage new folks for nought. I don't know that I have a solution, except to keep trying and to spend more effort on the ones who do stay.
**[eldarerathis http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/1187840ca619374e5f2d91943870d7e1?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG](http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/1187840ca619374e5f2d91943870d7e1?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG) [eldarerathis](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/7634/eldarerathis) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639261#2639261):** I mentioned this briefly [on Meta](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/578/you-need-the-bourgeois-blues/581#581), but I think that one of the biggest difficulties is that the Q&A format it somewhat ill-suited to a lot of the real power-user discourse. IRC and forums tend to work better because they allow for discussion of, for example, ROMs that are in active development and troubleshooting.
**[Matthew Read http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/9f45abdea17c709041812609c7fdfb69?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG](http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/9f45abdea17c709041812609c7fdfb69?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG) [Matthew Read](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/2661/matthew-read) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639267#2639267):** I think the biggest thing is keeping users here. We've talked before on Meta how we don't have a "middle class" to help the mods and keep the site running smoothly. So far the site is running smoothly but, with the gaining popularity of Android and this site hopefully with it, we will need these users. Many of our middling-rep users have left without explanation after a couple good months and it's somewhat concerning.
**[<NAME> http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/3497d52dba17d86666a7bc82a2243c07?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG](http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/3497d52dba17d86666a7bc82a2243c07?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG) [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21/bryan-denny) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639796#2639796):** Capturing a good audience (that sticks around). Especially the highly technical crowd. You see a lot of those types of questions being sent to XDA or reddit.com/r/android instead of here.
**[Flow http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/786b7a4e236f0179a2d7b67aac9b402e?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG](http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/786b7a4e236f0179a2d7b67aac9b402e?s=16&d=identicon&r=PG) [Flow](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2641191#2641191):** Reaching a critical mass of users to increase the swarm intelligence and overall knowledge of the site.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: *username_1 [username_1](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/23/rebecca-chernoff) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639272#2639272):* What can be done to bring more people to the community? Do you feel that's part of your responsibility as a moderator?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
** [eldarerathis](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/7634/eldarerathis) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639290#2639290):** I do think moderators have some responsibility to help attract people, and I'd like to try promoting the site a bit more on other sites. We link to XDA a whole lot, but I rarely see links back here from XDA, for example. We fill a nice niche since we're a very focused Q&A site without all the other discussion going on, so I think people from general help forums would find it attractive.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/2661/matthew-read) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639297#2639297):** The contests and promotions we've been having are a good start. I don't think moderators are responsible for promotion, but it's certainly an area I want to help with. And true mod responsibilities directly influence how the site is perceived -- it's important to be polite and consistent and all that good stuff to limit how many people are turned off by how SE works. I think our input is also really valuable when it comes to promotion - we know the site better than almost anyone else.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/142/al-everett) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639308#2639308):** I think a moderator should try to bring people in, but also help and encourage others to increase the size and quality of the community. As an Android fan, this isn't the only venue I participate in, and it's not that much effort to point people toward the site, especially when there's an interesting/topical question.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21/bryan-denny) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639834#2639834):** Anytime I can, I try to mention android.stackexchange to other android users. Here's one particular example: <http://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/mxlfm/if_your_website_does_this_fuck_you_xpost_from/c34nopk> As a moderator, I don't think it is our job the necessarily be the marketer for the site, but every little bit that we can chip in helps. We should continue with the contests (and adjust some of the rules to help the one-off users like the Kindle contest brought)
** [Flow](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2641191#2641191):** No, I don’t feel that this is part of the responsibility as moderator. But I wouldn’t want to become a mod if I wasn’t a big fan of the stackexchange idea, therefore I do promote the sites. :)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: *username_1 [username_1](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/23/rebecca-chernoff) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639320#2639320):* What is the difference between 'policing the community' and 'serving the community' and which side do you fall on, and why?
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** [Matthew Read](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/2661/matthew-read) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639349#2639349):** Android is by-and-large a fantastic site low on the problems faced by many other SE sites. I don't see any policing aspects to the moderation job here and, regardless, it has to be about serving the community. If you're not serving the community then you're not doing your job as a mod.
** [Matthew Read](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/2661/matthew-read) [continued](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639352#2639352):** If a community were to be so far gone that you need to really police it, cracking down on questions the community wants and so on, then probably the site isn't viable and I would have expected the team to step in and shut it down before that point.
** [Al Everett](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/142/al-everett) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639354#2639354):** "Policing" is looking around for bad actors and problems and doing something about it. "Serving" is, to me, is finding what the community needs and working to provide it. I think a moderator needs to do both, but as little as the former as possible to keep things civil.
** [eldarerathis](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/7634/eldarerathis) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639364#2639364):** I'd say it's a bit of a fine line between the two. "Policing" to me implies being a bit more active in exercising moderation powers, whereas "serving" is a bit more passive, like responding to community flags and such. I would also say, though, that carrying out community consensus without always needing their explicit request (i.e. rules which were decided upon on meta) is serving - not policing. That's where I would generally fall.
** [Matthew Read](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/2661/matthew-read) [clarified](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639375#2639375):** I think I may have interpreted "policing" too harshly, based on Al and eldarerathis's answers :P I agree with dealing with problems and not being passive!
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21/bryan-denny) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639860#2639860):** Policing is a bit too strong. Policing happens when I only want to see things *I* want to see on the site rather than what the community wants to see. I should be here to facilitate (serve) the community, not my own whims
** [Flow](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2641191#2641191):** Serving the community. Policies can change. In fact the should be adjusted from time to time by the community. That assures a healthy climate and progress.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: *username_1 [username_1](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/23/rebecca-chernoff) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639368#2639368):* What do you hope to accomplish as a moderator as opposed to a user with high rep privs?
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** [Matthew Read](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/2661/matthew-read) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639393#2639393):** The main difference for me would be doing things vs creating work for the mods. As a regular user I'd flag things; as a mod I'd just delete/close/etc. As a regular user I'd post minor tag problems needing merging etc. to Meta; as a mod I just do what needs to be done. In both roles you always take the major things to Meta regardless of your ability to deal with it.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/142/al-everett) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639394#2639394):** I want to help a good core of high-reputation users basically self-manage the site. If everything is going well, then a moderator's job truly is to be an exception-handler, taking care of those few things that come up that a non-moderator just can't do. We have some really good users now, but we need some more.
** [eldarerathis](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/7634/eldarerathis) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639399#2639399):** Honestly, I just kind of want to cut out the middle man. I find myself running into clearly off-topic questions or non-answers, constantly refreshing the review queue and such but...all I can do is flag (or edit)! I spend a lot of time "moderating" as it is, so I figured - why not volunteer to *actually* moderate? If I can use that time to be helpful in other ways, too, then all the better. I just legitimately enjoy maintaining the site and helping the community.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21/bryan-denny) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639887#2639887):** If I wasn't a mod, then I wouldn't be fixing the things myself. I'd just be flagging them for the current mods to do those things. Skip an extra step :) But the only difference between the two is the mod has slightly stronger powers which should hopefully not have to be used
** [Flow](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2641191#2641191):** Moderation of the site. Asking for feedback on meta about suggestions and ideas that I think improve the overall site experience. But the last point is something that every user is able and encouraged to do, regardless of the mod status and reputation!
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_1: *username_1 [username_1](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/23/rebecca-chernoff) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639428#2639428):* What makes you enjoy moderating and janitorial tasks (as opposed to rep-earning activities like asking/answering)?
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** [eldarerathis](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/7634/eldarerathis) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639466#2639466):** If I'm being truly honest, I have no idea :) I think I enjoy seeing things run smoothly and look nice. Plus, poor quality posts reflect poorly on the community, whether consciously and subconsciously. I'm a member of that community, so I want to make sure that I (and everyone else who's put so much hard work into this site) am well represented. We're contributing to the knowledge base of the Internet. No reason to do it halfway.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/142/al-everett) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639488#2639488):** Too many out-of-control forums? I have seen "broken windows" bring down other sites in the past. I like this site too much to stand idly by and fall into chaos, especially when I can help keep that from happening.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/2661/matthew-read) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639500#2639500):** I'm an engineer and a little pedantic :P I like things to work smoothly and be in order and correct. I like to act and not just converse. I like helping the site and community in multiple areas.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21/bryan-denny) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639897#2639897):** Reputation is nice, but at the end of the day it is number. As a moderator you actually get to keep things in order. I enjoy it because I want to see this style of community thrive over hard to read forums
** [Flow](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2641191#2641191):** I enjoy both, but moderation and janitorial tasks satisfy my pursuit for structure and organization. Although my desk sometimes speaks a different language. ;-)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: *username_1 [username_1](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/23/rebecca-chernoff) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639522#2639522):* You have several flags indicating 'very low quality' on a single post; you can't find any obvious issues with the post. What do you do?
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** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/2661/matthew-read) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639539#2639539):** Get a second opinion, probably via the mod chatroom. Multiple flags either means sock puppetry or something you just don't quite get. Another set of eyes can help you catch the problem, rule it out, or investigate the abuse.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/142/al-everett) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639590#2639590):** Depending on the situation, I'd leave a comment asking for more information; pop into Teacher's Lounge to ask for some other eyes to look it over; if it keeps happening check in to the users that are flagging it for potential sock-puppetry. But removing otherwise good content for no good reason doesn't seem right.
** [eldarerathis](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/7634/eldarerathis) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639617#2639617):** I'd probably try to grab the other mods in chat and ask them to take a look. It's entirely possible that there's something I'm just missing, but it could be malicious flagging of some sort, too. If there's nobody readily available to take a look and the content truly doesn't appear "low quality" then I'd dismiss the flags and talk it out with other mods the next time they're available.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21/bryan-denny) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639909#2639909):** If it's salvageable, edit it to make it a more worth question. If it isn't ask the user to clarify and provide more info. If they don't, consult other mods and possibly close it. Really depends on the post.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2641191#2641191):** I am not sure if this is possible, but I would try to contact and ask the flaggers for the reason of the “very low quality” flag. A second, third, ... mod opinion would also be helpful.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: *username_1 [username_1](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/23/rebecca-chernoff) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639631#2639631):* Through a moderator tool, you found some people near you. Would you reach out to them?
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** [<NAME>verett](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/142/al-everett) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639644#2639644):** Heck no. That's a breach of trust.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/2661/matthew-read) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639671#2639671):** Absolutely not. If the information wasn't provided in the public profile or provided directly by the person to me, then it's private. It should only be used if necessary in the course of moderation duties and never exposed beyond the user, other mods, and the team within the appropriate contexts.
** [eldarerathis](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/7634/eldarerathis) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639674#2639674):** No, I wouldn't feel at all right about doing that. I'd only ever consider contacting someone if it was through some kind of information they had chosen to make public.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21/bryan-denny) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639916#2639916):** No, I would say that is "creepy." If they didn't publicly share the info, then I have no reason to try and contact them (other than the rare/exceptional sending a private message procedure)
** [Flow](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2641191#2641191):** No, that’s not for what the tool is meant to. Especially if the data is not public visible.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_1: *<NAME> [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/12325/tim-stone) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639684#2639684):* New users often are not accustomed to the Stack Exchange system, and sometimes struggle to present themselves properly, either in the way they use the site or their attitude. How willing are you to work with "problematic" users, and at what point do you decide that someone isn't worth the effort?
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** [Matthew Read](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/2661/matthew-read) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639719#2639719):** I don't think it's ever appropriate for a mod to give up. There are times when you might suspend someone after egregious behavior and a failure to improve, but you still give them another shot when the suspension is over. AFAIK it's up to the team to make a permanent suspension, and not the mods, and that's probably a good thing.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/2661/matthew-read) [continued](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639757#2639757):** As for working with problematic users -- it's important to be up front about the site policies and what's expected, and to be polite. Telling someone they're behaving badly isn't going to work if you're behaving badly yourself. I always try to point people to the relevant FAQ, Meta post, or blog post that explains the policies and their rationale. Beyond that there's not much to do besides a suspension -- hopefully a short one gives them the jolt they need.
** [<NAME>verett](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/142/al-everett) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639749#2639749):** Very willing, and I've been. Most folks are just unaccustomed to the way Stack Overflow works and only need a little gentle prodding. If they stick around they get it. If they don't, they generally get frustrated and leave. Fortunately, my fellow mods can help with persistent troublemakers. Every situation is different, so I can't really say when it's no longer worth the effort.
** [eldarerathis](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/7634/eldarerathis) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639758#2639758):** In the past I've hung around pretty poor questions on SO so that I could try to coax a real question out of someone, then tried to edit stuff an explain the site as best I can. I try to do the same here, and I'm willing to give pretty much anyone a decent shot. If a user is actively resisting any reasonable offers of help or is blatantly offensive, though, then everyone might need to walk away, cool down and try again later (including official suspension, if necessary).
** [eldarerathis](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/7634/eldarerathis) [continued](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639774#2639774):** *Having said that*: I do think some people legitimately have bad attitudes and don't want to play nice. If it becomes clear that a user falls into that category then I'd have no qualms with suspending them, outlining very clearly why they're behaving unacceptably, and letting them try again at a later point.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21/bryan-denny) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639929#2639929):** I'm very willing to help prod new users in the right direction. But if after a few times they just don't "get it" then I'd consult the others on what to do (suspension or otherwise)
** [Flow](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2641191#2641191):** I think that the community is our first line of defense again “problematic” users by flagging the posts. I would point the user to our FAQ, especially the “Etiquette” section. If the user doesn’t change his behaviour after the first or second reminder, appropriate actions should be *considered*. It always depends on the individual case.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: *username_1 [username_1](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/23/rebecca-chernoff) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639768#2639768):* Final thoughts from the candidates?
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** [Matthew Read](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/2661/matthew-read) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639773#2639773):** Vote for Pedro.
** [Al Everett](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/142/al-everett) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639794#2639794):** No matter how the election goes, I'm glad I was given the opportunity to help out. This is a good batch of candidates and the site will be in good hands, whether I'm one of them or not.
* ** [Matthew Read](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/2661/matthew-read) [agreed](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639798#2639798):** Couldn't agree more.
** [Matthew Read](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/2661/matthew-read) [clarified](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639813#2639813):** Err, I agree with the sentiment that the site will be in good hands, not that it could do without you :P
** [eldarerathis](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/7634/eldarerathis) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639820#2639820):** I think I'll just take this time to say thanks to all the current mods and staff and whatnot who got this site here. I'm glad I found AE because I've learned a lot and I have a lot of fun here, and you guys did a great job getting it all together!
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21/bryan-denny) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2639937#2639937):** Whether elected a mod or not, I'll still be here. I enjoy the community and have enjoyed working with the current group of mods. I hope for nothing but the best for Android.SE :)
** [Flow](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/2641191#2641191):** All candidates are doing a good job on android.stackexchange.com. I would vote for them all if I could. :) I just have to add that **AFAIK I am the only one residing in UTC+2 and that it is a good idea to distribute the moderators in different timezones around the globe. :-)**
Upvotes: 2 |
2011/12/19 | 605 | 2,200 | <issue_start>username_0: This week, we’re kicking off a “Topic of the Week” series.
How it works: We will designate one topic each week, and each person who asks a question relating to that topic will be eligible to win a prize.
How to enter: [Ask a question](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/ask) relating to the topic of the week, and tag it accordingly (this week, use the "4.0-ice-cream-sandwich" tag - see example questions [here](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/4.0-ice-cream-sandwich)). Each question you ask will get you one entry into a random drawing to win an Android accessory of your choice (under $50). Or $50 worth of ice cream sandwiches.
Choosing the topic of the week: For this first week, we decided to go with the newest Android operating system, Ice Cream Sandwich (see the discussion [here](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/772/would-you-be-interested-in-ice-cream-sandwich-week)). But for all following weeks we want to take suggestions from you! Leave your suggestion as an answer to this meta post, and the topic that is voted the highest at the end of each round will be the topic of the following week.
Each round will be announced Monday morning at approximately 10 am EST.
[Edit] Ice Cream Sandwich week is now over and was followed by [Tablet Week](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/784/its-tablet-week). Congratulations to Anders for winning ICS week!<issue_comment>username_1: Suggested "X week!" topic:
**Gingerbread**: by far the most used version (and for some time to come)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_1: Suggested "X week!" topic:
**Games**: such a popular category it's distinct from other apps at the top level of the
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_1: Suggested "X week!" topic:
**HTC**, **Samsung**, **Motorola**, **LG**, *etc.*: give each OEM some of the limelight, maybe a week when they release a new device. But all devices from that OEM would be part of the contest.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: Suggested "X week!" topic:
**wi-fi tethering**: because, well, a lot of people want to do it, in spite of the roadblocks their carrier places in their way
Upvotes: -1 |
2011/12/19 | 329 | 1,182 | <issue_start>username_0: ...because that's what they are.
Granted, there's not a "store" but it's the same idea as "where can I get the cheapest Android phone".
If nothing else, it's someone trying to crowdsource their web search.
That said, a canonical "where can I find Android ROMs" question (Community Wiki) would be a good idea.1
---
1 I don't flash ROMs to my Android devices, so I wouldn't be a good person to do that.<issue_comment>username_1: Suggested "X week!" topic:
**Gingerbread**: by far the most used version (and for some time to come)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_1: Suggested "X week!" topic:
**Games**: such a popular category it's distinct from other apps at the top level of the
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_1: Suggested "X week!" topic:
**HTC**, **Samsung**, **Motorola**, **LG**, *etc.*: give each OEM some of the limelight, maybe a week when they release a new device. But all devices from that OEM would be part of the contest.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: Suggested "X week!" topic:
**wi-fi tethering**: because, well, a lot of people want to do it, in spite of the roadblocks their carrier places in their way
Upvotes: -1 |
2012/01/03 | 876 | 3,693 | <issue_start>username_0: **Edit:** The changes have been implemented. Individual device rooting questions are encouraged, though we want answers to be complete -- covering all Android versions. The big rooting question now indexes the individual questions.
---
[Recently in chat](http://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/25/conversation/re-visiting-rooting-questions) it was mentioned that our Community Wiki question, [How do I root my Android device?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/1184/how-do-i-root-my-device), doesn't quite work. I had been thinking this myself recently and I think it's time we brought it up here on Meta.
The crux of the matter seems to be two points:
1. Forum posts are incomplete, badly written, and sometimes *just plain wrong*. We can do better than just link to them.
2. Rooting methods often vary from version to version. At minimum, we need more than one entry for many of the devices and a way to classify them.
Solving these problems via the current post would require adding a ***lot*** more information to the post. Even if we didn't include our own rooting guide, we'd still need to add versions numbers, explanations, and so on. The post would become massive.
Given this, **I think it's best that we create one post per device**. These questions should each have one answer with a complete rooting guide that addresses all software versions, referencing forum posts if applicable but not relying on their existence or quality. We can create posts for highly-anticipated devices on release (to grab the traffic) and wait for questions to actually be asked about others, to avoid cluttering the site with every guide on the planet.
The current question could continue in its current form, changing the index to link to our questions instead of externally. The general tips and list of rooting tools that work on many devices is certainly useful.
Side benefits include searchability (the question "How do I root my device?" is less likely to match the search "How can I root my Kindle Fire?" than a question titled the same as the search) and hopefully drawing some (constructive) users here from XDA and the other forums.
Should we do this?<issue_comment>username_1: One post per device for rooting questions is OK. Don't even make them CW, this only prevents people from answering because they don't get any reputation. They will automatically become CW when it's time for it.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I am very unlikely to root my device, so I don't really have any skin in this game.
That said, I do believe the current canonical question is getting too big and unwieldy.
I think "How do I root device X" or, even better, "How do I root Y class of devices" is a good way to go.
I'm concerned, though, about the different ways one can root a device. I would caution against ANY "how do I root device X with method Y" questions.
I also agree with username_1 in that these shouldn't automatically go to Community Wiki. It will take work to put this information together; the people who do should get the reward.
We also have a slew of closed questions that can be re-opened and answered. That should make the askers happy. (Although that's not a reason to do this.)
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: I have one question.
Should questions about "How to root X" without a clear answer, or with at least one clear answer stating the device is not rootable and no valid rooting method provided in another answer, be added to the list?
The list says "How do I root my device", so I doubt the usefulness of questions without clear answers and models stated to be non-rootable (at the moment).
Upvotes: -1 |
2012/01/06 | 1,141 | 4,415 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm talking about [this](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/16833/android-google-checkout-merchant-account) question where the OP has asked question about developer account.
The question was migrated here from Stackoverflow. Then it got closed being off topic in context of Android Enthusiasts.
Shouldn't the question have been migrated back to Stackoverflow? Or is it technically not possible?
Basically I think situation like this should be handled in a better way so that the question doesn't fall in no man's land.<issue_comment>username_1: The problem here is that question's topic doesn't have anywhere currently that it would belong within the StackExchange network.
For Android.SE, the relevant section of our [FAQ](https://android.stackexchange.com/faq#what-about-other-android-related-questions) is:
>
> **What kind of questions can I ask here?**
>
>
> * Using your Android device
> * Using a particular app on your Android device
> * Trying to solve an error or other issue in using your Android device What about other Android-related questions?
>
>
> **Please note the following topics are expressly off-topic here:**
>
>
> * Developing/programming for Android (please ask these questions on
> [Stack Overflow](http://stackoverflow.com))
> * Marketing your Android app or doing market research
> * Issues with the Android Market from the point of view of a developer
> or publisher
>
>
>
It's the last (of my quoted) bullet points that's important. This site is for users of Android, the question was about publishing an app in the Market, that's not a user topic.
Discussions on these parts of the FAQ are primarily here [FAQ: “What kind of questions should I ask here?”](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/246/faq-what-kind-of-questions-should-i-ask-here) and [FAQ: “What kind of questions should I NOT ask here?”](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/247/faq-what-kind-of-questions-should-i-not-ask-here)
As for StackOverflow, their FAQ says:
>
> **Frequently Asked Questions**
>
>
> What kind of questions can I ask here?
>
>
> Stack Overflow is for professional and enthusiast programmers, people
> who write code because they love it. We feel the best Stack Overflow
> questions have a bit of source code in them, but if your question
> generally covers …
>
>
> * a specific programming problem
> * a software algorithm
> * software tools commonly used by programmers
> * practical, answerable problems that are unique to the programming profession
>
>
>
This question isn't covered by any of those question types, so they're not going to accept the question if it's migrated back. Arguably they should never have migrated it here, but just closed it there, but not every mod knows the exact scope of every other site and mistakes are unfortunately made.
There is a proposal on the Are 51 site to create a StackExchange site dedicated to [App Stores](http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/30702/app-stores), if that proposal gets enough support, and the site is created, then that would be the natural home for this question.
Until that day, it appears that unfortunately there is currently no good home for the question.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: [username_1's answer](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/a/796/267) is spot-on, but I'd like to add a little more information.
* The Migration system is still finding its way. It's *supposed* to be a way to find a home for *great* questions that happen to be in the wrong place. It is, all too often, used as more of a dumping ground. A large part of the problem here is that the people on the "sending" site don't know enough about the "receiving" site to make an informed decision as to whether the question is really on-topic. So far, the best advice we have is "don't migrate crap".
* Moderators from different sites do work together, and we have sent questions "back" that were migrated here in error. It takes a bit of coordination, and is a pain in the neck, but it can be done. In this particular case it's definitely off-topic at Stack Overflow, so there was no point in sending it back. It's also not on-topic anywhere else, so there was no point in sending it back to be re-migrated. If the "App Store" proposal in Area 51 ever opens, it could be sent there, but who knows when that will happen.
Upvotes: 2 |
2012/01/26 | 438 | 1,801 | <issue_start>username_0: Ok, so I was going to start editing a couple of questions and answers to clean up the formatting and make them a bit more readable, but thought I'd check in here first. Is there a preferred way to indicate a screen item?
For example, if I'd instruct someone on how to check the phone OS version, I'd use inline code (`Settings -> About phone -> Android version` or `Settings` -> `About phone` -> `Android version`) to separate the clickable items from body text.
Another option would be to use the kbd tag (`Settings`->`About phone`->`Android version`), but in my opinion this seems a bit bulky.
It would be nice to have a standard way to format these things. Suggestions, comments?<issue_comment>username_1: I normally save the `< kbd >` tags for actual hardware buttons (or at least buttons that are normally hardware even if they're sometimes soft) like `Power`, `Menu`, `Home`, `Back`, etc.
For menu options and clicking on items on the screen I'd normally either **bold** them (or for long options like descriptions on tick boxes "enclose them in quotes".
So for your example I'd say **Settings** -> **About phone** -> **Android version**
Or **Settings** -> **Display** -> tick "Auto-rotate screen"
Or giving a Xoom the "three-fingered salute" would be hold down `Power` + `Volume Up` at the same time.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I think as long as it's clear you're good to do whatever you want. Like username_1 I would leave the keyboard buttons for actual buttons, though I tend to use bold or nothing for them myself. I also tend to use inline code for menu items.
I suppose in an ideal world we would have a standard, or perhaps site-specific ways to indicate various Android UI elements, but I don't think it's particularly important.
Upvotes: 2 |
2012/01/28 | 230 | 938 | <issue_start>username_0: What should we do with <https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/12478/is-there-a-gis-application-for-android>? The question is equally on-topic for both Android and GIS Stack Exchange.<issue_comment>username_1: It's a pity that StackExchange isn't a bit more intelligent with cross-SE site links. I'd say that the questions are related, but there's likely to be a slightly different focus by answerers on each site. I'd have thought an entry in the "Linked Questions" section would be the right way to do it, but not currently possible.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: In general it's fine to have overlapping questions, as long as they weren't cross-posted by the same user (without appropriate reason). Linking in a comment is a good idea though.
This isn't generally done on beta sites though (the beta question is closed), although you'd have to ask the SE team for the reasoning there.
Upvotes: 1 |
2012/02/05 | 202 | 845 | <issue_start>username_0: Can i Flag a Tag?
What if there is an unnecessary tag created for advertising some product?<issue_comment>username_1: Just flag a post that it's on and use the "other" option to explain what's going on.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I'd just add to Al's answer that if the tag is inappropriate but not spam or offensive — e.g., something off-topic like [marketing](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/marketing "show questions tagged 'marketing'") — it may be better to make a post here on Meta and see what people think. Marketing might be obviously off-topic, but often it's less clear and there might be several alternative actions to discuss. See the questions here tagged [tags](/questions/tagged/tags "show questions tagged 'tags'") to get a better idea of this.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2012/02/06 | 260 | 985 | <issue_start>username_0: Can I filter the questions with particular tags from the Questions list?<issue_comment>username_1: Sure, simply enter [tag] as search option. It's also stated [here](https://android.stackexchange.com/search?q=).
For example, if you want to search for all questions tagged [samsung-galaxy-s](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/samsung-galaxy-s "show questions tagged 'samsung-galaxy-s'"), you would enter [samsung-galaxy-s] in the search field: [Result](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/samsung-galaxy-s)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: In addition to the search filtering that username_1 mentions, you can also set up "favorite" and "ignored" tags from the right sidebar on [the main page](https://android.stackexchange.com/). Ignored tags will be faded grey on the question lists and favorited ones will be highlighted.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2012/02/06 | 789 | 2,977 | <issue_start>username_0: **This contest has ended.** There was a separate prize pool for Android Guys users. The winner from that pool is dev0, for [this question](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/19368/how-do-i-use-a-external-microphone-with-my-galaxy-nexus). The winner from the broader community is ProjectJourneyman, for [this question](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/19339/any-success-with-external-microphones-for-android-phones-or-tablets). Congratulations!
If anyone is interested in the contest details, see below.
---
Audio Week is a larger version of the [Weekly Topic Challenges](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/784/its-tablet-week), with slightly different rules and even better prizes.
To enter, ask questions related to the audio output of an Android device. Anything tagged [audio](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/audio "show questions tagged 'audio'") is eligible for this contest, but make sure you add other tags as well (for example, you can also tag the question music if applicable).
**Prizes:**
The person who asks the most viewed question will receive a Kindle Fire (or another Android tablet of similar value).
The Rules
* The contest is open to both new and current Stack Exchange and
android.stackexchange.com users.
* Everyone is eligible to participate regardless of geographic
location. If you live in an area of the world where it is too
difficult for us to ship you your prize, we’ll figure something else
out on a case by case basis.
* The only metrics we’re using to determine winners are the number of
page views your questions get. So ask as many good questions as you
can, and share them using whatever means you see fit. Twitter,
Facebook, Tumblr, Google Plus, whatever!
* There will be separate (and equal!) prizes for Android Guys readers who are participating in this contest. Check out [this post on Android Guys](http://www.androidguys.com/2012/02/06/win-a-kindle-fire-just-for-asking-an-audio-related-question/) for more details. Remember, if you heard about us from our friends at Android Guys, make sure to say in your
profile "I am an Android Guys reader."
Dates: The contest begins Monday, February 6th at 12:01 am and goes until Friday, February 17th at 11:59 pm (UTC). Only questions that are asked within that time period will count towards this contest.<issue_comment>username_1: Who won? It's almost a day since the competition ended :)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: Thanks alot Lauren.
I have sent you an email about my contact information. I don't know exactly how you are going to do this? Do you have the Kindle Fire at home, or are you going to order it? Because it can't be ordered from Amazon to Denmark. But it can be sent with the normal air mail directly to me.
But again thanks alot, and looking forward to be an active member on this lovely website :D
Upvotes: 0 |
2012/02/06 | 409 | 1,724 | <issue_start>username_0: While writing comments as a reply to particular user, when i press @ followed by 1st letter of user's name i get an Auto-Complete box suggesting the user's name. It is a very useful feature.
But sometimes it doesn't work(even after retrying)? Why? Is this a bug?<issue_comment>username_1: It might save you some time spent writing these posts if you search the big parent Meta site, <https://meta.stackoverflow.com/>. Questions there tagged "FAQ" may be particularly useful, e.g., [How do comment @replies work?](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/43019/how-do-comment-replies-work) That should cover this :)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I think you're seeing one of two behaviours that changed recently with @replies. Essentially the @reply isn't auto-completed (and is often removed when you post) if there is only one possible, unmistakable person who's the target of your post and so your @name bit would be redundant.
So if you're making a comment on a question that has no answers, and it's the very first comment, then you are obviously making a comment to the questioner, so adding @name is redundant.
The other thing that's changed is that when SE thinks that two people are having a conversation (when there's only two of you commenting and you're going back and forth between you) then the @name is removed too, as it's obvious who you're talking to.
In these cases even though there's no @name in your comment, because it's obvious who you're talking to the person that you're talking to will still get notified that you're talking to them (for instance question askers are always notified when someone comments on their question with @naming anyone else).
Upvotes: 1 |
2012/02/10 | 5,104 | 21,465 | <issue_start>username_0: Allow me to preface this with a bit of a disclaimer. I do not want to sound ungrateful or upset with the efforts of the SE team to support and promote this site. I think it's *fantastic* that SE is willing to create little contests and promotions and such for its sites, and I'm genuinely appreciative of the support they provide to all of the sites in the network. I very much enjoy Android Enthusiasts, and I don't see that changing any time soon.
Now, having said that, I feel the need to voice a bit of concern over the specifics of some of our site promotions. This was motivated initially by what I felt was an almost immediate flood of low-quality questions in [audio](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/audio "show questions tagged 'audio'") for the current contest, so I decided to go back and do a little bit of datamining on the previous ones. What concerns me is that although we may be getting attention from the contests, we are:
1. Generally not retaining the users we attract
2. Causing a larger-than-usual influx of poor questions
3. (In my view) Run the risk of possibly disillusioning some of the more regular and loyal members
Now that we've had a few goes at some contests, I think we can start to analyze the results a bit. I'm going to go through the past contests in what should essentially be chronological order with a bit of data I collected by simply scanning the relevant tags and user profiles:
[Kindle Fire Contest](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/740/kindle-fire-contest-winners-announced)
=================================================================================================================
This contest in some ways worked and in some ways felt like it kind of didn't. On the one hand, it brought attention to a lot of older unanswered questions, which is generally great. On the other hand, one user was so annoyed by what he perceived to be a flood of non-answers grabbing for loot, that he actually [removed the tag from his own question so that it would not be part of the contest](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/741/can-the-tag-for-the-kindle-fire-contest-be-made-a-mod-only-tag#comment1151_741). There were certainly lots of cases of non-answers or half-answers attempting to get in on the contest, which provided a lot of clutter that people ended up needing to downvote since the rules dictated that anything with a score of **zero** was an eligible entry. In my opinion, this doesn't really encourage quality participation, but that's probably neither here nor there.
The winners of the contest also show some concerning stats. Of the 5 winners:
* 2 have not visited the site since the end of the contest
* 1 has visited but has made no other contributions to the site
+ Additionally, this user has only one post total (mind you, this is *the post which won the contest for them*) and it currently sits at **a net score of -1** (!!)
[Ice Cream Sandwich week](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/781/its-ice-cream-sandwich-week)
===========================================================================================================
ICS week was the first tag-themed week. It was presented to the community on Meta before starting and received generally positive responses. Overall the week played out relatively well, but still seemed to encourage one-off posts to win sweet loot:
* 18 questions asked
* 1 of the 18 was closed
* 5 of the users (I count 14 total unique users, so ~35%) have no other activity on their profiles whatsoever
* The winning question ultimately had the [4.0-ice-cream-sandwich](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/4.0-ice-cream-sandwich "show questions tagged '4.0-ice-cream-sandwich'") removed (!!) - It was quite arguably never about ICS to begin with.
[Tablet week](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/784/its-tablet-week)
===================================================================================
Tablet week started immediately after ICS week, and was not presented to the userbase as a whole beforehand. It was also not one of the tags suggested in the ICS week's answers. I found this to be a bit unusual as [tablet](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/tablet "show questions tagged 'tablet'") is a pretty broad tag, but it didn't seem like an unreasonable choice. This perhaps lent to the fact that there were very few entries (it's a bit of a low-traffic tag).
* 6 questions were asked (none closed)
* 1 user has no other posts on the site
[Apps week](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/804/topic-of-the-week-its-apps-week-ask-and-win-prizes-now-closed)
===============================================================================================================================
I have to be blunt here: this was a terrible tag choice, in my opinion. [applications](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/applications "show questions tagged 'applications'") is absolutely notorious for being a dumping ground for questions where the author can't come up with any other relevant tags. It's vague, it's broad, and it attracts junk and (I think) should be actively discouraged whenever possible. I firmly believe that if this tag had been pitched to the community via Meta it would have been met with substantial resistance. The stats for this week were:
* 18 questions asked
* 3 closed
* 7 users (out of 17) have no other activity outside of the contest or the contest timeframe
[Audio week](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/834/its-audio-week)
=================================================================================
Similar to tablet week, this seems like an unusual tag choice to me. It is very broad, and it is also fairly low traffic (111 posts as of this writing, which includes the sudden influx of contest questions). Additionally, this week is based purely on views, which seems to further fly in the face of promoting high-quality contributions. Realistically, a winning entry needs only to be **acceptable** with effective link distribution. Audio week has also not fared so well, in my opinion, as it currently has:
* 13 questions asked
* 5 of the 13 (this is ~38%) have been closed, one has 3 close votes
* 7 of the users have (so far) no other activity on the site
I don't claim to have any solutions, but I do think that perhaps we should at least discuss the contests that have been run so far. As a community, I'm curious to know:
1. How do we feel about these contests and this data? Are we concerned? Do we consider these contests successful?
2. What other contest styles could we look at? Are there other options?
3. Should we be concerned about the fact that established, loyal users have no benefit over one-off throwaway accounts in these contests (which, in many cases appear to never return)?
4. Should the eligible posts be moderated more stringently or held to a higher standard than simply "Not a negative score and not closed"? Are view-based contests a good idea?<issue_comment>username_1: Thanks for posting this; I agree fully.
Tags are tricky across all SE sites, but in my experience we do have somewhat unique problems with them here. Gaming has had issues with meta tags that we haven't, for example, but on the other hand most of their tags are really easy to evaluate. For example, their `swtor` tag is applied only to questions about The Old Republic and it's immediately obvious when a question should or shouldn't have the tag. Few would try to get away with tagging a StarCraft question with it in order to cheat at a contest, since they would have no chance of getting away with it.
That's not as true here. The closest we have to such specific tags are device tags, but they *aren't* supposed to be applied to every question involving the device. We get an immense number of questions where no one has any idea whether the issue is device-specific or not; it could be part of Android, specific to a chipset, specific to a custom UI or launcher, etc. Tags like [audio](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/audio "show questions tagged 'audio'") are even worse. Does it cover call audio? Notifications? Music? With many tags we've attempted to address the distinctions in tag wikis, but no one reads them. It doesn't help that the contests provide no real advice on how the tag should be used (nor is that the right place for it, IMO).
I don't think promotions based on tags can work here. Device tags are the best candidates, yet bad overall: in addition to it being hard to determine when they should be used, I can't see a situation in which it makes sense to select a device tag. If the device is just being released, we won't get that many questions about it and anyone who already owns one probably wouldn't be too excited to win another. If the device hasn't been released, we'll get speculation and bad questions about easily-Googled announcements. If the device is old, no one will be interested. This applies to the OS version tags as well, really.
The drive-by user problem is pervasive here, in more than just contests. I think in order to combat this we need to have contests reward people for longer-term participation, so that they'll want to stay and be involved. I don't know the best way to go about that, but I think draw entries might work. Top user for the month? Get entered into a draw for the end of the year, winner gets the device of their choice. New user gaining 500+ rep in the first month? Win a case or a headset or other peripheral. Something like that. Good questions and good answers will also draw more traffic and thus more users; I think it's better to entice users organically with content instead of overtly with short-term promotions.
As for moderation, I did moderate more strictly during the Kindle Fire Contest. We had a few users being absolutely bombarded with crap and I was a bit liberal with deletions of bad and duplicate answers. For these other contests I've moderated just as I always do, but I agree that the relevant questions are disproportionately bad. I haven't looked at exact stats but you're right that many are flagged, closed, and improperly tagged. It's quite unpleasant to, effectively, tell someone that there were hidden terms to the contest (you have to use the tag appropriately, where appropriately is non-obviously defined) and their question doesn't qualify. It's even worse to see someone post crap and win instead of someone who posted a great question.
I also strongly agree that the team needs to take advantage of the community here. Grace Note, former Gaming mod and current SE employee, has helped with their promotions, but (as far as I can tell) there's no one even remotely as familiar with our site helping out with our promotions. Not taking advantage of us just doesn't make sense; even if the promotions were going well, making them better wouldn't hurt.
As an aside, I hate [tablet](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/tablet "show questions tagged 'tablet'") with a passion and have been trying to figure out how to get rid of it. It's no better than if we had [phone](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/phone "show questions tagged 'phone'").
---
Rather than make a novel in the comments I'm going to here respond to username_2's comment:
>
> I agree with most of your points here. Unfortunately, we don't have a Grace Note equivalent for the Android community. That's why we've made an effort to stay in contact with the moderators by posting on meta and via email. I know we've involved you personally in an email about upcoming promotions, and I'm always happy to talk to anyone who has ideas or feedback. Hopefully this thread will help us all talk and come up with a good solution.
>
>
>
Much of it has felt like a formality. The ICS contest you contacted us about was probably the least problematic, though certainly scaled back from the initial idea and (I think) correspondingly less successful. I think we'd all have benefitted from a bit more back-and-forth between the "hey there might be a thing" and "contest starts NOW!" communications.
By no means do I *expect* to be included or privy to what you're doing at SE; my job is just to moderate. What's really uncomfortable for me is being included just enough that I do have to acknowledge it, and at the same time knowing that if I had ever been asked about [audio](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/audio "show questions tagged 'audio'") I would have been vehement in advising you against it. I'm left explaining it after the fact in a wall of text on Meta, which no doubt feels like an attack on you to some degree, for which I apologize. I don't doubt your intentions or abilities in any way; everyone I've ever been in contact with at SE has been awesome.
Right now I see two methods of dealing with the disjoint here:
* Promotions are designed on Meta. The team makes a post with an idea, the community gives feedback, the final form including complete rules and so on is determined before the contest ever starts. At least until we figure out a formula that works.
* Promotions are experiments. The team comes up with ideas and doesn't involve us with them, just acknowledging that things are experimental and there may be issues.
I don't really like the latter because we have so few involved users; when they have so many bad posts to clean up it gets tiring and it sort of feels like being dumped on. (This can be mitigated to some degree by contests that reward longer-term involvement.) Finding what works here is obviously difficult and it seems that trial and error will inevitably result in more to clean up.
The former has its problems too — it's slow and probably awkward for you, it may remove the element of surprise, Meta isn't built for back-and-forth, etc. Again I'm not sure what the best solution is here, but the current track doesn't seem to be working for anyone, and I think it's simply because, again, this stuff is hard. I'd feel quite bad if anyone came away from this feeling that they were to blame, because I don't think that's the case.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I definitely agree that these are valid concerns. One of our biggest challenges is finding promotions that have an effect. It seems like we've found ways to generate a temporary spike in questions, but that doesn't necessarily translate into users that stick around. Our theory was that if you generate enough spikes, there will be the occasional user that sticks around. I don't think there has been enough time or enough contests to determine whether or not that is true, but I do think that promoting the site through a contest is a good thing, because it makes the site more visible. In other words, it's definitely good to look at how active people are after they enter a contest as one metric, but contests can also attract new users after the fact because of the new content.
That being said, it is important to make sure our questions and answers remain high quality, and contests that promote asking bad questions are always bad. That's why we decided to go with views for Audio Week instead of a random drawing. We figured that votes were more easily inflated than views, and that better questions would be clicked on more. However, it might be worthwhile to place more emphasis on votes in the future. Perhaps holding questions to a standard of "at least a score of 3" (or 5, or something) would be a better.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: As a new user i know i don't have something to say.
But personally i had never heard of this site before Android Guys wrote an article about your competition, and it was perfect because i had a question which i have looked for in the past month and haven't found any answers too. And suddenly i had a chance to both get a answer on my question and a chance to win a tablet.
It was a win win for me, and since i made my user here, i have tried to help a couple of users, and i am pretty sure i will stick here for a good while, because i like the way the site is build and how it is working.
So even though i'm a new user, and don't have anything to say, then you should know that the audio competition worked on me :)
[off topic]BTW: how do you run this site, there aren't any commercials on the site. Where do you get the money to run the server and buy the prices in the competitions? [/off topic]
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: I've been lurking on Android-SE for months, on-and-off, mostly to flag a few things every day, to check for something I can answer (mostly non-existent, with the 1+ year old device I currently have). I've seen the promotions previously, and while a good idea generally (who wouldn't mind free stuff?!), I always thought something like "this probably won't work well enough". The thing is, such contests award only spurious contributions to the site in the space of a single week or so -- something that the analysis of *eldarerathis* proves. Moreover, it tends to reward not the loyal users, but rather some random people which were drawn to the site because of the promotion, not because they genuinely like the site.
You can't quite build a stable community this way, me thinking. What would work better is to reward **long-lasting, positive** contributions to the site, not only in the way of answering and asking questions, but general site governance. It's no big secret that meta participation is low here, chat is deserted, there are too many low-value questions and answers, the tags organization could use some love. Why not reward such activity instead?
For example, announce a "Device/manufacturer cleanup week", where all questions and answers about a particular handset or a group of related handsets are examined -- the obscure unanswerable ones are closed, some low-quality ones are deleted, answers are cleaned up, device-specific tags are removed where possible, etc. Some general suggestions following this train of thought:
* Announce this sufficiently in advance on meta and allow for opinions/suggestions/improvements before actually starting it.
* Devise a methodology of evaluating contributions (e.g. some sooper-seekrit SQL magic that collects number of retags/edits/deletions/helpful flags and spews a score of some kind). A scoreboard of sorts would be a good addition to promote competition.
* Restrict the contest to users that have joined the site X months/weeks ago and have scored a minimum of Y rep ("So, you want to win a new phone on Anroid-SE? Sorry kid, hang around for a while, help out with the site, and you'll have a running chance the next time around"). This will ward off drive-bys which only join the site because of the reward.
* **Keep the rewards secret until the contest is over**. If you don't know what you are going to win, whether it's random SE schwag signed by Jeff and Joel, or a new handset, you have the right motivation to participate -- you are not doing it for the reward itself, but rather to score nerd cred and help out a community you care about. After the contest is over, the SE team can decide what rewards are appropriate, judging from the overall level and quality of participation. Exceptional participation can be rewarded with a substantial award, and *meh* contributions can get a simple mug with Android logo, for example.
Finally, **we don't need no stinking phones**. No, really. I'd do all this kind of stuff for an Android-SE T-shirt. A shiny new phone doesn't seem a proper reward for spending basically a few minutes of one's time to answer a question. The more disproportionate the reward, the more people are inclined to cheat their way through to claim it. People won't join Android-SE only to get a T-shirt, but they will if the prize is an electronic gadget. That's why there is no significant positive effect from the competitions -- **the prizes don't match the commitment**. With cheaper prizes, the contest can be run much more frequently, every month even, and the SE financial investment would be pretty much the same.
And really finally, allow for converting a prize into a cash donation to a selected Android-related project. No use for a new phone if you already got one recently, it would probably end up on an eBay equivalent somewhere. I'd rather donate the full prize equivalent to a project than go through the hassle of selling unneeded stuff online to get only half of that.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: There is so much text here, so I will keep it short:
I had the same thought. **Tag based promotion just doesn't work well on AN.SX.** IMHO the best promotion is *purely reputation based*, with a slight addition. Something like:
* Questions Week - earn XXX rep by asking questions within a week
* Answers Week - earn XXX rep by answering questions within a week
* New Users Week - every user between 0-200 rep, that earns XXX rep within a week
or just
* Reputation Week - earn XXX rep in a week
Where winners will be randomly chosen between the eligible users. Maybe this will also attract more users to edit the tag wiki to earn the rep.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: What did we end up with? Which solution should be used? I like the idea about the highest number of reputation points in a week..
What did the staff decide?
Upvotes: 0 |
2012/02/24 | 999 | 3,829 | <issue_start>username_0: Greetings, Androids! I am a moderator over on Super User, and we're talking about [adding Android Enthusiasts to our default migration paths](https://meta.superuser.com/questions/4435/request-to-add-android-enthusiasts-to-the-default-list-of-migration-targets) (available to 3K+ users). Right now, when there's an Android question on Super User, it can only be migrated manually by a moderator.
Migration statistics on SU show that Android is the 4th most common migration target from Super User. We hardly ever migrate to Gaming, which is currently occupying the last slot in our default migration options. We would like to replace that with Android, since it would allow our high-rep users to migrate questions here without needing moderator intervention. This would increase the number of android-related questions which get actual answers instead of just being closed, and lower the burden on us moderators.
Before making the switch, we'd like to make sure that's OK with the moderators and users over here. Have you seen any problems with incoming android-related questions from Super User? Are there any reservations about opening this up as a migration path?
We have pretty unanimous agreement among SU users to go ahead and implement this, but thought we should double check with you first, just to make sure. If everybody on this side is down with it, we'll go ahead and switch it out!
Thanks! — nhinkle♦, SU moderator<issue_comment>username_1: I wouldn't mind seeing some *good* Android questions migrated from SU. `$DEITY` knows we have our own fair share of not-so-good questions. There have been a few migrated questions from SU recently, if memory serves, and they were mostly okay.
Some things to keep in mind:
* Developer questions are explicitly off-topic, so don't bother.
* We have commonly duplicated questions about updates and rooting, so expect such questions to be promptly closed when migrated:
+ [How do I root my device?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/1184/how-do-i-root-my-device)
+ [I've rooted my phone. Now what? What do I gain from rooting?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/1/ive-rooted-my-phone-now-what-what-do-i-gain-from-rooting)
+ [When will my phone get the Android 2.3 update (Gingerbread)?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/2695/when-will-my-phone-get-the-android-2-3-update-gingerbread)
+ [When will my device get the Android 4.0 update (Ice Cream Sandwich)?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/14766/when-will-my-device-get-the-android-4-0-update-ice-cream-sandwich)
* Please, *please*, **please** don't migrate questions just to get rid of them (i.e. poorly written, shopping recommendations, or of the "Why doesn't my X work?", "Best app to do Y" variety with little additional information). Better close them outright, because we will anyway1.
**Disclaimer:** This is only opinion of my own as a user here and I expect Android moderators would have something to say as well.
1 This is mostly valid for questions asked by first-time SE users. It's usually hard to pry out the necessary information to answer the question, and those can linger for ages unanswered. Experienced SE users show greater cooperation, even if their questions lack important details.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: That's fine with me. I've been trolling at Super User in the android tag fairly regularly to find migration candidates. I probably won't have to do it is much any more.
For what it's worth, the rejection rate for questions migrated here from Super User in the last 90 days is 11%.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: This if fine by me. [Martin covers all the points](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/a/858/10) I was going to say. Pass on over the good questions. :)
Upvotes: 2 |
2012/02/28 | 668 | 2,501 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm pretty sure that the answer is that Android.StackExchange only accepts questions and answers written in English, but I can't seem to find anything in the FAQ or Meta that definitively states this.
Do we have a policy on this? What is it? I feel that we ought to have something written down on this before I do anything with that question.
---
(*prompted by this question: [Android HTC Touch2/Mega](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/20013/android-htc-touch2-mega) written in Turkish*)<issue_comment>username_1: This has been already [asked already on MSO](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/120744/is-english-required-on-stack-exchange), although without "official" answer. There's also [this answer](https://meta.stackexchange.com/a/40285/150290) by <NAME> (admittedly, two years old, and before creation of the diverse family of Area 51 sites) specifically on a question whether English-only policy should be in the FAQ:
>
> Do we really need a NO ELEPHANTS sign?
>
>
> I mean, isn't such a thing obvious? Would you go to a forum where everyone was communicating in French and type
>
>
> *Hey French Dudes, I got a question but I don't know French so I'm just going to go ahead and ask it in English anyway?*
>
>
>
Note that this is different from Stack Overflow, where [English is a strict requirement](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/13676/is-english-required-on-stack-overflow).
There doesn't seem to be a general consensus or an ex cathedra response, and it seems that it's up to each community to decide for themselves.
Although I can appreciate why people would want to be able to ask questions in other languages than English (I'm not a native English speaker either, nor even live in a country where English is an official language), allowing this on Android-SE is going to be a major PITA from pretty much any perspective -- moderation, quality, percentage answered questions, user participation -- for a small to negligible benefit.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: With the exception of the language-specific sites (like [German Language & Usage](http://german.stackexchange.com)), Stack Exchange sites are expected to be English-only at this point.
The [official policy](http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2009/07/non-english-question-policy/) was written long before Stack Exchange 2.0 appeared, but now it basically extends to cover all SE 2.0 sites as well as the original trilogy.
Upvotes: 3 |
2012/03/05 | 799 | 2,874 | <issue_start>username_0: There's a new Google+/Blogspot Android resource offering, among other things, a weekly Hangout to talk about Android stuff.
Its name? **Android Enthusiasts**
* <https://plus.google.com/103783886144374597555/posts>
* <http://androidenthusiasts.blogspot.com/>
~~It seems to me~~ Somebody might think they're sponging off of our name. Even if it's not some sort of violation it seems rather dirty.<issue_comment>username_1: Unfortunately, the name "Android Enthusiasts" is so close to generic that it's very unlikely we'd be able to stop them from using it.
However, our wonderful core developers have told me it's pretty easy to make that hyperlink in the Google results say "Android Enthusiasts - Stack Exchange" rather than "Android - Stack Exchange," so that change will be implemented soon.
If you're looking to become their friends, maybe a representative from this site could join one of their future hangouts as a special guest? Just a suggestion; interact or don't interact with them as you wish. :) As <NAME> pointed out, this site is the top Google hit when searching "Android Enthusiasts" so there's nothing to worry about right now. They probably just didn't know this site exists and already uses the name they decided to adopt a week ago.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I just got a message from <NAME> on G+.
>
> Hello +<NAME> +<NAME> +username_1 Dobrzynski,
>
>
> I would like to respond to your post
> [Copyright violation, dirty pool, or just a coincidence?](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/865/copyright-violation-dirty-pool-or-just-a-coincidence).
> I would have loved to respond on that website, however I am not a
> member. I tried to create an account but I need 5 rep to respond or
> answer the topic. Whatever that means... Probably to cut down on spam.
> Anyways...
>
>
> I was viewing our traffic stats for our blog and I noticed them coming
> from this website. I had never heard of this website, so I visited it
> and found this thread.
>
>
> +<NAME> and myself have been loosely calling ourselves Android Enthusiasts for years now. Neither of us had ever visited nor heard of
> this website. No disrespect, dirty pool or any type of copyright
> violation was ever intended. As the term Android Enthusiast is so
> generic, this is just a mere coincidence.
>
>
> With that said, we're huge fans of all things Android as it seems
> members of your site are as well. We would love for anyone from your
> site to join our weekly show. We welcome any and all Android
> enthusiasts from that vast community that surrounds Android. Let us
> know if you're interested and we'll try to find a topic that is
> relevant.
>
>
> Feel free to post this on the original website thread for me as I
> cannot. Thank you.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer] |
2012/03/07 | 405 | 1,606 | <issue_start>username_0: Ignoring for the moment that "Google Play" is a stupid name, how should we tag it?
Obviously we need to have [google-play](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-play "show questions tagged 'google-play'") as a synonym of [market](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/market "show questions tagged 'market'") (which I have done), but should the new name be the master? We should probably also take a look at questions tagged the latter than aren't about the Android Market specifically, since the tag may have been seen as generic unlike its other synonym [android-market](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/android-market "show questions tagged 'android-market'").<issue_comment>username_1: I think, a master tag `play-store` should be created (if it doesn't already exist). `market`, `android-market` & `google-play` tags deserve to be synonym of `play-store`.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: I'm not convinced that we should rush to make synonyms. After all, all those pre-March-2011 questions are about the Market, *not* Google Play. Further, Google Play is not yet available globally.
I think, instead, that there should be a clear delineation between the tags before and after the launch of Google Play. Of course, the wikis and excerpts for each tag should clearly explain the difference.
In much the same way questions about Eclair or Froyo don't apply to Ice Cream Sandwich and vice versa, so also to old questions about Market, Google Music, et al., don't apply to their new Google Play counterparts.
Upvotes: 2 |
2012/03/26 | 811 | 3,207 | <issue_start>username_0: I was performing a quick edit on [this question](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/21035/how-to-tune-a-frequency-like-89-0-on-jusada-ics-cm7-stock-radio) and decided to see if we had a [radio](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/radio "show questions tagged 'radio'") tag available since I know I've seen other questions around about streaming radio stations and such to devices. As it turns out, we do have such a tag, but it's being used to refer to both AM/FM/Internet radio stations and cellular radios. What's the intent of this tag, and how should it be appropriately used? There is currently no tag wiki to indicate the purpose.
My thoughts: Maybe we re-tag the questions about cellular radios with a new tag along the lines of [cellular-radio](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/cellular-radio "show questions tagged 'cellular-radio'")? We do have [radio-firmware](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/radio-firmware "show questions tagged 'radio-firmware'"), but I'm not sure that it's really correct for some of the questions regarding cellular radios (e.g. "How do I disable my 3G radio?" or similar).<issue_comment>username_1: Why not create [fm-radio](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/fm-radio "show questions tagged 'fm-radio'") as well, retag the existing [radio](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/radio "show questions tagged 'radio'") and [radio-firmware](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/radio-firmware "show questions tagged 'radio-firmware'") questions as necessary, and make [radio](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/radio "show questions tagged 'radio'") synonym to one of the tags (not sure which one should be most appropriate, probably [fm-radio](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/fm-radio "show questions tagged 'fm-radio'") since it's most commonly associated with "radio" out of context).
[cellular-radio](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/cellular-radio "show questions tagged 'cellular-radio'") is also a good idea, although I am not a big fan of tag proliferation.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I've removed [radio](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/radio "show questions tagged 'radio'") completely and retagged questions when appropriate in the following ways:
* Anything about FM radio was retagged with [fm-radio](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/fm-radio "show questions tagged 'fm-radio'")
* Anything about internet radio streams was retagged with [internet-radio](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/internet-radio "show questions tagged 'internet-radio'") (a new tag)
* Anything about the cellular radio in a device (but not the firmware necessarily) was retagged with [cellular-radio](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/cellular-radio "show questions tagged 'cellular-radio'")
Since the above 3 tags will appear in the search suggestions when typing the string `radio` I'm not synonymizing it with any of them. If you see it resurface please feel free to retag as appropriate.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2012/04/04 | 1,065 | 4,356 | <issue_start>username_0: This question is pretty terrible, IMO:
>
> [Can I use dual boot in my Android mobile phone?](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/13069/1465)
> =================================================================================================
>
>
> I want to know is there any boot loader modifying tool for android so that I can use my cell as dual boot. Like Symbian- Android, Android - Windows Mobile, Android - Java, Android - Bada.
>
>
> Is it possible.
>
>
>
The formatting/wording can be fixed, and it could be made a "How" question about a specific device and OSes (and we have gotten [questions](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/21357/1465) [like that](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/21369/1465)), but I think it would still be problematic:
* I'm not sure we have the relevant expertise. Getting WP7 (for example) to run on an Android device would require just as much WP7 knowledge as Android knowledge, I would think.
* Lie's answer does answer the question, but is it useful? A specific answer for a specific device would be useful, but most of the time the answer will be "No, no one's figured out how to do this on that phone. As far as I know."
The problem is that I don't really know how to close it, because:
* It's a real question. There are valid reasons for wanting to do this.
* It's at least partly on-topic. We deal with Android as hardware, not just the Android OS. We've had some relatively decent questions about Ubuntu Linux on Android devices.
* It's constructive. Well, the current version of the question isn't, but as noted it could be rewritten.
Given this I've thought up two solutions:
* We create a CW question to cover this, the converse of [Can I install Android on my non-Android device?](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/6849/1465) — "Can I install a different OS on my Android device?" Dual booting specifically could be covered in this or possibly another CW question.
* We decide that questions about other operating systems are off-topic. (Obviously this would not include questions about interacting with a device using a PC.)
Does anyone have thoughts on these ideas or any other ideas?<issue_comment>username_1: I'm really of two minds on these kinds of questions. On the one hand, I can understand their basis as an "Android question" in that we do handle hardware stuff on a regular basis here. From that standpoint, I think a canonical CW question is probably a good idea since the answer to the **vast** majority of these questions is "Sorry, nobody's done this yet." This is especially true of OSes like Windows Phone and iOS which are not open source, and thus cannot be easily ported.
On the other hand, completely honestly, I think these questions are off-topic. They're not Android questions, and I don't personally consider them Android hardware questions either because they don't involve using the hardware *while running Android*. These are WP or iOS or whatever else questions because they are questions about how to port these OSes to hardware that happens to be designed to run Android. I think the Ubuntu et al questions we've had are **very** different because they all (so far) involve running Ubuntu in a chroot environment within the Android userspace. However, a question along the lines of "Can I run Ubuntu natively on X device?" would be off-topic to me. Extending that logic, emulating the OS or apps in question would be on-topic.
However, some of this also depends on where we're drawing the line on hardware questions. In the past we've accepted things like "What is this sticker on my battery?" which I would have considered off-topic myself. If we're going to allow questions about Android hardware then I think we pretty much have to accept these OS porting and dual booting questions in some capacity.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Well, you know, there are such things as on-topic questions that no one can answer.
Or, more accurately, the person who *can* answer just hasn't visited the site.
A well-written question with the right keywords will certainly draw websearch traffic, so it's only a matter of time until we get an answer (we hope).
On the other hand, dozens of "how do I install OS (x) on device (y)" won't be helpful. A canonical question to trap them all would be good.
Upvotes: 1 |
2012/04/14 | 811 | 3,436 | <issue_start>username_0: I took a peek at the oldest [Unaswered questions](https://android.stackexchange.com/unanswered/tagged/?page=74&tab=newest) and most of them are either Too Localized or Not Real Questions (and thus impossible to ever answer) or Shopping Requests (thus not constructive or Off Topic).
Should we go through and close some of these? I can't vote yet so I rose some flags on the most obvious offenders but before I continue I'd like to know if this is something we want to do.
Honestly these questions in particular are unaswerable and are clogging up the Unanswered page for miles. Closing them means they don't count as Unanswered (because they can't or shouldn't be answered by us) and means the worst of them (zero/negative voted posts) will eventually be deleted by the system after closure.<issue_comment>username_1: Slow down, dude. I see over two dozen flags in the queue.
By and large, the *community* should decide whether questions should stay or go. While we Moderators are part of the community, and part of our job (especially early on) is to help guide the community, the flag queue is really for those situations that the community can't do by itself.
* egregious spam
* patent nonsense
* good questions that are unfortunately in the wrong place and should be moved to a Stack Exchange site not listed in the Close dialog
* questions or answers that no amount of editing will make into a good post
A lot of the stuff I'm seeing in the flag queue now are things that the community can deal with. There are plenty of people who can vote to close. We also have enough people to vote to delete. Certainly these questions deserve their downvotes.
So please only flag things that need to be dealt with by a Moderator's super powers. It's not like the site is "full". A question that's on an obscure topic may still get an answer some day. If it doesn't, then it's lack of votes and views will move it to the bottom of the list.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I've gone through old posts and closed/deleted them before, but I think you have to be careful with ones you think are Too Localized. An old unanswered question featuring something you've never heard of will definitely seem localized, but that's actually different from the close reason. We close things that are Too Localized by *nature*, rather than by content.
For example, a shopping question will always become out of date and will rarely be relevant to others; a perfect candidate for Too Localized. On the other hand, someone's strange connection issues on a non-name tablet only seem localized until other people show up with the same issue. Hopefully we can see the difference.
I haven't looked at any of your flags yet so I don't know what you've considered Too Localized, but I think this is something we should keep in mind regardless. **Edit:** I see a number of them were owned by dead accounts and didn't have enough information to be answerable. With no one around to provide that information, flagging these is definitely the right thing to do.
I do agree with Al's general sentiment that if it doesn't *need* to be dealt with by a mod, then we can let the voting and so on filter it out. If you're flagging things that need it, though, by all means do so. I'd prefer a clogged flag queue over an empty one because at least we have a list of the things that need attention instead of being clueless :)
Upvotes: 2 |
2012/05/06 | 744 | 3,216 | <issue_start>username_0: I have seen a prompt that will create a link to take some users to a chat room to discuss something if they make a few comments back and forth.
My question is: Is there anywhere to find a link that does the same thing, before that prompt is shown? So If I know I am likely to have a bunch of questions for the OP I can post a chat invite link first rather than doing comments back and forth until it shows up?
I've clicked over to chat and I found where I can create a room but it seems to be intended for a more public and less specific topic than what would be used for.<issue_comment>username_1: Slow down, dude. I see over two dozen flags in the queue.
By and large, the *community* should decide whether questions should stay or go. While we Moderators are part of the community, and part of our job (especially early on) is to help guide the community, the flag queue is really for those situations that the community can't do by itself.
* egregious spam
* patent nonsense
* good questions that are unfortunately in the wrong place and should be moved to a Stack Exchange site not listed in the Close dialog
* questions or answers that no amount of editing will make into a good post
A lot of the stuff I'm seeing in the flag queue now are things that the community can deal with. There are plenty of people who can vote to close. We also have enough people to vote to delete. Certainly these questions deserve their downvotes.
So please only flag things that need to be dealt with by a Moderator's super powers. It's not like the site is "full". A question that's on an obscure topic may still get an answer some day. If it doesn't, then it's lack of votes and views will move it to the bottom of the list.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I've gone through old posts and closed/deleted them before, but I think you have to be careful with ones you think are Too Localized. An old unanswered question featuring something you've never heard of will definitely seem localized, but that's actually different from the close reason. We close things that are Too Localized by *nature*, rather than by content.
For example, a shopping question will always become out of date and will rarely be relevant to others; a perfect candidate for Too Localized. On the other hand, someone's strange connection issues on a non-name tablet only seem localized until other people show up with the same issue. Hopefully we can see the difference.
I haven't looked at any of your flags yet so I don't know what you've considered Too Localized, but I think this is something we should keep in mind regardless. **Edit:** I see a number of them were owned by dead accounts and didn't have enough information to be answerable. With no one around to provide that information, flagging these is definitely the right thing to do.
I do agree with Al's general sentiment that if it doesn't *need* to be dealt with by a mod, then we can let the voting and so on filter it out. If you're flagging things that need it, though, by all means do so. I'd prefer a clogged flag queue over an empty one because at least we have a list of the things that need attention instead of being clueless :)
Upvotes: 2 |
2012/06/03 | 1,953 | 8,306 | <issue_start>username_0: Android security, like any computer systems security, is an exact science. If an app has a security issue, that is an objective fact, and someone with appropriate expertise can describe the risks involved with reference to facts about what the app does and how it fits into the workings of Android. So how could a question asking for the facts about what security issues exist in a specific app be too subjective?
I asked a question about what specific security issues exist in a controversial app that had been pulled from the Android market but which some people insist is safe.
Android.stackexchange has a community knowledgable about Android who like answering questions, [app-specific questions](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/32/are-app-specific-questions-appropriate) are on topic here, [security](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/security) has its own tag, and questions of the form "Is X safe?" are common across the stack exchange family. Since I'm no Android security expert, and since after research, I can only get a very rough and incomplete outline of the facts of the issue, this site seemed the obvious place to ask about what the hard facts were.
I was very surprised to see the question closed for being "subjective". [Here's the question](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/23736/what-specific-security-risks-if-any-does-app-shield-pose). *(note that I re-wrote it to state and restate explicitly what the focus of the question was. The question itself is the same and you can see the original in edits. I just trimmed background research, context and scene-setting and stated explicitly what kind of facts I was asking for)*.
Here's the explanation given for closing:
>
> This question is not a good fit to our Q&A format. We expect answers to generally involve facts, references, or specific expertise; this question will likely solicit opinion, debate, arguments, polling, or extended discussion. See the FAQ for guidance on how to improve it.
>
>
>
How is asking about the facts behind a specific security concern not factual and not involving specific expertise?
I've never seen a question of the form "Is X safe?" closed for being subjective on any stack exchange site, ever. For being poorly written or unclear, sure, but never for being inherently subjective. Here are a few examples of such questions from 5 minutes searching, from stack overflow: [1](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5417757/how-secure-is-spring-security), [2](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4015746/is-a-cookie-secure-in-a-https-connection), [3](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2505496/is-java-that-secure) and from serverfault: [1](https://serverfault.com/questions/18388/what-is-xtsac-cab-and-is-it-safe-to-load), [2](https://serverfault.com/questions/305558/is-it-safe-to-use-public-wifi-network-to-remote-desktop-into-a-windows-server). Many of these are far more subjective than mine, not giving specific reasons for concern and just ask how secure something is in general. They all got good answers that show expertise and reference facts about the product, app or technique in question.
I don't understand why android.stackexchange should be the only site in the stack exchange family where discussing specific security concerns does not "...involve facts, references, or specific expertise" and "will likely solicit opinion, debate, arguments, polling...". Android security is no less of an exact science than security on any other platform.<issue_comment>username_1: The problem is that no one can predict if an answer to those questions will every be backed by facts or references. Typical examples are "Why does Google not allow one to X?" and such. The probability is high that no one can give facts or references if he is not a Google employee. That's why those questions are often closed, because most answers can only be speculative. In fact, that is true for all questions which involve company policies and decisions.
Regarding the question from you I am not sure if this applies here too. There could be someone with a deep knowledge of Android who can answer this in an good way, so that it fits SX's QA policy. That is why I have voted to reopen the question.
I think overall we should wait before we close such questions. If the answers are only of speculative nature, then the question can be closed (and deleted) later on.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Firstly, you might want to check out [the Security site](https://security.stackexchange.com/). The context is Android, but the point of your question is security issues, so it might be a better fit there.
That said, you noted that the app has been removed from the Market and you can't find much information about it. It's likely, then, that any answer would be speculative. Possibly we have some users who studied the app previously but I would consider that unlikely. This also falls into the Too Localized close reason — the app is gone, no one can get it from the Market; how can your question be of any future use?
Also, and this is more of a personal reason since people regularly disagree with it, you didn't provide any rationale for your question. Why are you asking this about App Shield? What about it makes you think it's insecure? In the words of the FAQ, `You should only ask practical, answerable questions based on actual problems that you face. Chatty, open-ended questions diminish the usefulness of our site`. Without this rationale, a form of your question could be asked about every single app that exists, and I don't think that's useful. Rationale also helps answerers to provide focused and more useful answers.
That's why I closed it as Not Constructive (not quite the same as "subjective"; I was a bit loose with my wording in the comment).
Asides:
* I would very much question the idea that security is an exact science. *Everything* is a potential security hole, or at least not provably not a security hole.
* I would personally favor closing 3/5 of your examples from other sites. While we do share the broad SE guidelines, we're not bound by what specific questions other sites consider acceptable or unacceptable.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I've kept an eye on this question to see if the community (via voting, commenting, or answering) held any kind of meaningful opinion on this topic, but since the activity here has been relatively flat I'm going to go ahead and add my thoughts. Please understand that this is solely my opinion on the matter.
The one concern I have with questions of this nature is where factual data would be coming from. Since the app in question is closed-source any truly helpful answer is going to require either:
1. That the answer reverse-engineers portions of the app, or otherwise attempts to analyze its runtime effects on the system, to determine how it works
2. Some kind of already existing literature or research that did #1
Because of the nature of proprietary software, any answer that does not involve #1 or #2 is almost certainly going to be speculation or an educated guess. It could very well be an **accurate** educated guess, but there would be effectively no way for anyone to verify it as such, so the voting largely becomes a matter of "Yeah, that sounds reasonable" or "No, that sounds ridiculous".
On the other hand, I completely understand your motivation and I appreciate the amount of effort and pre-question research you've clearly put into your question. Also, please don't construe my thoughts above as an indication that I think only trivial questions are appropriate for this site - that is certainly not the case at all. Further complicating this is the fact that I do recognize that it is inherently difficult to determine if either points #1 or #2 that I've noted can be met on any given question.
So I suppose a related and slightly more general question could be: Is the answerability of question an acceptable metric for moderation, or no? If so, how do we make that determination? If not, at what point to we draw the line on questions that will attract and/or encourage speculative answers? From what I can tell (and correct me if I'm wrong, anyone) that seems to be the crux of the issue here.
Upvotes: 3 |
2012/06/20 | 1,143 | 4,363 | <issue_start>username_0: Google has renamed some services in the last few months. While we have managed to add the correct tag synonyms to those services, there still appear under their old name on the posts. Here is a list of services, feel free to extend:
* Google Market *now* Google Play Store
* Google Places *now* Google+ Local (has now tag atm)
I think this should be changed, so that the official name appears as tag.<issue_comment>username_1: Now that the changes have been live for a while I would tend to agree. The old tag should be a synonym for the new and the tag wiki should very obviously state that the thing wasn't always named that.
>
> Up until April 2012, the Google Play Store was known as the Android Market and was changed as part of Google's initiative to consolidate their marketplace for Android apps, music, movies, and books.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I went ahead and merged the older tags with their newer rebranded versions. Just to record exactly what was changed, I merged and synonymized the following:
* [market](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/market "show questions tagged 'market'") is now [google-play-store](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-play-store "show questions tagged 'google-play-store'")
* [google-places](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-places "show questions tagged 'google-places'") is now [google-plus-local](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-plus-local "show questions tagged 'google-plus-local'")
* [google-books](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-books "show questions tagged 'google-books'") is now [google-play-books](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-play-books "show questions tagged 'google-play-books'")
* [google-music](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-music "show questions tagged 'google-music'") is now [google-play-music](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-play-music "show questions tagged 'google-play-music'")
* ~~[google-docs](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-docs "show questions tagged 'google-docs'") is now [google-drive](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-drive "show questions tagged 'google-drive'")~~ (reverted due to [this reason](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/a/2584))
If you see a tag that was missed then feel free to leave a comment on this answer and I'll get to it when I have a chance.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: In 2012, there was only Google Drive app for editing Documents, Slides, and Presentations.
On June 2014, Google released standalone editor apps for each file: Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides. (Ref: [Google Drive Blog](http://googledrive.blogspot.sg/2014/06/newdocssheetsslides.html))
>
> ### Mobile apps for Docs, Sheets and now Slides
>
>
> We recently launched mobile apps for Docs and Sheets that allow you to create and edit files on the go, even if you’re offline. We’re rounding out the trio with a new Slides mobile app that’s available starting today on Android and in the coming weeks on iOS.
>
>
>
Thus, the current synonymization of [google-docs](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-docs "show questions tagged 'google-docs'") to [google-drive](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-drive "show questions tagged 'google-drive'") can be considered confusing and degrading the user experience.
With this:
* [google-drive](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-drive "show questions tagged 'google-drive'") is now mainly for managing Google's cloud storage
* [google-docs](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-docs "show questions tagged 'google-docs'") has been un-synonymized from [google-drive](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-drive "show questions tagged 'google-drive'"), recreated and added to a few questions
* [google-sheets](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-sheets "show questions tagged 'google-sheets'") already exists
* [google-slides](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-slides "show questions tagged 'google-slides'") will be created when needed
Upvotes: 1 |
2012/08/13 | 982 | 4,032 | <issue_start>username_0: During the last ~10 days, I was walking the list of unanswered questions multiple times (due to ordering issues I wanted to make sure nothing escaped me). While doing this, I stumbled on many questions where the OP obviously just visited once (to ask), and never returned. Sometimes there were comments asking for clarification (mostly unanswered, of course), sometimes not even that.
While things are quite clear if a question is unequivocally off-topic, too localized, etc., some seem quite conforming to the FAQ -- but though very unlikely to be answered, and (IMHO) only of *minor interest*; maybe not "minor enough" to be flagged for *too localized*.
So my question here is: what shall be done to those? Sure I could flag everything which is not answered fast enough (<-- exaggerating!), but I don't want to annoy anybody without some backing :)
Or should I rather "relax and wait until some automatism takes care", as suggested [here](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/901/should-we-go-back-and-close-the-unanswerable-questions-in-the-old-unanswered-bac)?
Another possibility is to collect them here at Meta to bring them up, as e.g. done [here](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/691/what-older-unanswered-questions-are-still-relevant-today).
Another close question on Meta is [Android-SE Unanswered Questions Cleanup](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/861/android-se-unanswered-questions-cleanup).
And yes, while walking through the list I tried to answer as much as I could (earned 11 Revival badges this way ;) and upvoted the one or other answer to get the list shortened. Still I feel some of the remaining could be "moved out". Ideally we had a separate "Grace tab" for those: questions going in there could stay for a fixed amount of time (say, 4 weeks), and if not answered/voted/... otherwise, would automatically be removed at the end of this "grace time".
Any ideas/recommendations?<issue_comment>username_1: Android Stack Exchange gets more than its fair share of "drive by" posters. I don't know that that will ever change.
As for what to do, I think you've been doing the right thing. But I'll reiterate:
* Answer the ones you can answer
* Downvote the crappy or uninteresting ones
* Vote to close the really bad ones, especially if the problem described was fixed by a long-ago update
Remember: The Questions and their Answers aren't just for the person asking the question, but for future readers as well. A question with good answers is a good thing to have, even if the original asker will never return. On the other hand, questions that *no one* cares about, not even to answer or vote up, aren't useful to anyone. That's why they're automatically deleted after some time. Six months, if memory serves; four weeks is too short a time.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Personally, I care less for the OP presence or concern with its own question. I always view questions on a large perspective, and for a Q&A site, one user asks a question, but millions may benefit from the answers.
It all comes down to the question itself, and its contents:
If the question concerns a problem regarding the OS, a device or the configuration of something, the question and provided answers will most definitely help future visitors.
On the other hand, if the question concerns a specific application, will be useful on its current timeline, future users will be using a newer version of said app, thus not benefiting from the old question and its answers.
**Examples:**
* A question about the app Android System Info, concerning an issue with version 1.17.1, if it's not answered, I don't believe anyone will benefit from an answer today, since the current version is 1.22.0.
* A question about the Android OS, whatever version it is, will always benefit future visitors. Since certain devices can't go beyond a specific version and even today users have devices working with earlier versions of Android.
Upvotes: 2 |
2012/08/14 | 1,054 | 3,988 | <issue_start>username_0: A new system for [reviewing posts that require moderation](https://android.stackexchange.com/review) is now live here at Android Enthusiasts.
For details, please see [the post on Meta Stack Overflow](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/139536/new-feature-community-review-tasks-now-in-beta).
It's important to note that this is not (necessarily) a tool for Community Moderators. It's a tool to help the Community moderate itself. Please check it out and lend a hand.
If you have issues and questions, please post them on [Meta Stack Overflow](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/review), not here. (Be sure to use the "review" tag as well.)
2012-09-14: [New review queue: First posts](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/146988)<issue_comment>username_1: This is a new and interesting feature that allows users to spend less effort while doing their part to this community network.
The new feature, as any other feature comes with potential bad habits that one may get caught in without noticing.
Some that I've noticed across SE are:
* **Clicker happy**
Experienced users or new users all get involved in such a way that may forget about the real purpose of the review area. Take you time, analyze what you are reviewing:
[Is there an actual “accept ALL the suggested edits” problem?](https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/140017/184576)
* **The usage for competition**
One interesting part of the new review is that we are able to view who's the top reviewer, what position are we in, and even compare decisions by looking at the review history.
This serves the purpose of providing users a way to improve themselves and refrain from committing mistakes, by learning with others.
It is not the Olympic Games, there's no fat payment for the first place, so, don't go voting just because! Vote and review always with the community shirt on.
* **Exaggerated point of view**
One may get addicted, and as any addiction, there are side effects. If you're tired of seeing what you consider bad answers or bad questions, take a break from review, use the chat to exchange ideas, post a question at META to clarify you point of view.
Remember the famous: [Could we please be a bit nicer to new users?](https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/9953/184576)
*Don't spend your precious time reviewing just to feel tired and saturated.*
---
I'm answering this as to illustrate some of the frequent problems I see on the several SE sites, being discussed on META, and even some that I've personally experienced and/or have been confronted by. Feel free to improve it.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Converting username_1's "clicker happy" to "trigger happy", I'd like to see the old system available even when the last queue was converted, as I already explained with a post on meta ([Is there a way to access the older review tools for processing the edit queue?](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/144964/is-there-a-way-to-access-the-older-review-tools-for-processing-the-edit-queue/147229#147229)). While feeling comfortable with the new system when it comes to close-votes, I prefer the old system for some of the others: There I can pick the questions I feel I can do something about, leaving the others completely untouched (so I can even return to them later, which is not possible with the new system).
Don't get me wrong: the new system has its advantages. But so has the old... My favorite quote here again:
>
> As it stands now, I rarely touch the edit queue unless I'm really bored because I don't want to have to wade through a ton of questions that I can't necessarily help with.
>
>
>
This I can easier avoid with the old system. Add a possibility to filter by tag, or to suppress unwanted tags (such as favorite tags and ignored tags in the questions section, or even just honoring those in the review section), so it will even help when we get bigger ;)
Upvotes: 0 |
2012/08/16 | 1,098 | 2,642 | <issue_start>username_0: Where can I find statistics about [Android Enthusiasts?](http://android.stackexchange.com)<issue_comment>username_1: [data.stackexchange](http://data.stackexchange.com/)
====================================================
* [Statistics about the site questions and answers for the last 36 months](http://data.stackexchange.com/android%20enthusiasts/query/77392/statistics-about-the-site-questions-and-answers-for-the-last-36-months) (w/ graph)
* [Questions per month, top 10 tags compared](http://data.stackexchange.com/android%20enthusiasts/query/59301/questions-per-month-top-10-tags-compared) (w/ graph)
* [Questions and Answers per Month](http://data.stackexchange.com/android%20enthusiasts/query/59302/questions-and-answers-per-month) (w/ graph)
* [Most controversial posts on the site](http://data.stackexchange.com/android%20enthusiasts/query/466/most-controversial-posts-on-the-site)
* [Unanswered Questions by Tag with at least 100 questions](http://data.stackexchange.com/android%20enthusiasts/query/77412/unanswered-questions-by-tag-with-at-least-100-questions)
* [Monthly new user signup rates with graph](http://data.stackexchange.com/android%20enthusiasts/query/77425/montly-new-user-signup-rates-with-graph)
* [Users with URL in their profile](http://data.stackexchange.com/android%20enthusiasts/query/42156/seek-and-destroy-auto-promoter)
* [Questions that have gone through a close/reopen cycle at least once.](http://data.stackexchange.com/android%20enthusiasts/query/17140/community-controversy)
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_1: [stackexchange.com](http://stackexchange.com)
=============================================
* [All Sites](http://stackexchange.com/sites#traffic)
* [Android Enthusiasts League](http://stackexchange.com/leagues/54/week/android)
Android Enthusiasts Monthly Stats Snapshot
==========================================
```
Month | #Q | #A | PA | #U | #V/d | #Q/d
```````````|``````|`````|`````|`````|``````|`````
2012-09-01 | 9.1k | 14k | 86% | 16k | 25k | 17
2012-10-01 | 9.6k | 15k | 86% | 17k | 27k | 20
2012-11-01 | 10k | 15k | 85% | 18k | 30k | 20
2012-12-01 | 11k | 16k | 84% | 19k | 39k | 24
2013-01-10 | 11k | 17k | 84% | 21k | 54k | 30
2013-02-18 | 12k | 18k | 82% | 22k | 54k | 23
2013-06-25 | 15k | 21k | 77% | 29k | 61k | 22
2013-08-10 | 17k | 21k | 75% | 31k | 60k | 24
2013-12-28 | 18k | 24k | 71% | 37k | 74k | 29
```
* #Q: Number of Questions
* #A: Number of Answers
* PA: Percent Answered
* #U: Number of Users
* #V/d: Number of visits per day
* #Q/d: Number of questions per day
Upvotes: 1 |
2012/08/16 | 465 | 1,655 | <issue_start>username_0: *Where is the Play Store on device X?*
Is a recurring type of question related to different devices but mostly caused by the same reason which can be answered the same way.
1. See if you can root the device;
2. If root then:
* If possible: Install Google Framework .apk;
* If not possible: Install ROM (if exists) with Google Framework.
The questions which could be closed as duplicates of the new to create meta question, maybe marked as cw, are:
* [Google Play on a Samsung Galaxy Ace](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/23877/16265)
* [Does China Mobile Galaxy S3 model GT I-9308 have Google Play Store?](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/24768/16265)
* [Installing official Google Marketplace on a chinese Asus Eee Pad Transformer 101](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/13081/16265)
* (add more if you spot them)
What do you think?<issue_comment>username_1: In my opinion, this is a fine idea for a "cannonical question". It does come up rather regularly and the solution is generically the same regardless of the device (root, install a Google apps package and/or a ROM that includes them).
My suggestion would be for the question to be entitled something like "Google Play is not pre-installed on my device, is there a way for me to install it?"
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: [I have created the question](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/27808/how-can-i-install-the-google-apps-package-play-store-on-my-android-device) and casted the closed dup votes.
Feel free to improve the cw answer. Especially the " Install the Google Apps .apk" part could be elaborated.
Upvotes: 2 |
2012/08/16 | 1,343 | 5,465 | <issue_start>username_0: I personally like questions about data recovery, post mortem analyses and generally pushing some security limits (e.g. to access personal data, crack/circumvent forgotten passphrases, retrieving data from half broken devices and so on). It had many (good!) uses for me and some of my friends in the past.
The general information on how to do X is neutral, however it cannot be guaranteed that it is used with benign intentions only. To boot, all information is freely accessible here too so benign ambitions of the OP or not, there'll be readers that will misuse it eventually.
Should these questions be answered and how? What in case the intentions are unclear? It's somewhat like the old discussion about full-disclosure or not.<issue_comment>username_1: I'd like to add this thought, as per the linky in the above comment, I did think the question was rogue, but who am I to judge?!
I could be very well wrong on that type of question asked, and my thinking was "Was that a very deceptive social-engineering ploy to extract information?" but I digress.
Obviously, the line needs to be drawn, perhaps, by limiting the answer to those type of questions with a certain reputation level maybe? i.e. if the question posed, is of a nature where it elicits an answer that involves a form of hacking or exploiting the handset, whether benign intentions or unintentional (as in "*Whoops I fouled up and now I cannot get into my handset*"), a reputation of say 5,000 can view the answer as a result of gaining that level of trust by the community!
But on the other hand, if an answer is posted for all to see, it **WILL** be abused and misused for whatever exploitation techniques regardlessly for whatever reasons that would be outside of the domain of the community.
That question, meanwhile was bizarre to say the least! But refrained from answering publicly in case it turns out to be false, i.e. Was it a stolen handset and that the OP was trying to extract data from it but then again, the OP did dodge it by back-tracking over the gmail and switched tactics about yahoo mail hence the comments in the said question.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: **Full-disclosure**. Just answer the question if you can. If you are unsure about the intentions, then it's still a valid question. If you encounter a question of the "How can steal someones address book from a locked Android device?" flag it for moderation.
We are here to provide valuable and good quality Questions and Answers. The example is a valid question. I would not bother to question the intention if it can be seen as valid question.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: The interesting thing is how **many questions of this kind are asked by first-timers** (feels like 95% up). It's rarely one with rep coming up with such a question. Next interesting fact is how often the OP shows up afterwards: I'd say **80% up do never show up again**, 10% just on the very first day to prove their point and destroy doubts, if possible. Which makes it quite suspicious.
Don't take me wrong: The information is freely available if you know the sources, you don't even have to identify yourself to get it. That's why I'd say "big fish" never turns up like that ("big fish" not only knows where the food is, but also "how to get the crab out of its shell"). So what's left must be either "small fish" (those who just "found" a single device -- which is not worth the big research and maybe little to big monetary investment), and people of "legitimate interest".
Not being interested in the former, this leaves the latter. Who are they? People like username_1, who are simply technically interested, or willing to help "friends in need" (i.e. people they know). These usually already have a higher rep -- and I see no reason to hide things from them. But then there's the last remaining group: those without any rep, who just f\*\*\*ed off their device (in this case -- call me bad -- it's a good point to start learning not to fiddle with things you don't understand -- or to be more careful with your sensitive stuff, sorry), or in fact had "bad stuff happening" (the brothers little daughter playing with the... how did she get her hands on it?).
So my opinion on this: I go with username_1. If technically possible, **real sensitive stuff should require a certain rep** (at least 1,000+). **Everybody below that level could still get the "obvious legitimate solutions"**, such as to specify their Google credentials on a messed-up pattern lock, or see their local Rabbi1... oops, service technician. If it's really your device, you have the papers to prove -- and the solution to your problem is reached faster when taking those papers and looking up a service point (you can return successfully just within minutes) but to prove the legitimacy to "us".
If it's really a legitimate thing, (s)he will do so. For a petty thief, even this little effort will be too much -- and if it requires more afford, (s)he probably doesn't find it as worth the next time.
1SYLOR is the term for getting sensitive information on e.g. our judaism stack (**S**ee **Y**our **L**ocal **O**rthodox **R**abbi. Meaning: This is real sensitive (and maybe personal) stuff which should be explained by an expert face-to-face: He can identify you and tell you what you *really* should know -- as opposed to what *you* say *you need* to know -- guess you get my point.
Upvotes: 2 |
2012/08/17 | 646 | 2,384 | <issue_start>username_0: Got a bit surprised by finding the [jailbreak](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/jailbreak "show questions tagged 'jailbreak'"), that by definition:
>
> process of removing the limitations imposed by Apple on devices running the iOS operating system through the use of hardware/software exploits...
>
>
>
See the Wikipedia article regarding [jailbreaking](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS_jailbreaking)
While a jargon expression, it is strictly associated with iOS devices. For Android devices, the jargon is ["Rooting"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooting_%28Android_OS%29).
This terms exist and essentially mean the same thing, but each one is specific to a different device type using a different software. At Android Enthusiasts, we deal with only one type, Android, but yet we have three questions sitting on the main site since 2010 tagged [jailbreak](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/jailbreak "show questions tagged 'jailbreak'"):
* [Is it possible to completely brick your Android phone by using a Custom ROM?](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/876/16265)
* [(how) can I install android on an iphone 4? [closed]](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/847/16265)
* [What is the difference between jailbreaking and unlocking an Android? [closed]](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/801/16265)
*Two of the three questions already have [rooting](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/rooting "show questions tagged 'rooting'")*
While two of the three questions are closed, one remains open and the tag remains active. Whether the questions are useful or not, that's another topic, what I'm discussing is:
Is it good to have a tag that's specificity directed to a non-android device? If not, should it be **burninate** and/or **blacklisted**, or by popular demand, merge and create a synonym?<issue_comment>username_1: I suggest simply making the [jailbreak](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/jailbreak "show questions tagged 'jailbreak'") a synonym of [rooting](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/rooting "show questions tagged 'rooting'"). This way users who try to use the tag are automatically pointed to the right term/tag.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I merged the tag `jailbreak` to `rooting` and created a synonym.
Upvotes: 2 |
2012/08/20 | 396 | 1,427 | <issue_start>username_0: The summary of [this](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/27277/why-my-phone-battery-has-four-terminal-what-is-the-use-of-the-fourth) question is:
>
> I have a LG Optimus One (P500). For sometime I am wondering why my phone's battery has four terminals.
>
>
>
I don't think this question is related to Android at all. Even my 7 years old Motorola phone running Java based OS has similar battery.
This question is similar to [this](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/21137/difference-between-armv6-armv7-processors) question and looks like its going to be closed any moment.
Why hasn't the question been closed but rather received so many up-votes?<issue_comment>username_1: It's got two Close votes at the moment.
Why is it getting upvoted? This is the perpetual meta question on just about all of the Stack Exchange sites. This on-topic Q&A stuff is hard.
(For what it's worth, I'd already voted to close both of those.)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: It's not a bad question per se, just *not quite* on topic for us.
However it's also not fully off-topic (there is an Android hardware element to it) and it does have a pretty well written question and informative, well-written answers.
Personally I haven't voted to close it, I don't think it's doing any harm and is interesting and informative for people who are interested in how their device works.
Upvotes: 2 |
2012/09/04 | 1,139 | 4,127 | <issue_start>username_0: Think of a hierachical tag structure/scenario. Currently it's not possible to model an "is a" hierachical relation between tag subclasses and their parents.
A good example are the browsers that are available for Android and the following tags for it:
```
browser
├── chrome-for-android
├── dolphin-browser
├── firefox
├── opera #virtual, doesn't really exist yet
│ ├── opera-mini
│ └── opera-mobile
└── stock-browser
```
Currently I need to look for each of the available tags to get all results, i.e. the generic **browser** doesn't list every *browser*-relevant questions.
How should this be handled:
Should each subtag also be accompanied by its parent tags? (e.g. **browser, opera, opera-mobile** instead of only **opera-mobile**).
EDIT: I'm not suggesting to add an 'opera-browser' tag here, it's just to take the example to the extremes for better illustration only.<issue_comment>username_1: If there are tag slots left, tag it with [browser](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/browser "show questions tagged 'browser'") *and* [chrome-for-android](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/chrome-for-android "show questions tagged 'chrome-for-android'"). If there are no slots left, just use [chrome-for-android](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/chrome-for-android "show questions tagged 'chrome-for-android'").
I saw some edits here that removed the "parent tags". E.g. if something was tagged with
[usb](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/usb "show questions tagged 'usb'"), [tethering](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/tethering "show questions tagged 'tethering'") [usb-tethering](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/usb-tethering "show questions tagged 'usb-tethering'"), [somethingelse](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/somethingelse "show questions tagged 'somethingelse'")
[usb](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/usb "show questions tagged 'usb'") and [tethering](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/tethering "show questions tagged 'tethering'") was removed. IMHO this is counterproductive. As long as the removed tags are not replaced with some better/important tag(s), just leave it as it is.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Similar issue, but possibly other rules apply: I just encountered the [motorola](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/motorola "show questions tagged 'motorola'") tag (30 questions). Many of the questions tagged with this additionally have a specific device tag applied (e.g. [motorola-droid](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/motorola-droid "show questions tagged 'motorola-droid'") or [motorola-milestone](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/motorola-milestone "show questions tagged 'motorola-milestone'") -- or even both, making it double-obsolete (see: [Should we merge the motorola-droid and motorola-milestone tags?](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/1076/should-we-merge-the-motorola-droid-and-motorola-milestone-tags)).
So basically I could understand "motorola" being a fall-back if your Motorla device does not yet have an own tag. But if it has, is it really necessary to triple-tag it? Should we remove the obsolete ones here?
To pick up username_1s scheme here:
```
motorola
├── motorola-droid (CDMA)
| └── motorola-milestone (GSM/UMTS variant)
├── motorola-droid-2 (CDMA)
| └── motorola-milestone-2 (GSM/UMTS variant)
├── motorola-droid-3
...
[ sony ] (no such tag -- yet)
├── [ sony-xperia ] (no such tag -- yet)
| ├── sony-xperia-arc
| ├── sony-xperia-neo
...
```
Looking at that: There seems no such "fallback" for Sony devices. But we again have it for [htc](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/htc "show questions tagged 'htc'") and [samsung](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/samsung "show questions tagged 'samsung'"), don't have it for "acer" or "archos"... So how to deal with those hierarchies?
Upvotes: 1 |
2012/09/05 | 922 | 3,629 | <issue_start>username_0: I recently asked a question about [why I couldn't see error messages logged from K9 using aLogcat](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/27586/4229) on Jelly bean.
The [only answer](https://android.stackexchange.com/a/27587/4229) instead answered a different question (i.e. "How do I fix these errors with K9?") so after waiting a while for an update, I flagged it as *not an answer*.
My flag was rejected with the reason: *declined - "Not an answer" flags are for posts that are not even attempts to answer.*
A moderator then commented: *Perhaps you should have asked that, we generally prefer questions that don't presuppose a solution.*
These are not necessarily related, but overall this all seems to be rather poor form to me. I've certainly never seen this sort of reaction on any other stack exchange site I've used regularly. When I ask a question I want an answer to *that question*, not the question that someone *thought I should have asked*.
I don't blame the answerer for trying, in good faith, to answer the question he may have thought I was asking, but to clarify the question, still not get an answer and then be told by a moderator that I shouldn't have asked that question in the first place is a double blow.
So, should a moderator decline a "not an answer" flag just because they think that you asked the wrong question, even if the answer did not in fact answer your question?
If so, then why has Android Enthusiasts decided to disregard what is considered stack exchange best practice, as detailed in [Flags Too Often Marked [declined]](https://communitybuilding.stackexchange.com/2011/09/september-2011-newsletter/)?<issue_comment>username_1: "Not an Answer" is for things that are obviously not an answer.
* "Me too" answers
* Bare links
* Comments on the question or other answers
* Gibberish
* Asking a new question
If the post *looks* like it's an attempt to answer the question, a Moderator ~~will~~ should leave it.
The way to handle incorrect or misguided answer is to do any or all of the following:
* downvote it
* leave a comment explaining why it's wrong or answering the wrong question
* updating your question to be more clear
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: "Not an answer" flags are for answers that do not make any attempt to be an answer or solve the problem at hand. The answer was such an attempt. My comments don't change that and were not part of the decline message. I also didn't close or alter your question; I just offered an opinion.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: The flag was not declined because the Mod thought that you asked the wrong question. This are two different points.
A flag is always a last resort option. The answer is good as it stands and should not be deleted. IMHO there was no reason for you to flag the answer. The fact that the mod expressed concerns about your question has nothing to do with the flag being rejected.
About the second point: In principle your question is good as it is. You wanted to know why there are no k9 log in the Android log. *But* I think that this is not a good question for Q/A sites. I think the better way would be
1. make sure that are really no k9 logs by using `grep k9` on the adblog output
2. [search the k9 forum for similar problems and if you couldn't find one, post the question there](http://code.google.com/p/k9mail/issues/list)
3. if the problem is reproducible, open a bug report on k9's issue tracker.
Android Enthusiasts is no substitution for the infrastructure provided by Android apps. (At least as long as the app provides such infrastructure.)
Upvotes: 1 |
2012/09/06 | 467 | 1,692 | <issue_start>username_0: While the tag wiki states the *Motorola Droid* is exclusively offered by Verizon, it is almost identical to the *Motorola Milestone* (see [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_Droid)). Only difference is that the *Droid* is facilitating CDMA, while the Milestone uses GSM/UMTS.
So currently, we have both the [motorola-droid](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/motorola-droid "show questions tagged 'motorola-droid'") (x90) and the [motorola-milestone](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/motorola-milestone "show questions tagged 'motorola-milestone'") (x30). Should we merge them, and make one of them a synonym to the other?
A similar issue applies to the [motorola-droid-2](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/motorola-droid-2 "show questions tagged 'motorola-droid-2'") (x22, CDMA) and [motorola-milestone-2](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/motorola-milestone-2 "show questions tagged 'motorola-milestone-2'") (x2, GSM/UMTS) tags (see [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_Droid_2) again). Owning a *Milestone 2*, I experienced the similarities in many issues (except for the CDMA versus GSM/UMTS, solutions for the one can easily be applied to the other).
As usual, my suggestion would be to merge and synonymize. I guess, tag wikis could still point out the concerning details.<issue_comment>username_1: The difference between GSM and CDMA phones is pretty major. I'm not sure that synonymizing them makes sense despite their other similarities.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Same hardware, just the radio module is different. Let's merge the tags.
Upvotes: 0 |
2012/09/11 | 255 | 987 | <issue_start>username_0: there is a question that I -1'd because of not putting enough info ,if I want to follow that post to be notified of new answer,comments,or edits.
How can I follow that question/post?
if that feature isn't available then I request to add it to the site(s)<issue_comment>username_1: There is a "question feed", which is a RSS (?) for a question. You can find the feeds url in the bottom right corner of every question page. Or just search on the question for "question feed".
Firefox has the "live bookmarks" feature to monitor RSS feeds, alternatively you could use [Google Reader](http://www.google.com/reader/) to reader RSS/Atom feeds in the could.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: If you "Favorite" a question you will get notifications of updates.
That's the "star" icon under the voting buttons.
See also: [How do favorite questions work?](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/53585/how-do-favorite-questions-work)
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2012/09/14 | 622 | 2,429 | <issue_start>username_0: Both tags [ram](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/ram "show questions tagged 'ram'") (x7) and [memory](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/memory "show questions tagged 'memory'") (x69) deal with the same thing (or rather the questions tagged thus do). Strictly spoken, RAM is part of memory -- but in daily use, they are used synonymously. So I'd suggest we do the same, and merge the 7 questions "ram" into "memory", plus making "ram" a synonym to "memory".<issue_comment>username_1: There's no difference between RAM and memory (in or out the questions)
>
> RAM is sometimes called "memory" for short which further complicates
> the issue. RAM is a computer chip that assists in speed of the
> computer that is measured in Megabytes (MB) or Gigabyte (GB) depending
> on the size of the chip. When a user chooses to open a file, the
> computer must put that information somewhere to be able to access it.
> It writes the file temporarily to the RAM for easy access. RAM also
> temporarily saves files that are currently being worked on.
>
>
>
So I agree with you that they should be merged.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I did this the other way around (making [memory](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/memory "show questions tagged 'memory'") a synonym of [ram](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/ram "show questions tagged 'ram'")) because I agree with Matthew's comment:
>
> All 69 questions with memory talk about RAM and not internal storage? Seems unlikely, I've seen them confused more often than not (sadly). If anything I'd merge the reverse direction for clarity.
>
>
>
[memory](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/memory "show questions tagged 'memory'") is simply not a great tag. It invites people to misuse it, and before performing the merge I ended up retagging ~20 questions that were using [memory](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/memory "show questions tagged 'memory'") to refer to their internal storage (which we specifically have [internal-storage](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/internal-storage "show questions tagged 'internal-storage'") for). Therefore, I think that making [ram](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/ram "show questions tagged 'ram'") the master tag is the better idea.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2012/10/02 | 1,304 | 5,031 | <issue_start>username_0: I recently asked a question about [preventing apps from running in the background](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/30211/14562). Before I asked it, I read several related questions and found that they didn't address the particular question space I was wondering about.
Because I was sure that some people would think my question to be a duplicate, I tried to deal with that topic when I initially wrote it, and in later edits as the controversy developed.
What I noticed (which, to be honest, wasn't unexpected) was that in both comments and answers, people kept trying to answer a different question than the one I asked--one that would have been a duplicate had I asked it.
The upshot of it all was a few down votes, the question being closed, and subsequently collecting some reopen votes. And, some people portrayed me as being unreasonable when for not changing my question to match their misconceptions of what I was really asking. (Despite my question being clearly worded, people wanted to talk about what *should* happen, or discuss how to handle a particular app instead of a general solution that might or might not exist.)
How could this situation have been handled better? How can one ask questions that are similar to but not the same as previous questions without having to fight a horde of people who falsely claim they're duplicates?
P.S.: I just found [this post](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/a/347/14562) which I believe is apropos to this topic.<issue_comment>username_1: Your question says:
>
> There is already a similar question to this one, but mine is narrower in scope
>
>
>
Yours is much more detailed, but I don't see how it's narrower in scope. Your question says:
>
> Can I prevent such an app from running in the background?
>
>
>
[The other question](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/1349/14562) says:
>
> Is there a way to prevent the service apps (or any other apps) from automatically running in the background?
>
>
>
I don't see a difference. You said "That question was about saving memory" but the question doesn't say that. Regarding Jeff's comment on the other Meta question, I think there does need to be some form of distinction between the questions, not just between the "desired answer" and the ones given so far.
---
You may take issue with the *answers* to the other questions (which are the same answers that yours was given), as have several of those who have asked them. That's unfortunate, but it doesn't change the nature of the questions. One option you would have is to put a bounty on one of them explaining that you want a solution for, and only for, preventing particular apps from running in the background.
---
>
> The reason why I want to do this is irrelevant. Perhaps it's to save battery. Perhaps it's another reason. This question is about how, not why.
>
>
>
Questions like that are often received poorly; they're known as [XY problems](https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/66377/154510). As a general rule, SE is about finding solutions to problems, rather than helping people with solutions they've already decided on. That doesn't make your question off-topic or anything, but problem solvers tend to get annoyed in these cases.
In the end, I believe the most basic answer to your question is "rewrite the Android OS so it doesn't do that" or something similar. Given that, perhaps you can see why people want to give you alternatives.
---
Going forward, I think it would be best to combine all of these question into one, as username_2 said, with a single CW answer that address (1) why it may not be necessary/Android's design (2) the use of task killers and their drawbacks (3) solutions that actually prevent apps from running in the first place. If that sounds agreeable I will create it once things are a bit more settled.
**Edit:** I've created the question [How can I stop applications and services from running?](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/30332/1465) and closed all others as a duplicate of it. Please feel free to add to, update, and correct it.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I just want to add to [Matthew's answer](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/a/1120/440) that I think that the confusion comes with the fact that it's hard for the average user to distinguish between an Activity and a Service running in background. We have two questions
1. [How can I stop a Service from running in background?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/1349/how-can-i-prevent-services-from-running-in-the-background)
2. How can I stop a App from running in background?
Both a very similar. Yet there are not really *exact* duplicates. That is why my solution would be to reopen the [first question](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/30211/how-can-i-prevent-apps-from-running-in-the-background) of type 2 and close either this one or [Scott's question](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/30211/14562) as duplicate and merge the answer(s).
Upvotes: 2 |
2012/11/27 | 416 | 1,768 | <issue_start>username_0: I want to know the demands of AE community as of today. It can help those who want to nominate themselves as election candidates.
**Existing Diamond Moderators aren't allowed to answer.**<issue_comment>username_1: I have nominated myself, so I think I should provide an answer.
I believe that a Diamond Moderator should be active, as well as there. They would need to respond quickly to flags - so they can be dealt with.
They would also need to have a good rep - so that people can see that they are trustworthy, as well as having been a member for a good while.
I believe that a diamond moderator should always shed some light on their decisions - I know this is hardly possible, but I believe that they should comment, and help new members follow the site rules, and stay on topic.
I know this has been quick - but this is what I believe.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: The only flags that need to be responded to quickly are spam, threats, and those where people have included personally identifiable information. All others can wait until they're gotten too. A Diamond should also have a light touch. An awful lot of things that are flagged shouldn't be.
A Diamond should be fair, firm, and consistent.
A Diamond should have a sense of humor, not take themselves too seriously, and recognize when they're not mentally well-equipped to deal with a situation.
A Diamond should be in constant contact with the other Diamonds. Not necessarily to ensure consensus on every decision (although consensus is important) but so that they all know what's going on and to provide support where needed.
A Diamond should expect to answer fewer questions and to spend a little time on the site every day, several times a day.
Upvotes: 4 |
2012/11/30 | 412 | 1,569 | <issue_start>username_0: I noticed that user [Ce4](https://android.stackexchange.com/users/15713/ce4) had hyperlinks in the comments he/she made. For instance, the question "[Android connected to Car system](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/34327/android-connected-to-car-system)" the comment made by ce4 is as follows:
I wonder how this is achieved as I am unable to have formatting options in comments that I make, which makes the comment bit unreadable. I would be surprised if it just because of lack of in sufficient reputation as this should be available for any user as it only helps in better readability (if correctly applied ).<issue_comment>username_1: Comments use the same mark down as answers.
You can use this syntax for links: `[link text](url)`
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: If you click the "help" link next to a comment box, you'll get a popup with the following information:
>
> Comments use mini-Markdown formatting: `[link](http://example.com) _italic_ **bold**```code``. The post author will always be notified of your comment. To also notify a previous commenter, mention their user name: `@peter` or `@PeterSmith` will both work. [Learn more…](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/editing-help#comment-formatting)
>
>
>
If you follow the "Learn more..." link you'll get more information about formatting comments than you would think there would be.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer] |
2012/12/04 | 276 | 1,083 | <issue_start>username_0: I was looking at the [candidates for the 2012 Community Moderator Election](https://android.stackexchange.com/election) and I only like one candidate. Is it possible to vote only for this candidate or do I have to make a second and third choice as well before my vote counts?<issue_comment>username_1: Comments use the same mark down as answers.
You can use this syntax for links: `[link text](url)`
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: If you click the "help" link next to a comment box, you'll get a popup with the following information:
>
> Comments use mini-Markdown formatting: `[link](http://example.com) _italic_ **bold**```code``. The post author will always be notified of your comment. To also notify a previous commenter, mention their user name: `@peter` or `@PeterSmith` will both work. [Learn more…](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/editing-help#comment-formatting)
>
>
>
If you follow the "Learn more..." link you'll get more information about formatting comments than you would think there would be.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer] |
2012/12/08 | 14,343 | 44,968 | <issue_start>username_0: The following is a "digest" version of the [2012 Moderator Election Town Hall Chat](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/1163/2012-moderator-election-town-hall-chat). The format, [as described on Meta Stack Overflow](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/77831/how-can-we-improve-the-town-hall-digests), is one *answer* to this question *for every question* asked in the Town Hall, containing all the candidate's answers to that question.
**To view the digest chronologically, please sort the answers by "oldest"**.
If you have questions or comments about this, **please do not answer this question** as the answers are designed to be used for the questions from the Town hall itself. Instead, please ask on [the parent question](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/77831/how-can-we-improve-the-town-hall-digests) or in [the Town Hall Discussion Room](http://chat.meta.stackoverflow.com/rooms/352/town-hall-discussion).
If you see any corrections which need to be made to this digest, or if you were a candidate who was unable to attend the town hall and would like your answers included, please @GraceNote or @TimStone [in the chat room](http://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/1921/android-town-hall-chat) and let us know!<issue_comment>username_1: *Grace Note [Grace Note](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/757/grace-note) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143504#7143504):* **A diamond will be attached to everything you say and have said in the past, including questions, answers and comments. Everything you will do will be seen under a different light. How do you feel about that?**
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143532#7143532):** I don't think that it will influence my behaviour. I always try to show my best side and put in my best effort.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143555#7143555):** I guess I don't know what I feel. It shouldn't influence my behavior, and I will probably continue posting as I do now, but probably with a more 'formal' attitude (if I believe it is needed, for example when commenting on a closed post due to a duplicate). Most likely, it will stay the same as it is.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7145737#7145737):** That would make me feel more responsible. Though my efforts will continue to be the best, I will have to put extra time as a moderator. As a moderator, my actions on the site should be an example to the AE community.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_1: *username_1 [username_1](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/12325/tim-stone) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143556#7143556):* **Do you feel like a representative percentage of the community participates in your site's meta? Based on that, how strongly do you think feedback presented on meta should factor into your decision making as a moderator?**
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
** [Liam W](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143605#7143605):** TBH I do not think that enough members participate on the meta, from when I have looked. It isn't very active, and only the *high rep* members seem to use it. Some new members do use it, but not often. I believe that, as this is the case, people should take the meta with a grain of salt - it is OK if a suggestion is up voted by 30 people, but what if other users of the site that don't use meta don't like it?
** [Liam W](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [continued](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143614#7143614):** However - they could have had a say, but, by not using the meta, they didn't. So I would probably just use it as it is.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143612#7143612):** I am active on meta, so yes, I do fell like a representative percentage of the active meta users. I always considered meta as the place that makes the rules. So the feedback is very welcomed and if it's the opinion of the majority, everyone should follow that.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7145868#7145868):** I am open to feedback. And believe if opinions on meta make sense to me, it should affect my decisions. After all it's a people's site, you have to consider everyone's opinion and hear everyone's voice.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_1: *username_1 [username_1](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/12325/tim-stone) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143623#7143623):* **When you see a question with major issues (poorly-written, argumentative, etc.), what tool do you reach for first?**
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
** [Liam W](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143639#7143639):** Comments - to notify that user to try and improve. If I understand what they are on about, the edit button. If after a while, nothing has changed, the close or delete button.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143643#7143643):** Edit, downvote or flag. More or less in that order
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7145925#7145925):** Depends. If poorly written, edit button would be my first choice. If argumentative, I would prefer leaving a comment. Down vote would always be my last choice. I would rather try to improve (and ask the author to improve), than just down voting. However, last choice is still a choice! :)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_1: *username_1 [username_1](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/12325/tim-stone) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143651#7143651):* **Is there anything about the way the site is currently run that you would like to change? If so, what would you try to change if you were to become a moderator, and why?**
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143688#7143688):** I don't think there currently is anything about the way this site is run that I would change. I believe it is run fairly, and like all other SE sites - change is bad, after all.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143693#7143693):** Hmm, every SX sites has some major issues if the site becomes big with a lot of questioners and only a few experienced people. I think the biggest problem right now on SO and maybe in the feature on AN.SX ist the quality of the questions. IMHO we need a better way to do some kind of QA .
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7146029#7146029):** One thing I would want to change is requirement of 50 rep to add comments. It makes new users add comments as answers, which is ridiculous! I have seen a lot of posts like that on StackOverflow and a few on AE as well. And hence new users often gain too many down votes.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: *Manishearth [Manishearth](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/31768/manishearth) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143690#7143690):* **How do you feel your participation as a moderator will affect your everyday use of the site?**
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** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143712#7143712):** I think I will maybe do more mod work and less answers...
** [Liam W](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143714#7143714):** I believe that I will probably become more active, however I may let others answer questions before I do, and concentrate on moderating.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7146100#7146100):** Less answers. More time on the site. More editing and moderator work. However, I would still like to answer as many unanswered question as I can. It's sad to see so many questions go unanswered.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_1: *Grace Note [Grace Note](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/757/grace-note) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143702#7143702):* **In what way do you feel that being a moderator will make you more effective as opposed to simply reaching 10k or 20k rep?**
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** [Liam W](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143765#7143765):** Good question. I live in the UK, which is ahead of other time zones. I could moderate moderator flags, when the other mods are asleep - which I would not be able to do had I gained 10 or 20K rep.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143801#7143801):** I think a >10K user has already all he need to moderate. But there are some cases only diamonds can handle. The amount of those cases increases with the size of the site. Therefore more mods are needed. Isn't that the reason we increase the moderator positions from 3 to 5...
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7146177#7146177):** I think reputation is more based on answering and moderation is about keeping the site clean and helpful as as possible.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: *Grace Note [Grace Note](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/757/grace-note) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143813#7143813):* **What is one contribution you feel demonstrates that you can be a good moderator?**
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* ** [Grace Note](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/757/grace-note) [added](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143813#7143813):** This can be an actual post, your process, or any other activity you feel is indicative of your potential accomplishments as a moderator.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143848#7143848):** Active on meta, asking for opinions about how the site's policy/rules should develop. Just query meta for my questions. Although the majority of my meta posts is about tag cleanup work, there are a few others too.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143872#7143872):** Edit and flag history - also that fact that I am currently top of the rep leaderboard for month and week, and second for quarter.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7146250#7146250):** One of the most active users on the site, one of the top editors (in recent times, as I am a comparatively new user). Top new user...
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [continued](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7146312#7146312):** Add to that: Being an Android developer and a computer engineer, I am technically sound. :)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: *dymutaos [dymutaos](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/51422/dymutaos) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143867#7143867):* **For those who will concentrate on moderating and reduce time spent answering questions, will you still be able to get enjoyment out of the site? That is, how will you keep yourself from 'burning out'?**
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** [Liam W](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143902#7143902):** By drinking lots of caffeinated tea ;) Really - I would like to help this site, and I will get enjoyment from that.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143913#7143913):** Naaa, I think I always will be an Android Enthusiast. Enjoyment guaranteed. But my time is limited. So if I have to do mod work, the time for answering questions reduces. But that doesn't mean I wont answer a question if I am able to do.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7146329#7146329):** AE is a newer site. It has a lot of potential as Android community is growing each day... It will a feeling of joy to be able to help such a good resource. That will certainly bring a feeling of enjoyment. :)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_1: *Grace Note [Grace Note](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/757/grace-note) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143879#7143879):* **What do you believe is or will be your biggest weakness as a moderator?**
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** [Liam W](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143917#7143917):** The fact that I have school 6 hours a day MON - FRI, so I can only come on after that - not that that will impact anything. Maybe also the fact that I tend to take sides occasionally, but I haven't done that for a while.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143944#7143944):** Good question, I have to think about it.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [continued](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143963#7143963):** Maybe that I am not a native speaker
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7146372#7146372):** Weakness.... Umm.. Not really but being a developer I need to spend some time in dev work. However, I have AE opened in a tab be it at work or at home! But yeah, when it's high time coding I will have to get off AE for some time.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: *username_1 [username_1](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/12325/tim-stone) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143961#7143961):* **A post is flagged. All moderators have looked at it. No one's taken action/cleared it because you're all unsure what to do with it. What do you do now when there is no consensus?**
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** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143978#7143978):** That's a case for meta discussion
** [Liam W](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7143983#7143983):** Depending on the flag, I would see what the site thinks using the meta.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7146416#7146416):** Meta, chat, communicate with other mods to discuss. Have a good discussion on meta and then decide.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: *Grace Note [Grace Note](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/757/grace-note) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144050#7144050):* **Of the other candidates, who is the one user you think would be most qualified for the position of moderator, and why?**
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** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144088#7144088):** Flow, without a doubt. He has been here a long time, has been a solid contributor, and has amassed more than 10K rep. He has a large edit count, as well as a decent flag count as well as numerous useful badges.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144123#7144123):** To be honest. I think that is Liam. He is highly motivated, native speaker that shows great interest in the site. Although he is relatively new I would give him the chance. But onik and jlehenbauer are just as good. So it's a close call.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7146511#7146511):** Flow. He has a great contribution. Though I have not been able to follow any of the candidates. This is what I am guessing from the stats.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: *eldarerathis [eldarerathis](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/7634/eldarerathis) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144107#7144107):* **Do you view moderation as proactive (acting on unflagged content), reactive (processing flags), or both? What do you feel would be most like your moderation style?**
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** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144138#7144138):** Both. I believe that I should check to make sure the flags are correct, but also make sure I view new questions and ensure they follow the FAQ and guidelines.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144176#7144176):** Plain moderation is purely reactive. But that doesn't prevent anybody from acting on unflagged content. On the other site. before the new review queues I looked at every new question and nowadays I just look what's up on the review queue. It saves some time and with more and more questions per day, looking at every new question becomes nearly impossible. Although I flag/downvote/vc a question here and there.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7146554#7146554):** Both. You need to proactively dig around to see if anything's wrong. Also respond to the flags by other users.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_1: *Grace Note [Grace Note](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/757/grace-note) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144192#7144192):* **How would you deal with a user who produced a steady stream of valuable answers, but tends to generate a large number of arguments/flags from comments?**
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** [Liam W](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144211#7144211):** *Very* good question. I would suggest to them that they continue their answering, but ensure they think about their comments before they post them. I would recommend that as a valued contributor (to answers), they should know the rules. I would ask them to follow them, and then I may have to resort to drastic measures (times suspensions etc).
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144219#7144219):** Depends on the type of comments he leaves. I never encountered that case on AN.SX. But if I agree with the comments, which is likely if it's a big amount of flags, I would contact him and ask him to stop that behaviour. I like the friendly and polite tone on SX and would like to keep it that way.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7146666#7146666):** Well, wherever I find any such comment I will act on it. Ask them to be careful and be friendly with users. Everyone's opinion matters but it has to be put in the right way. It hardly matters how much rep you have if you don't know how to behave.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_1: *eldarerathis [eldarerathis](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/7634/eldarerathis) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144243#7144243):* **A user contacts you through channels outside of Stack Exchange (email, Twitter, etc) to voice their disagreement with a moderation decision. How might you handle the situation?**
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** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144278#7144278):** Has this happened before? I would ensure that they know why I made the decision, and ask them why the disagree - I would then give them the reasons for my decision. I would ask them politely, to attempt not to directly contact me, but accept that it may be OK in certain instances.
* ** [eldarerathis](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/7634/eldarerathis) [replied](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144287#7144287):** I know of at least one instance where it's happened, yes (not to me personally)
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144301#7144301):** If there is a policy that explains my decision I will point him to that. Otherwise, and that depends on the type of disagreement, I would ask on meta for consensus/feedback. Always explaining that if he thinks that he is right, meta is the way to change policies.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7146732#7146732):** What happens on Stack Exchange, stays on stack exchange. I would request that person to use SE channels to raise his concern. Contacting me in person won't help.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_1: *Grace Note [Grace Note](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/757/grace-note) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144251#7144251):* **Going forward, what do you see as the biggest hurdle for Android Stack Exchange and how will you tackle/deal with it?**
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** [Liam W](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144305#7144305):** Tricky question. I believe that the biggest hurdle would be the fact that we are growing at a quick rate, and that the site may not be able to cope (due to lack of users). I would attempt to gather more users, and ensure everyone gets their share of the site.
* ** [dymutaos](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/51422/dymutaos) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144340#7144340):** I'm not sure I understand. If we are 'growing at a quick rate', doesn't that mean we are getting new users?
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [responded](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144350#7144350):** Correct, however not all answer - most ask one question, the vanish forever.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144332#7144332):** Something has happened in the last month or so. We had an increase in traffic/questions. But I have the feeling the questions are mostly low quality from drive by users that seek for help. While there is nothing wrong with asking questions, the quality of the question increases the chances for a good answer. I think we need a shorter version of "[How to Ask Questions the Smart Way](http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html)", that, for example is displayed to every new user that tries to ask a question here.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [continued](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144377#7144377):** For example [this section](http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#bespecific) is a good best practise for every SX site.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: *Grace Note [Grace Note](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/757/grace-note) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144413#7144413):* **New users often are not accustomed to the Stack Exchange system, and sometimes struggle to present themselves properly, either in the way they use the site or their attitude. How willing are you to work with "problematic" users, and at what point do you decide that someone isn't worth the effort?**
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** [Liam W](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144492#7144492):** I would be relatively willing to deal with problematic users - but people skills aren't my strong point, and I would be worried that I may make things worse. I would try my hardest however, and point them to handy FAQ's and meta posts. I would give up if the user doesn't take my advice, and continues to step out of line, even after multiple emails/messages etc.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144513#7144513):** The most important question this evening. I think we need a good solid FAQ, that warmly welcomes new users and explains in easy words what is expect from then and how the site works. I don't like the idea that a mod has to explain that to every new user again and again. "Problematic" should be reminded about the etiquette and if nothing changes appropriate actions should be considered. But that depends on the individual case.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [continued](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144533#7144533):** In my experience, the community usually takes care of "problematic" users by steadily reminding them to be polite or to improve their posts.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [concluded](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144538#7144538):** That kind of peer pressure usually works best :)
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7146843#7146843):** It would be great if new users can be redirected to a page or a video that explain them stuff about the site. As of now, I think reputed users should avoid down voting new users. They may have not understood the rules and format of the site very well. They will need time to adjust to the environment. Instead of simply down voting and flying away, explain them DOs and DON'Ts. Add comments to their posts, edit them. Make their entry to AE a happy beginning. :)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_1: *Grace Note [Grace Note](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/757/grace-note) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144549#7144549):* **What is your subjective assessment of how this site has been progressing in terms of popularity and quality? Do you get more questions than a year ago? Better questions? What about answers? Do you attract new great users? Is the site succeeding and improving, in your eyes, basically?**
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** [Liam W](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144594#7144594):** Due to the fact that I haven't been here long, I am going to find this question tricky to answer. I believe that believe that this site is getting more popular, and that the amount of questions is increasing - the same can be said for answers. I am not sure we attract new *great* users, but we attract new users. I believe that the site is succeeding and improving.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144619#7144619):** I think that AN.SX has it's native space in the stackexchange network. The site is very popular according to the traffic stats. And we do have more questions then a year ago. See also my meta post: Statistics about Android Enthusiasts. Not sure if we attract new users, but everyone that struggles with a 1800000 pages thread on XDA is very happy on AN.SX. The site is on a good way, although the diversity of the Android ecosystem makes it hard to answer every question.
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [continued](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144626#7144626):** We will never be like TEX.SX, although that should be our goal :-D
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7146878#7146878):** I think I had mentioned this in my nomination. Here's pasting the same: My thoughts on Android Enthusiasts: Being only about a month old member, I have observed a big difference on AE as compared to StackOverflow. A lot of questions go unanswered here and answers come up a bit late. There seems to be a very small number of "power users," and you can see them answer most of the questions. Also the questions and answers on AE are not well written.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: *Grace Note [Grace Note](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/757/grace-note) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144625#7144625):* **How many Android devices do you own and utilize on a normal basis?**
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** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144635#7144635):** I own 3 Android Devices. A Galaxy S running CM10, and Thinkpad Tablet running stock Android and a Kindle Fire running CM10. I use mostly the SGS and the Thinkpad Tablet. The Fire lies around the living room.
** [Liam W](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144645#7144645):** I own 2 Android devices. My SGS2, and my Arnova GBook. I use my SGS2 all the time, and my GBook (which isn't that good), to listen to spotify offline at night ;)
** [Liam W](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [continued](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144652#7144652):** My SGS2 runs CM10, whereas I just managed to root my GBook with difficulty.
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7146992#7146992):** I am poor guy I tell ya! :( I own one (keep changing between CM 9 and 10, and other experimental ROMs) but I use bunch of them. :) You will find most of my friends' and family members' devices lying around me. I keep playing with them and also use them for testing my apps and experimenting some new stuff. :)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: *Grace Note [Grace Note](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/757/grace-note) [asked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144694#7144694):* **Closing thoughts from the candidates?**
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** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144736#7144736):** Hmm. Closing thoughts. I believe I could bring to this site as a moderator - I could improve flag times for when the other mods aren't online, and I could help with the general 'moderating' of the site. I believe I satisfy the pre-requisites of a moderator, and I believe I understand the theory of moderating on the SE network :)
** [Flow](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/21787/flow) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144758#7144758):** I'd like to thank everyone involved in Android Enthusiasts: staff, mods and the active users. Take your time to vote.
* ** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/57354/liam-w) [remarked](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7144781#7144781):** And So would I @Flow. I believe that this site can prosper - don't forget to vote all!
** [<NAME>](http://chat.stackexchange.com/users/54734/suraj-bajaj) [answered](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/7147093#7147093):** Well, I am really glad I nominated myself. To be honest, I was thinking about my new-ness on the site. But this whole process has helped me understand a lot of things about moderation and the way this site works. It also helped me connect to awesome people like you all. I don't know about results of the election, but this will certainly help me keep my contribution going and may be improving. And sorry for the delay. I had to work real late.
Upvotes: 0 |
2012/12/10 | 431 | 1,629 | <issue_start>username_0: Android's [second moderator election](https://android.stackexchange.com/election/3) has come to a close, the votes have been tallied, and the new moderators are:
[](https://android.stackexchange.com/users/440)
[](https://android.stackexchange.com/users/475)
They'll be joining [the existing crew](https://android.stackexchange.com/about#moderators) shortly — please thank them for volunteering, and share your assistance and advice as they learn the ropes!
For details on how the voting played out, you can download the election results [here](https://android.stackexchange.com/election/3).<issue_comment>username_1: Thank you to all of those who put themselves out there as candidates, whether they succeeded in being elected or not.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Ok, now I have got over losing (I think), time for this.
I just wanted to personally thank everyone that took part and voted, and also every one of the 16 people that chose me as their preferred candidate.
If we ever have another election, then maybe I can win this time - maybe more people will vote for me.
Congratulations to the two winners, Flow and onik - well done :)
If I ever get caught up in my thoughts again, direct me to this post please - and thanks to Izzy for calming me down Yesterday on the chat :)
You never know - maybe two moderators will drop out for some reason and I will get instated ;)
Just let me say thanks to everyone involved - and congrats to the winners.
Upvotes: 1 |
2012/12/11 | 932 | 3,897 | <issue_start>username_0: I direct your attention to the [folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/folders "show questions tagged 'folders'") tag.
It's being used for questions on:
* folders on the SD card/in the filesystem (you know, what we used to call "directories" until Microsoft brainwashed us)
* folders on the home screen that can hold multiple app icons
* email folders
* file folders become albums in the Gallery app if there are image files within (and they're picked up by the media scanner)
That's a mess.
I think the fourth issue there can be ignored; I'll be removing that tag from the offending question in just a minute.
The third issue is also probably just something that needs cleanup. I mean, do we really need to have a tag for [email-folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/email-folders "show questions tagged 'email-folders'") that wouldn't just be covered by [email](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/email "show questions tagged 'email'")?
The first two issues, though, definitely require disambiguation. I would suggest [homescreen-folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/homescreen-folders "show questions tagged 'homescreen-folders'") for the second and either [system-folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/system-folders "show questions tagged 'system-folders'") or [file-folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/file-folders "show questions tagged 'file-folders'") for the first. I also think that, because it's unique to Android, that the [folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/folders "show questions tagged 'folders'") tag should become a synonym of [homescreen-folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/homescreen-folders "show questions tagged 'homescreen-folders'") (after we clean up the existing questions, of course).
I'm not sold on the names; I'd be more than happy to hear alternatives. I do think [folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/folders "show questions tagged 'folders'") needs to be cleaned up, though.<issue_comment>username_1: I agree with Al on [file-folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/file-folders "show questions tagged 'file-folders'") and [home-screen-folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/home-screen-folders "show questions tagged 'home-screen-folders'").
I also agree with not needing a separate tag for the mail folders (the [email](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/email "show questions tagged 'email'") tag should be sufficient here).
Number 4 (gallery) are in practice most likely filesystem folders (except when tags would be represented as folders). I don't think this would need a separate tag.
But I'm a bit unsure where a possible synonym "folders" should point to. If the mentioned brain-washing would not have taken place, I'd happily agree on Al's suggestion here as well; but even being a MS-abstainer I must admit: on hearing the term "folder", my first association are directories, followed by email folders, and only after that the homescreen folders -- so I'm unsure about that. One good thing about that synonym would be to save us from a tag with the same name reappearing, though :)
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I think that[folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/folders "show questions tagged 'folders'") tag should become a synonym of [homescreen-folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/homescreen-folders "show questions tagged 'homescreen-folders'")
And while it's generally not needed to blacklist a tag - the synonym option is often sufficient - it maybe worth considering blacklisting [folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/folders "show questions tagged 'folders'").
Upvotes: 0 |
2012/12/12 | 764 | 3,026 | <issue_start>username_0: The [input-method](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/input-method "show questions tagged 'input-method'") tag seems to be used for a confusing mish-mash of topics.
Everything from [international keyboard types and IMEs](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/29691/how-to-have-multiple-input-languages), to how to [make a Submit button appear on web page form](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/1872/how-to-use-the-search-box-on-these-stack-exchange-sites-with-the-galaxy-s) or how to [attach a guitar to your phone's audio socket](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/19188/android-audio-input) or how to [use a joystick](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/27354/can-i-use-a-joystick-with-the-happy-bay-emulator), these are all on the first page for the tag.
It seems to me that there's no real commonality between all those questions.
From just hearing the tag name I'd assume it was meant to refer to IMEs (Input Method Editors, usually a way to input complex characters for languages like Chinese on a keyboard with a limited number of buttons, also used to switch between different keyboard types). But I can see that most of the other questions also involve a form of input to the device.<issue_comment>username_1: I agree with Al on [file-folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/file-folders "show questions tagged 'file-folders'") and [home-screen-folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/home-screen-folders "show questions tagged 'home-screen-folders'").
I also agree with not needing a separate tag for the mail folders (the [email](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/email "show questions tagged 'email'") tag should be sufficient here).
Number 4 (gallery) are in practice most likely filesystem folders (except when tags would be represented as folders). I don't think this would need a separate tag.
But I'm a bit unsure where a possible synonym "folders" should point to. If the mentioned brain-washing would not have taken place, I'd happily agree on Al's suggestion here as well; but even being a MS-abstainer I must admit: on hearing the term "folder", my first association are directories, followed by email folders, and only after that the homescreen folders -- so I'm unsure about that. One good thing about that synonym would be to save us from a tag with the same name reappearing, though :)
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I think that[folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/folders "show questions tagged 'folders'") tag should become a synonym of [homescreen-folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/homescreen-folders "show questions tagged 'homescreen-folders'")
And while it's generally not needed to blacklist a tag - the synonym option is often sufficient - it maybe worth considering blacklisting [folders](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/folders "show questions tagged 'folders'").
Upvotes: 0 |
2012/12/20 | 512 | 2,060 | <issue_start>username_0: In AE, the most important information one can find in the majority of questions is:
1. Phone manufacturer-model
2. Android version
3. Rooted/not rooted
4. Custom ROM installed (if any)
Thus, being those tags as important as they are, don't you think it's a good idea to provide a special way to identify them?
I've been thinking about this and a couple of ideas come to my mind:
* A **color scheme**, just like the one being used here at Meta
* **Icons** to identify each one the four tag categories mentioned above, like the icons for some tags at StackOverflow (android, facebook, google-maps, etc.)
I think this would help the users to quickly identify the essential tags they should include when asking a question, thus decreasing the amount of comments like *"what brand and model of phone do you have?"*, *"are you rooted?"*, etc; therefore boosting the average quality of the questions in AE.
Is this feature something feasible?<issue_comment>username_1: The icons you see besides the tags are "sponsored" tags. People pay so that the icons appear.
The colors provide a meta layer for tags, like "required" or "mod only".
IIRC the order how tags are displayed on questions is "by tag usage count", so important tags are leftmost, sometimes even in the page title. Because of that there is IMHO no need for such feature.
From recent meta/chat discussions, I think we may have to start a discussion about taging policy. But that should be done in a new meta question.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Heck, no.
Tags should describe the **question**. They shouldn't describe the device or the environment. More often than not, the answer(s) to the question has nothing to do with the model of the device or the OS or whether it's rooted or not. Those things are important bits of information to help make the question clearer, but they shouldn't be tags.
Upvotes: 1 |
2012/12/20 | 1,344 | 5,728 | <issue_start>username_0: Everyday I see too many development questions coming up on AE. Users are responsible for this but they are not to be blamed entirely for to any new user AE *seems* to be a site related to "Everything Android." So people keep asking development questions unaware of the fact that AE is only from a user's perspective and not of a developer.
Sure, we can flag / close / delete such questions. But wouldn't it be great if we could keep users from posting such questions in the first place?
Can we make users to go through a help page or add some guidelines on the "Ask a question" page, where we can highlight the point clearly telling them not to ask development questions here and ask them to check on [StackOverflow](https://stackoverflow.com/).
This will save other users' time flagging them and moderators' time in reviewing them. Also it will help keep site cleaner. After all "Prevention is better that cure," isn't it?
I am not sure how valid is my suggestion and if it can actually be implemented. So that's also a part of my question here.<issue_comment>username_1: It's a problem all over, not just here. Not five minutes ago I voted to close a programming question on Web Applications. And how about all of the "how do I fix this non-programming Android issue" questions that have been closed on Stack Overflow? (And believe me, there have been a lot more of them than development questions here.)
There are any number of helpful hints to guide potential Askers to the right place. You probably don't remember because you've been around for a while, but there's a dialog that new users need to click through before posting that says basically: I have read what this site is about, I see it again here right in front of me, and this is the right place, so let me ask my question. There's the FAQ, of course. And the "Ask Question" page *does* give guidance, at least until your reputation meets a certain threshold.
The problem, and it's not limited to here, is that people ***don't read*** on the Web. The only thing that keeps sites on topic is swift, efficient, ruthless moderation when people post off-topic stuff. (Remember Usenet?) That's because people *will* post off-topic stuff; it can't be stopped.
Don't forget, we also have the [development](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/development "show questions tagged 'development'") tag, which has been left on here as kind of a "honeypot" to make it easier to find off-topic questions. (The assumption being, of course, that anyone doing development would see that tag and use it, in spite of the tag wiki excerpt explicitly saying that such questions are off-topic.) Unfortunately, the [applications](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/applications "show questions tagged 'applications'") tag (which is terribly misused and abused and [is in dire need of cleanup](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/678/help-needed-in-the-applications-tag)) is almost always one of the sample tags suggested and, since they're developing an application, must be the tag they want, right?
So, yes, it's annoying and I wish these people would get a clue. Don't worry about the Moderators' time, though. We don't need to waste it with simple stuff like this. Just continue to vote to close. Downvote them for wasting your time. (Enough downvotes—six, I believe—and the question drops off the front page.) If you're feeling kind, point them to the FAQ.
But you should probably resign yourself to the fact that no matter how many clues and help and speed bumps we put in front of new users (and there are quite a few), some people are going to post off-topic stuff. All we can hope to do is educate them, hopefully educate people who see their off-topic question and so *won't* repeat the mistake, and close them down without mercy.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: IMHO there is now way to hold people from posting off-topic/low-quality questions. And this is a OK because if SE would show a big disclaimer before a question could be asked, the usability would suffer.
The only way to filter out off-topic questions is afterwards, like the system does now.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_3: If it were up to me, I would have a second page displayed when a user clicked to post the question.
This page would only be displayed if they are new/have low rep/have a history of off-topic questions.
This page would username_1rt them that some questions are off topic, and give them an option to move the question to a better site in the SE network. If they want, they can continue after completing a captcha (or something similar).
What do you think?
It could probably be removed after a few weeks of being a member, as long as they have a decent amount of rep, and now closed/deleted questions (or very little).
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: Couldn't a rule be added to the automated quality filter to detect (at least some) development questions?
Any question tagged [development](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/development "show questions tagged 'development'") can safely be rejected (as long as the rejection message doesn't tell the user the tag is what username_1rted the system, or they'll just remove the tag and resubmit). Similarly, a question that includes Java source code can be flagged by the quality filter. I'm sure a quick analysis of words used in existing closed-OT questions will pull out some obvious words to trigger on when used together, such as "activity" and "class".
Such a filter wouldn't catch everything, but it'd be a big win for a reasonably small outlay (considering there's already a filter for low-quality posts).
Upvotes: 1 |
2012/12/22 | 273 | 884 | <issue_start>username_0: Is there an official Android app for Stack Exchange? If not, which one should I use?<issue_comment>username_1: The mobile site of Android Enthusiasts is pretty good. But if you really want a dedicated app, have a look at <https://stackapps.com/questions/tagged/android>
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Check the [official news about StackExchange android app](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/190200/help-us-test-the-alpha-version-of-our-android-app). Yes the alpha testing of the app is going on and as <NAME> has mentioned in post, it may take more [6 to 8 weeks](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/19478/the-many-memes-of-meta/19514#19514) to fix bugs/issues if any.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Yes!
There is now:
<http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2014/01/stack-exchange-for-android-is-here/>
Upvotes: 2 |
2012/12/27 | 1,360 | 5,442 | <issue_start>username_0: Based on the Meta question [Old questions w/o answers and low view count](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/q/1250/16575) we came to the conclusion: It is often quite unclear what makes a question "too localized". So we need some (at least more) clear rules on which a decision can be based. Let's start with what we have:
>
> This question is unlikely to help any future visitors; it is only relevant to a small geographic area, a specific moment in time, or an extraordinarily narrow situation that is not generally applicable to the worldwide audience of the internet. For help making this question more broadly applicable, see the FAQ.
>
>
>
Which is a rather broad description: How can one tell the mentioned criteria? Some *clear numbers* would be helpful. Let me give some examples of what are *IMHO* clear candidates:
* a question bein 6 month or older, having neither answers nor comments1, and less than 10 views/month on average
* a question on a device available only in one country *AND* connected to other very local criteria (e.g. just happens with one small provider)
* a question on a very specific situation which one rarely mets ("I want to sync my calendar with a [very unknown software] on my [very unknown OS]", to construct a drastic example)
1 asking the OP for additional details/making the point clearer not counted, as those are mostly in the context "what do you really want? what *is* the question here?"
Can we have more clear examples in this Meta page, which then could be linked either to the FAQ link given in the quoted text, or even directly included with this text? Could you please list up things *you* would say are very clear -- and we make a summary later (maybe even in a different Meta question, to get it clear and easy for all readers, and link back to our brain-storming here)?
Also it would be interesting to list up what is frequently *misinterpreted* as being "too localized". Today's example: [Why I am unable to check balance on BSNL Mobile in Android Phone?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/36210/16575) This message was not yet 1 hour old, having had 12 views, and was already marked by one vote-to-close as "too localized". My guess is: One special (Japanese?) provider plus one special DualSIM phone gave the reasons of being "localized". But what if tomorrow we find the question has been viewed 2.500 times within 24 hours? "unlikely to help any future visitors"? Though it might be *geographically localized* on a first glance, it might turn out a general DualSIM problem applying world-wide!
**So to sum up:**
-----------------
**Could you all please list up, from your personal experience and feeling, what are *clear indicators* for a "too localized" question -- and what are *clear indicators* agains a message being "too localized", though it might look different on a first glance -- so we can "distill" easily understandable guidlines from it?**<issue_comment>username_1: * Older then 1 year
* Less then 300 views
* No Answers
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_1: * Older than 2 years
* No Answers
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: * Older than 6 months
* 15 views/months or less
* no answers
* no comments (except, maybe, questions for clarification which are not even answeres in comments)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: * Older than 1 month
* 15 views/months or less
* no answers
* specific to a device available only in one country AND connected to other very local criteria (e.g. just happens with one small provider)
Please note the last criterium alone *is not enough*, as it might turn out to apply more broadly. That's why it should not be closed immediately but first watched for "access" (views) and, maybe, comments pointing to that direction.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: * Older than 1 month
* 15 views/months or less
* No answers (?)
* concerning a very specific situation which one rarely mets ("I want to sync my calendar with a [very unknown software] on my [very unknown OS]", to construct a drastic example)
Here should be pretty sure it deals with a very specific situation. It's not enough to *feel specific to me*, but one should be sure most of our users would feel the same :)
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_1: * "How do I root X?" questions should never be closed as "too localized". The only (vote) close reason for such questions is "exact duplicate".
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: **A question should never be closed as "too localized" unless it is at least 1 month old.** Even if it looks quite localized on a first glance, that could be due to the phrasing -- while under-the-hood a real important problem is addressed. This might not be obvious during the first hours/days, but later on due to increased views, or a re-phrasing, or some comments...
If you feel 1 month is too much, please say so in your comments. But IMHO we should not drop that margin below a week for sure.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_1: No question should ever be closed as "too localized" because of the question stats alone (view count/answers/age/...), as it only solves a cosmetic problem (low accepted answer ratio on Android Enthusiasts) and does not provide any benefit.
Instead only the *content* of a question should be used as reason to close a question as "too localized" (e.g. because it's clearly only a problem caused by a small regional carrier).
Upvotes: 2 |
2012/12/29 | 719 | 2,737 | <issue_start>username_0: I noticed someone recently edited [one of my answers](https://android.stackexchange.com/a/30117/11190) (along with the question for which the answer applied). The only edit this person made was to change the word 'wifi' to 'Wi-Fi'.
I understand that the [wikipedia entry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi) prefers 'Wi-Fi' as the proper terminology, but it also says it can be spelled 'wifi' (as well as 'WiFi' [no dash]).
Editing an answer simply to change wording is questionable at best, since the editor is not actually clarifying anything with the edit.
And I would argue that it makes the question and answer worse, because almost anyone would first search for 'wifi' before trying 'Wi-Fi', if they even think to search for the term with a dash at all. I tried a search with just 'wifi', and the question and my answer no longer show up.
Should these edits be reversed? Or does it make sense to change all 'wifi' to 'Wi-Fi'? If the latter, could the search engine be revised to smartly search both terms?
I do realize that the preferred 'tag' in SE is 'wi-fi', with the dash. However, I think most users will search for 'wifi', no dash.<issue_comment>username_1: I prefer WiFi as it looks much cleaner. I believe they should be edited to WiFi.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: I see no problem with editing "wifi" into "Wi-Fi". If it changes search results then that should probably be brought up with SE ... hyphens should not be considered for web search IMO.
However, edits should always be substantial. If that was the only change then it was a bad edit. See <http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2009/04/in-defense-of-editing/>
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: I usually prefer wi-fi. But seeing that most people prefer WiFi, I will consider this in my next edits.
*Off-topic, I don't edits just to change the wi-fi text only. I also consider if the sentences can be rephrased, or added with punctuations for easier readability.*
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: Alternative spellings are good, because they provide different search paths.
Editing a post *just* to change "wifi" to "Wi-Fi" would seem to me to be the very definition of a "too minor" edit. Like a lot of tech terms, there is no universally accepted spelling. (Not to say that there aren't style guides that try to standardize on one or the other, but we don't adhere to one of those.)
Now, if you'd spelled it as "wife" (as I've done more than once) then it should definitely be fixed. Otherwise you've got a question better suited for `marriage.stackoverflow.com`.
Similar to how we don't change posts from British spellings, I think for the most part this should just be left alone.
Upvotes: 1 |
2012/12/30 | 355 | 1,469 | <issue_start>username_0: I have seen that there are so many questions that has acceptable answers without the OP has not accepted. I have seen this issue has addressed to a *certain* extent in [some questions](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/q/1250/23379). Yet, it is about unanswered questions.
So is there a way to notify users who have questions with no *accepted* answers to check their questions? If not (which I believe so), wouldn't it be better to implement a feature like that?
With that, they can either give their feedback or they can share if they have found an answer themselves. (this will help future users to get a certain or verified answer)<issue_comment>username_1: The only way currently is probably leaving a hint in a comment to the question, like
>
> Did any of the questions help solve you issue, so you could accept them? If not, what is missing?
>
>
>
This doesn't sound like "pestering", but rather concerned about the issue and its solution, as well as looking for improvement of the OP's situation.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Accepting an answer is completely and entirely up to the asker of the question. It should have no relevance to anyone else.
If you think a new user doesn't know about the acceptance feature — due to a comment like "thanks this was perfect" but no acceptance, for example — feel free to comment and give them a heads up. Otherwise you shouldn't do anything.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/01/01 | 549 | 2,047 | <issue_start>username_0: Let's imagine this scenario:
* User 1 asks question A
* User 2 asks question B -- related to question A, but not a duplicate.
* Question A gets answered, the answer is upvoted and accepted, then user 2 notices the answer to question A would be the perfect answer to his question B.
How should user2 proceed here? Post a comment to his own question with a link to question A's answer? Copy the entire answer and re-post it as an answer to his question? Post a new answer being it just a link to the original answer? Delete his own question, even it not being exactly a duplicate?
Example:
* [My question](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/36590/22441) -- question A
* [Related question](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/4929/22441), but (in my opinion) not exactly a duplicate -- question B
* [Answer](https://android.stackexchange.com/a/4967/22441) to question B, perfectly applies to question A.<issue_comment>username_1: The other could be deleted if totally unanswered, but if it would be useful to others then it's best to keep it and provide an answer. If the answer's long I usually summarize and link it (when I've done this sort of thing with my own answers), otherwise I just copy it outright.
If you're worried about rep I would say that you deserve credit if you answer B with something copied from A. We all learn things somewhere, it doesn't matter if it was on this SE or not; spreading knowledge to help other users is exactly what we want you to do.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: In my Answer A, I would post a link to Answer B. It would look like:
>
> Check out [this answer](https://android.stackexchange.com/a/4967/22441). It can fix your problem.
>
>
>
In cases where I'm not sure Answer B would completely fix the problem, I would post the link as a comment to the Original Poster's question, telling them to try it out first. In case it does work, I just leave it as is, and give away the points to whoever will post the correct or actual answer.
Upvotes: -1 |
2013/01/06 | 603 | 2,039 | <issue_start>username_0: Recently, CyanogenMod moved its Wiki and created an empty one at the current location:
[Source](https://plus.google.com/117962666888533781522/posts/25s15yc6vep) post from +CyanogenMod on Google Plus.
Alas, this means that old links to content don't work anymore. There's also not the slightest hint about the oldwiki:
Example here is a deeplink to Galaxy Ace' full update guide:
* broken: [http://**wiki**.cyanogenmod.org/wiki/Samsung\_Galax...](http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_Ace%3a_Full_Update_Guide)
* working: [http://**oldwiki**.cyanogenmod.org/wiki/Samsung\_Galax...](http://oldwiki.cyanogenmod.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_Ace%3a_Full_Update_Guide)
It's not clear if old content will become available at it's current link position again, especially for old devices like the Galaxy Ace that are only officially supported until CM7.
Should we act and edit all deeplinks to wiki.cyanogenmod and change them to oldwiki... to reflect this change?<issue_comment>username_1: Yes, search through all posts and replace deeplinks to wiki.cyanogenmod to point to oldwiki.cyanogenmod.org for the sake of a good user experience.
And here's a [local search](https://android.stackexchange.com/search?q=wiki.cyanogenmod.com) ([and another](https://android.stackexchange.com/search?q=wiki.cyanogenmod.org)) or a [custom Google search](https://www.google.com/search?q=site:android.stackexchange.com%2Fquestions+%22wiki.cyanogenmod%22) to find those posts.
If you edit, **be sure** to let the link **end** in **.org**, because oldwiki.cyanogenmod.com is not available, only .org is.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_1: No, it's not worth the hassle.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: The Cyanogen Mod community should be notified, in particular any site manager/mod, so that whomever maintains the links on the site can update with an appropriate solution on their end (i.e. one that splits users between the old version and the new, or that performs a more user/SEO-friendly redirect).
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/01/08 | 889 | 3,373 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a question but I am unclear about which [**tags**](https://android.stackexchange.com/tags) to use.
I want to ensure that my question is categorized so the people with the most expertise/interest related to my issue are most likely to see it.
I also want to be a good Stack Exchange Netizen and so want to avoid "meta tags" (whatever those are).
I have read [How To Ask Android Questions The Smart Way](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/1181/how-to-ask-android-questions-the-smart-way) but that specifically does not cover question tags.
How do I choose the right tags for my question?<issue_comment>username_1: Where possible, it should be tagged with:
* Device Model (e.g. `samsung-galaxy-s-2`)
* Android Version (e.g. `4.0-ice-cream-sandwich`)
* Related apps (e.g. `chrome-for-android`)
* Issues / Topics (e.g. `keyboard`)
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: Tags should describe the **content** of the question. They should cover the specific problem area to be addressed. Having a problem with a particular app? Use the tag for that app. (Examples: [google-plus](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-plus "show questions tagged 'google-plus'"), [whatsapp-messenger](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/whatsapp-messenger "show questions tagged 'whatsapp-messenger'").) Having a problem with a particular function? Use the appropriate tag(s). (Examples: [gps](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/gps "show questions tagged 'gps'"), [bluetooth-tethering](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/bluetooth-tethering "show questions tagged 'bluetooth-tethering'"), [mobile-data](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/mobile-data "show questions tagged 'mobile-data'").)
Tags should **not** describe your device. That is, tags for
* the model
* the manufacturer
* the version of the operating system
* the mobile carrier
should (probably) not be used.
While this information *is* important and *should* be included in the question post, most of the time the issue is not specific to the device or the OS version. Only when the issue is ***clearly*** tied to the environment should a tag of that nature be used. (For example, for quite some time AT&T disabled the ability to install apps from "unknown sources" and was the only carrier to do that. A question regarding how to get around this restriction would be correctly tagged with [att](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/att "show questions tagged 'att'").)
And, of course, [avoid meta-tags](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/1284/what-are-meta-tags?lq=1).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Please omit the *device* and *Android version* tag if you are sure that the question is **not** specific to a particular device or Android version.
I am aware of [Matthews answer](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/a/264/440), and I agree that those tags shouldn't be used if the question isn't specific to the tag. But it's difficult to tell if a problem is really device/version specific. It's hard to tell for the asker and it's hard for the user who wants to retag the question. That's why I think that we should go with an **"in doubt go with the device/version tag"** policy.
I even think that it's hard to educate the users otherwise.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/01/16 | 506 | 2,176 | <issue_start>username_0: I was thinking recently about how often this site gets questions related to android development that are instantly closed (because they are off-topic). And I thought of how the meta sites require a specific tag before you can post a question.
My idea is to have a tag, such as 'development'. When a user adds that tag and tries to submit the question, it returns an error and explains that development questions are out of scope for this particular SE site.
Is this doable? Is this a good idea? Just thought I'd throw this out there.<issue_comment>username_1: I think this is a brilliant idea, however not all people tag their questions with development...
We could get a bit more complex and make the system learn what tags are mainly associated with closed questions, and then prompt the submitter to check the FAQ, then submit it.
And we could have 'banned' tags that cannot be submitted. Would require some hefty development though, but I have faith in the SE devs :)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: We had similar questions like this one on meta before. We already have such a development tag, but it's not really successful in preventing from dev questions pooping up.
[Liam's idea](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/a/1299/440) seems sophisticated but is also complex and not easy to implement. (Also note that it's already possible to blacklist tags).
But all in all I think the "vote close review queue" does the job pretty will. It seldom takes longer then a day, mostly just a few hours, before a development question is closed. I think that's the best we can get atm without doing some fancy stuff that may be not usable along the other sites.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: All I can see this doing is having people not use the tags they're not allowed to use. Heck, most programming questions get tagged with [applications](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/applications "show questions tagged 'applications'") (which has its own sort of issues), not [development](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/development "show questions tagged 'development'").
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/01/25 | 367 | 1,439 | <issue_start>username_0: In [Privileges](https://android.stackexchange.com/privileges/edit), it says I need 2000 Reputation points to be able to edit questions and answers.
However, at my current level below 2000 points, I am already able to do this. Or, is my understanding wrong?<issue_comment>username_1: Are you sure that you are able to make edits that don't need prior approval before they are applied?
Every user can make 'suggested edits' but if you have >2000 rep you are don't need to get the approval of the community first. In fact you should then be able to review suggested edits yourself.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: You can edit questions and answers, but they go to a queue, from which moderators and users with enough reputation (over 2000) can accept, discard or improve your edits.
From the [Edit questions and answers privilege page](https://android.stackexchange.com/privileges/edit):
>
> **Reviewing suggested edits**
>
>
> In addition, users with this privilege level also get access to the
> suggested edits queue. The queue has a list of posts which have been
> edited upon by users who don't have edit privileges. This queue can be
> accessed over at the suggested edits tab in the review section. Users
> with this privilege level get access to the Low Quality Posts list
> where they can improved the low quality posts, or suggest they are
> deleted.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/01/25 | 850 | 3,402 | <issue_start>username_0: So I'm seeing a bunch of suggested edits come through the review queue where the **only** thing being changed is the removal of "thanks" or "TY" or "Regards".
Isn't that the *definition* of *"too minor"*?
I've been rejecting them when I've seen them, but several other users are *accepting* these edits.
Yes, I know we're not supposed to put such signoffs on our posts, just like we're not supposed at "Hi!" or "Greetings" or "Please help" at the beginning of our posts.
It seems to me that editing a post *just* to remove those things and *not fix anything else at all* is not productive. Especially when the person making these edits is **getting reputation points** for edits that don't improve very much.<issue_comment>username_1: It seems minor, but not *too* minor, in my opinion. If a post has a spelling error, that is too minor. But if there are a lot of spelling errors, editing to fix them makes the question much more readable.
People are bound to make spelling errors, but they are accidental. However, using greetings or saying "thank you" is deliberate (though generally second nature due to habit). Both are undesired, but since the second is a habit, the edits subtly encourage the user to break the habit for their subsequent questions.
Also, it seems rather redundant to specifically ask for help on a question. I'm all for making questions concise and removing unnecessary chatter.
**Edit:** The [blog post here](http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2013/01/about-page-2-0-the-quickstartening/?cb=1) by Stack Exchange seems to address this indirectly and appears to agree with my reasoning. :-)
>
> If you tell someone you don’t allow chit-chat, but you fail to give them the reason, the first time they have their “thank you!” deleted as noise, they’re less likely to think about our “answer findability optimization” than our “tendency toward pedantic, manners-hating fascism”.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: The thing with "too minor" edits is a good point.
AFAIK the background of this restriction is to prevent <2000 rep users from gaming the system by making a lot of small and easy edits that don't completely fix a post.
Edits should fix *all* issues of a post. Not just the minor ones. But if there were only minor ones that needed to be fixed and got fixed with the suggested edit then I tend to approve the edit.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Minor edits should come with added value, like rephrasing the sentences or titles so that they are clearer or easier to understand, adding formatting, or editing the tags where applicable.
Minor wrong spellings are where we need to think twice on editing. Sometimes, they are forgivable, sometimes not. But removing "thanks" and "regards" alone is TOO minor.
As for gaming the system, I agree with the others. These points are too small to be an issue. If this was the motivation alone, then it's not worth the effort. Better things can be done with people's time. So, we should appreciate these types of users who are active in keeping the community clean. [You would want this kind off community in Foursquare]
Although we have enough moderators and high-rep members who can do these tasks better, these types of users are better off working on more important moderating tasks.
At the end, though, we should strive to make things easier to read / understand.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/01/26 | 1,015 | 4,215 | <issue_start>username_0: I am considering the idea of directing user questions about my open source app to Android Enthusiasts.
In the past, [some questions](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/29052/ankidroid-what-does-the-rectangular-button-in-the-action-bar-mean) have been already asked about the app, but [one was also closed as too localized](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/22453/ankidroid-how-to-left-align-text).
Right now we are using a Google Group for support questions, with about 10 volunteers answering questions. About 2 threads/10 posts per day.
There are often questions that have already been asked. Repost detection is much better on SE than on Groups, so I am considering the idea of directing user questions to here.
Is it a good idea?
For instance, Trello is known to send its users to WebApps and StackOverflow.
Are there metrics about when it makes sense to redirect user questions to Android Enthusiasts?<issue_comment>username_1: I'd like to hear other opinions too but my stance is that it's ok. Especially since you are an (active) member of the site and sure going to watch the ankidroid tag.
I'd like to make it clear that it's was 100% correct to ask first. Android Enthusiasts should not become a support/discussion forum for the various Android Apps out there **if they Apps have a dedicated forum or help site**.
The question that remains is: Does AE.SX become a second place for Ankidroid support or are you going to close/archive the Google Group?
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> Is it a good idea?
>
>
>
Yes and no. StackExchange is application-neutral, so unlike support in your own forum, people may and will recommend to use another app instead of yours even if the question title contained your application specifically. Therefore, **questions that refers to a specific application may be generalized so it may be answerable with other applications**.
>
> Are there metrics about when it makes sense to redirect user questions to Android Enthusiasts?
>
>
>
Although the "too localized" criteria is sometimes applied quite inconsistently, it still applies that if a question is written in a way such that only the Original Poster can benefit from the question, then it is going to be closed. **Questions in StackExchange have to satisfy the criteria of applicability to a more general audience**.
Also, we generally frown against questions that requires specific expertise in a specific application because we do not have the necessary expertise to answer the application. **Redirecting user supports to this site would only work if you also redirect application-specific experts to this site**.
Finally, the QA format of StackExchange is not suitable for extended discussion. **If a troubleshooting requires extended back and forth discussion, then this is not the right place to do so**. If a question needs extended discussion, you are certainly welcome to do it on Google Groups and then write a self-answered question that summarizes the discussion (after tidying up the unrelated discussions).
If these seems acceptable to you, I don't see any reason why you should not redirect users here for support questions.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: This question has been asked multiple times at [Meta Stack Overflow](http://meta.stackoverflow.com) for a variety of projects/tools/libraries. (Here's probably the definitive question and answer: [Is it okay to use Stack Overflow as the support forum for a product or project?](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/3966/is-it-okay-to-use-stack-overflow-as-the-support-forum-for-a-product-or-project) )
Part of the problem is that there's a good chunk of "support" that falls outside of the realm of what Android Stack Exchange is about. Feature requests, for instance. Bug reports is another. Those questions, should they get asked here, will be ruthlessly downvoted, closed, and deleted. That's not the sort of experience you want your users to have.
That said, I think it's a *good* idea for you to let your users know that you actively monitor the tag for your app(s) here. Just don't try to make this the "official support forum" for it.
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/02/08 | 569 | 2,043 | <issue_start>username_0: I've just encountered an link-only answer. What should I do now as a good Android Enthusiasts citizen?
Do link-only answers justify a 'low quality answer' mod flag?<issue_comment>username_1: **No**, the flag should be *declined*. The answer is salvageable by editing, there is no mod intervention needed. The user should have been simply downvoting the answer and leaving a comment like
>
> We expect answers on Stack Exchange to be self-contained. At the very
> least, should that link no longer work this answer becomes useless. At
> the very least, please summarize the information to be found there
> (don't just copy-paste) and use the link as a source.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_1: Yes, because the flag originated with a good intention. The mods have the ability to convert the answer to a comment and should do so.
Further Reading
* [Flag declined, link-only answer subsequently deleted](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/140062/flag-declined-link-only-answer-subsequently-deleted)
* [September 2011 Newsletter - Flags Too Often Marked [declined]](https://communitybuilding.stackexchange.com/2011/09/september-2011-newsletter/)
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: **Depends.**
As to my experience, most link-only answers I've seen are made by some user12345 with a rep of 1 and no other posts. He either does not return anyway, or simply uses user23456 next time if simply downvoted. So no benefit here from downvoting. In this case, I can think of only two possible actions:
* edit the post yourself and update it with the details from "behind the link"
* flag it for moderator attention, reason "other", and ask to have it converted to a comment (or removed, if the link is already dead)
If the user has a rep of, say, 200+, downvoting will probably cause an update of the post, as he's much concerned about his rep. So in this case I'd recommend the "downvote + comment" method from [Flow's "No" answer](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/a/1344/16575).
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/02/22 | 685 | 2,973 | <issue_start>username_0: We have the tags [translation](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/translation "show questions tagged 'translation'") (x6) and [localization](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/localization "show questions tagged 'localization'") (x65). Should the two be merged, with `translation` becoming a synonym to `localization`? The current 6 "translation questions" deal with topics very close to "localization", which would speak *for* a merge. A possible argument against could be the term "translation" being applied to content as well (as e.g. with "Google Translate").
Being unsure, I seek your opinions. Clearly, we have two options:
* Yes: Merge the two and synonymize. Optionally update the tag wiki of "localization" to make it clear.
* No: Translation should be applied to content. In this case:
+ re-tag questions closer related to "localization"
+ create a tag wiki for "translation" making clear what this tag is about
What do you think? Maybe I even missed a third option?
**EDIT:** I just noticed a third related tag: [languages](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/languages "show questions tagged 'languages'") (x76)...<issue_comment>username_1: Yes, we should merge the two: [localization](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/localization "show questions tagged 'localization'") should be the merge target, `translation` should become its synonym.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_1: No, the two should stay separate:
* [localization](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/localization "show questions tagged 'localization'") shall remain for the "technical issue" of having apps and their dialogs, hints, etc. using the local language, which will of course include "helping to translate an app" (*How can I make Android to always use my language, including all its apps?* being a possible example question). The tag wiki might need to be updated to make this clear.
* [translation](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/translation "show questions tagged 'translation'") should be used for content related questions/issues, such as e.g. problems with translation apps (Google Translate & Co) as well as questions like *How can I automatically translate web pages in the stock browser?*
+ questions tagged 'translation' but rather referring to different topics should be re-tagged
+ a tag wiki should be created for the `translation` tag to make its use clear
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Sorry for short-circuiting your vote, but this seemed pretty clear-cut to me since most of the translation questions were in fact localization questions. I've merged and synonymized.
I think [languages](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/languages "show questions tagged 'languages'") is alright to stay separate since it seems like a proper subset of localization, but I'm open to other options.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2013/03/21 | 422 | 1,656 | <issue_start>username_0: What are some things to keep in mind when writing tag wikis?
* Any tips or gotchas?
* Things to *not* do?
* Things to *always* do?<issue_comment>username_1: Keep the **wiki excerpt** short and focused on what the tag means *on this site*. For instance, [email](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/email "show questions tagged 'email'") doesn't need to describe what electronic mail is, but rather it should explain that it is for question about email on Android devices in general and the built-in default email app in particular.
Also, don't include an instruction to "see the info link below" to direct the reader to the full tag wiki. While that works on the tag info page, the wiki excerpt is displayed in multiple other places (like the mouseover window) where there is no "info" link for the reader to click.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: As there (currently) is no way to "categorize" related tags, it might also be a good idea to sum them up in the "most generic" tag of the group to make them easier to find.
For example, the [security](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/security "show questions tagged 'security'") is such a "quite generic" tag. So its tag-wiki could contain a list of related tags such as '2-step-verification', 'malware', 'antivirus', 'lost-phone', and the like.
Having such a list in a "single place" (i.e. the "declared master-tag") makes them easier to manage as well: other places (e.g. other tag-wikis) could simply refer to that place ("for other related tags, also see...") -- and the "related-list" would only need to be maintained once.
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/03/29 | 429 | 1,649 | <issue_start>username_0: Questions tagged [non-market](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/non-market "show questions tagged 'non-market'") (× 6) are all about [side-loading](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/side-loading "show questions tagged 'side-loading'") (× 17), some even carry this second tag additionally. Hence my proposal:
* merge 'non-market' into 'side-loading'
* optionally make the former a synonym to the latter, alternatively simply let it die<issue_comment>username_1: **No:** We want to keep [non-market](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/non-market "show questions tagged 'non-market'") as "app source" next to [alternative-markets](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/alternative-markets "show questions tagged 'alternative-markets'"), [amazon-appstore](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/amazon-appstore "show questions tagged 'amazon-appstore'"), and [google-play-store](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-play-store "show questions tagged 'google-play-store'"). Let's make this clear in the tag wiki.
Upvotes: 1 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_1: **Yes:** Let's merge the two, as it very likely covers the same questions/topics. The "Kindle Fire" mentioned by GAThrawn would be covered by [amazon-appstore](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/amazon-appstore "show questions tagged 'amazon-appstore'") already, and other markets are covered by [alternative-markets](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/alternative-markets "show questions tagged 'alternative-markets'").
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/04/08 | 745 | 2,940 | <issue_start>username_0: I flagged some comments from a single user as spam/promotional, and the mods have suspended the account (thanks, guys!).
I looked on the [user's page](https://android.stackexchange.com/users/30163/siuponing), and I notice it says they are temporarily suspended until April 6 **'23**.
What, exactly, is the point of a 10 year suspension? I understand the [penalty box](http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2009/04/a-day-in-the-penalty-box/) is appropriate, but I feel if it deserves an entire decade, shouldn't the account be deleted instead? In fact, the penalty box as described in the link for suspended accounts states that a suspension is anywhere from 1 day to 1 year.
I'm not arguing the suspension; I'm glad the mods are actively keeping the forums clean. It just seems worthless to keep an account around, hoping that in 10 years the user will have changed his ways.<issue_comment>username_1: IMHO: If the account was deleted, nothing would stop the user from recreating it with the exact same details. Suspending it forces the user to create an account with other details, which increases the effort required to create spam accounts.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: This is something of a fringe case. Without divulging too much in the way of "personal" information, I will simply say that the website(s) from the flagged posts were being inappropriately promoted here by multiple parties. I felt this warranted a bit of investigative work, and wanted to (for at least the time being) preserve the account's details.
The reason I chose an arbitrarily large suspension length was because anything else felt...disingenuous, to a point. I had no intention of reinstating the account at any point in the future, but as there is no "permanent" suspension - by definition, basically - I simply typed in a large number to make clear the purpose of the suspension to whomever would be receiving the suspension notice. I certainly did not expect the user to wait with bated breath for the opportunity to return in a decade with the intention of being a well-behaved community member - as you've said, that's quite unrealistic (for a number of reasons).
At this point, you'll find the account has been destroyed for now, though [onik's answer](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/a/1434/981) *is* correct in that a destroyed account can simply be re-created. Whether or not this will prove to be problematic remains to be seen, and we'll cross that bridge if we have to.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: You service meant to live more than 10 years? (Or i am wrong? This is a big project)
People are also meant to live more than 10 years?
I totaly agree with Onik's idea.
And i agree with <NAME> that there could be a change in policy disallowing creating account with same details.
But as i think details should not be banned for more than 1 or 2 years.
Upvotes: -1 |
2013/06/19 | 1,746 | 7,574 | <issue_start>username_0: Case in point, this recent question <https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/47582/published-android-app-on-playstore-and-my-email-is-now-disclosed-to-scrappers>
This question was closed by eldarerathis, in accordance to ASE's scope as defined in the faq, however I don't believe it should. The primary reason we avoid Android development question is because it overlaps with SO, and SO are better equipped to handle such questions than ASE, but this question would not be on-topic on SO.
Simply put, I'm putting into question whether or not we should keep this in the FAQ:
* Issues with the Android Market from the point of view of a developer or publisher<issue_comment>username_1: Topics related to users using the Play Store and problems using the Play Store are already on topic, there's lots of them in the [google-play-store](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-play-store "show questions tagged 'google-play-store'") tag.
It's just questions *from a developer's perspective* that are off-topic, and I think that's still the right distinction.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: [I agree with username_1](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/a/1484/440), that the rule is simply "if it's asked from a developer's perspective then the question is off-topic on Android Enthusiasts."
I like to add that it is not always easy to say which questions are clearly developer questions and which are power end-users ones. I'd like to see more tolerance for the later ones. But the mentioned question from OP is simply off-topic according the above rule.
On a side note: Maybe it would be a good idea to fill the gap between Android Enthusiasts (end-users) and stackoverflow (developers). ATM the gap is filled by external sites like XDA. But I really like the idea of a SX site for non Android API programming and Android internals questions, something like the proposed [Android Internals](http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/56636/android-internals).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: As I see it, the key issue is about allowing users to identify themselves. When I went to see Mr. Spolsky speak about SE, the first and biggest point he made is that when someone visits the front page of an SE site, they can immediately see whether the site is for them. They look at the questions, and they think, "Yes, these are the kind of questions I am interested in," or alternatively, "I have no idea what these people are talking about." Obviously, this isn't to be taken too narrowly: nobody suggests that questions about phones put off tablet users.
Looking at it that way, the debate over non-programming questions that only a developer would ask (which includes publishing questions) has these pros and cons:-
Arguments for allowing
----------------------
It would attract developers (most of whom are also users) to the site. They would be useful for answering some of the harder user questions as well. Some of the users interested in such questions are already ASE users, so the change would make the site more useful to existing users.
Occasionally, even developer-oriented questions are useful to end users. Sometimes it satisfies one's curiosity to see what happens "behind the scenes". Better understanding the relationship between app publishers and Google can help advanced users to understand quirks in the way apps interact and why they're written in particular ways. We try to spot such questions and see their usefulness from a user point-of-view, but I wouldn't claim that we're 100% successful: I'm sure there are closed questions that could be useful but were phrased in the wrong way. In addition, there may be many more that simply aren't asked because of the policy. Allowing developer-oriented questions may well improve the site for non-programmers too.
Arguments for disallowing (i.e. keeping the *status quo*)
---------------------------------------------------------
Visitors who aren't developers would see the questions written from a developer's perspective, be unable to identify with them, and thus feel less like the site is for them. How likely this is would depend on how many such questions we get, but don't forget that a feedback mechanism is at work: the more non-programming developer questions we get, the larger a fraction of the site will be developers, so the more non-programming developer questions we'll get, &c.
There's a smaller risk that showing ASE as a place where developer questions and user questions meet will increase the number of other off-topic developer questions, such as polling for user suggestions, spam advertising apps, and localized questions that only Google support can answer ("can I upload app x").
Balancing the arguments
-----------------------
So which side you're on really depends on how you weigh the risk of driving away users against the chance of attracting new users and becoming more useful to existing users; and the burden of new kinds of bad questions against the proportion of questions that turn out to be good for non-programmers.
To weigh these up, you also have to consider that there are a lot more non-programmer Android users to drive away than there are Android programmers to attract; OTOH, the programmers are more likely to already be SE users, so they're more likely to find ASE in the first place.
Whatever we decide here, I think these arguments apply almost verbatim to other kinds of non-programming developer questions. It might be worth thinking of the publishing questions as a "pilot" for allowing other kinds in future.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: I believe that these should remain off-topic. As I see it, our site is designed for and primarily used by users of the Android OS. Our audience uses apps, it doesn't develop or publish them.
When we support a niche area, such as modding system assets for example, it's supporting users in their role as users (advanced users, but users nonetheless). Users can also be publishers or developers, but supporting publishing or development is supporting an entirely different role for those users.
I think the site makes the most sense and will be most successful if we focus on users as users. As Dan says, I think that scope is better determined by how the audience views themselves than by lumping together everything related to the topic at hand.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_5: From what I've seen of questions asked by developers having issue with the Play Store, most of the questions would be closed in any event, simply because
* it was very specific to the person asking it,
* it was soliciting opinion,
* it was something only Google could answer, or
* it was rhetorical/a rant.
(I'll see if I can dig up some examples, but it'll take time.)
Further, would any of these questions have people who could answer them? We only have a few developers here; I expect most questions will remain neglected and unanswered.
Granted, this last is a chicken-and-egg problem, but would developers come here and happily co-exist with Android users?
And what about the slippery-slope issue of, "Well, you let me ask about Play Store Analytics for my app. Why won't you let me ask coding questions? All the developers are here anyway..."
I think, were we to change our policy, we'd end up with something like what we have with rooting/modding questions. Yes, we have a bunch, and some have good answers, but the really good information is elsewhere, and we're mostly just a gateway to that information. Only worse.
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/06/25 | 1,331 | 5,047 | <issue_start>username_0: The new [rework of the close vote system](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/184154/closing-changes-on-hold-unclear-too-broad-opinion-based-off-topic-reasons) has rolled out network-wide, which brings with it a handful of changes. One of these is that we can now define up to **three** sub-reasons and modify the default close reason to select from when choosing to close a question. We currently have the following choices:
Default Close Reason
====================
>
> This question does not appear to be about $Topic, within the scope
> defined in the [help].
>
>
>
Custom Close Reasons
====================
1.)
>
> Questions about **software development** are off-topic here, but can
> be asked on [Stack Overflow](https://stackoverflow.com/about).
>
>
>
2.)
>
> Questions seeking **application recommendations** are off-topic as they become obsolete quickly. [Instead, describe your situation and
> the specific problem you're trying to
> solve.](http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2010/11/qa-is-hard-lets-go-shopping/)
>
>
>
3.)
>
> (empty)
>
>
>
This leaves us with the ability to add one more and/or replace (or simply eliminate) the current two, also we can change the default close reason. So if you have suggestions, please post add them as answers here.<issue_comment>username_1: I think it might be beneficial to make the wording of the first one more broadly applicable than just "software development questions". Something like:
>
> Questions about writing and publishing Android apps, writing custom ROMs, and other topics that are primarily of concern to developers are off-topic. Consider taking advantage of [other resources](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/371/where-can-i-ask-questions-that-arent-android-enthusiast-questions) that may be appropriate for your question.
>
>
>
The reason I'm inclined to link to [Where can I ask questions that aren't Android Enthusiast questions?](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/371/where-can-i-ask-questions-that-arent-android-enthusiast-questions) instead of SO directly is that there are things in that statement (publishing and such) that SO would likely close as well.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_1: Adding onto the second one to cover other recommendation type questions seems beneficial, in my opinion. I would suggest wording along the lines of:
>
> Questions seeking app recommendations, device recommendations, or other purchasing advice are off-topic as they become obsolete quickly. [Instead, describe your situation and the specific problem you're trying to solve](http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2010/11/qa-is-hard-lets-go-shopping/).
>
>
>
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I don't think app recommendations should be a separate close reason. We turn away app recommendations for two reasons:
1. They're usually opinion-based and subjective.
2. There are usually many apps, any of which might be the best answer for the OP. We end up with one or two recommendations per answer, with no definitive answer.
If the question falls under 1, then we have the new "opinion-based" close reason to deal with it. If it falls under 2, then we have the new reason "too broad". If the question isn't opinion-based, and doesn't need a list, then why are we closing it?
IMO we already have a problem with people flagging or VTCing questions that describe the problem the questioner wants solved and then end with, "Is there an app that can do that?" Adding an "app recommendation" close reason will, I think, encourage the knee-jerk reaction. I'd rather see flaggers and VTCers (and commenters) think about what's *actually wrong* with a question before hitting the button.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: My suggestion
>
> Questions on Android Enthusiasts should be asked from a end-user point
> of view and within the scope defined in the [help].
>
>
>
Not sure if my english is good enough to sound natural. @Native speakers: Feel free to edit and improve. @All: Your comments are welcome :)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: >
> This question is about unauthorized copying of apps, or otherwise violating software copyright. For legal reasons, and to support the Android ecosystem, we don't accept questions that facilitate piracy.
>
>
>
We don't get that many piracy questions, but there are occasional ones, so we might as well be ready for them.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Since we still had one empty slot and given the fact that I encountered a few of such questions in the last week, I added the following off-topic reason;
>
> Questions which are Android-independent, such as "Does Carrier X have
> prepaid plans?", are off-topic. Consider taking advantage of [other
> resources](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/371/where-can-i-ask-questions-that-arent-android-enthusiast-questions)
> that may be appropriate for your question.
>
>
>
It still needs approval by another mod and is up for discussion.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/06/29 | 878 | 3,647 | <issue_start>username_0: I recently came across [this answer](https://android.stackexchange.com/a/48234/23379) and found out that the answering user has provided his email address in `username (at) domain (dot) com` format.
Even though I overlooked it, on a second thought it occurred to me that the primary goal of the Android Enthusiasts (or any other StackExchange site for that matter) might be lost, as we all are here to help and get help in a way that *even* third parties1 are also benefited.
So my question is should we or should we not allow these kinds of practices in the site? If yes, up to what extent should this be done? What if there is a (rare) case that the answers cannot be obtained without some direct help, which involves some level of discretion? What are the options available to such a user?
Current resources available are,
* Gallery chat rooms
* Hosing a file (in a file sharing service)
---
1General public who are not members of StackExchange<issue_comment>username_1: One thing I certainly miss from time to time is the possibility to directly contact an ASE co-member. Especially when new users are involved which at the same time are also beginners concerning Android, communication gets difficult. What do we have for those cases?
* **Comments:** they often have a lot of ping-pong in these cases, as the OP has difficulties getting the point and providing the required details, or gets lost in the process. So it usually doesn't take that long until the message appears to continue this in...
* **Chat:** Pretty good place to go into details, absolve the "ping-pong-process" to obtain necessary information and walk through the steps of possible solutions. Trouble is: when it's needed most, its not available -- as new users lack the required reputation.
So we either have extended discussions in comments, or... nothing in some cases. This is quite frustrating for both sides.
**What could be done?**
This might be one point why people leave their mail addresses (though in most cases, I'd say its not -- but rather "I am no frequent user, and get no information by mail when comments/answers pop up. As I'm too lazy to check, please mail me"). If the essence of the correspondation is brought back to the post, that's fine -- but I doubt they will take the time, once the issue is settled.
I'd rather wish for a lower limit to chat, **limited to such cases**. A possible feature would be: **Higher-rep user can "invite" even new users *to a private/separate chat room***, where the issue could be settled (others could of course join-in this discussion, given the required reputation or invitation). With this feature, leaving a mail address would lack its purpose (and could even be exchanged in chat then), and I'd vote to "edit it out".
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: A [similar question](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/23351/can-i-give-out-my-e-mail-here) has already been asked in StackOverflow meta.
Since StackExchange is a Q&A site, solving the problem via email would defeat the purpose of the site, which is to exchange answers publicly so that others can benefit from them.
In some cases, I think e-mail might be acceptable if a file has to be sent, and it cannot be posted publicly on a filesharing site. *But if that file is company-confidential, it should not be shared to others, by any means.* Another case might be if it's something that cannot be accessed by someone because of internet filtering (e.g. screenshots are blocked, because it is hosted on a blocked site).
But wherever possible, everything should be shared publicly.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer] |
2013/07/03 | 932 | 3,524 | <issue_start>username_0: Just asked
[View a PDF with two columns by displaying it one column by one column](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/48467/view-a-pdf-with-two-columns-as-one-column/48470#48470)
and got the comment by @Izzy that it is OT.
On the other hand, a related question,
[How can I view a PDF in 2-up?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/6290/how-can-i-view-a-pdf-in-2-up?rq=1)
was migrated to AE. Is it my precise wording that is wrong? Should I have rephrased it as "I have problems with my preinstalled viewer, viewing two-column documents, what shall I do?".<issue_comment>username_1: The short answer, of course, is that you can't expect decisions made by humans to be consistent.
The longer answer is that what's off-topic and on-topic is not determined by one user's comment on a question, but by the democratic process of [voting to close](https://android.stackexchange.com/help/closed-questions). On a wider scale, discussion here on meta sets a [written policy for what is on- and off-topic](https://android.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic), and it's then down to individual users and moderators to decide each question.
App recommendations and other kinds of "shopping advice" are off-topic because they're often opinion-based and subjective. Sometimes the only objectively correct answer can be the list of search results from Google Play: but this is only correct until someone releases a new app, or discontinues an old one. Questions where you have a specific problem to solve - one that you can't easily search for in Google Play - are on-topic even if the answer happens to be "such-and-such app can do that".
Different users and moderators draw the line between those two kinds of question in different places. Some users are very quick on the trigger, and close any question that includes, "Is there an app that can do this?" to encourage the questioner to think more about the problem he's trying to solve (and to edit the question accordingly). Some users are more inclined to look to the underlying problem and ignore the exact wording of the question.
Of course, because the decisions are made by the community, whether a borderline question is closed or not depends on who voted that time, and maybe even on what mood they were in that day or how well they understood what the question really meant. Requiring five votes to close a question smooths out the inconsistencies somewhat, but it's still easy to find pairs of similar questions where one was closed and one wasn't.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Shopping questions are off-topic within the whole SX network. This fact and the '[avoid the XY problem](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/66377/what-is-the-xy-problem)' suggestion resulted in the following [help](https://android.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic) text about on- and off-topic questions:
>
> Please note the following topics are expressly off-topic here:
>
>
> * ...
> * ... or "Can you suggest an app that does X?"
>
>
>
So if you make sure that your question is on-topic, simply ask
>
> How can I view a 2-column PDF column by column?
>
>
>
instead of
>
> Is there a PDF viewer that displays a 2-column PDF column by column?
>
>
>
I'd like to encourage all users to edit those questions that don't follow this rule, instead of casting a close vote! Usually only [some small changes](https://android.stackexchange.com/posts/48467/revisions) are required to get a perfect on-topic question.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/07/04 | 1,271 | 5,171 | <issue_start>username_0: This is presumably going to become more relevant, and have a bigger backlog over time as things change, but what's prompted this thought right now is [Google's recent closure and total shut-down of Google Reader](http://googlereader.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/a-final-farewell.html).
Now that there is absolutely no way to use either the Google Reader website, the Android Google Reader app, or the Google Reader API an awful lot of the questions in [google-reader](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/google-reader "show questions tagged 'google-reader'") just aren't relevant or useful any more. While some of them are really more generic RSS related questions that happen to have the Google Reader tag, many of the others are very specific question about the app or service. While I don't think that these necessarily need deleting (there are answers on there that were previously good and useful, and they don't deserve to lose the associated rep just because things have changed), there's also no reason to leave the question open when it's never going to receive another good answer.
Previously these would have been a good candidate to "Vote-To-Close" as "[Too Localized](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/1254/what-makes-a-question-too-localized)" *(in time)* but [there is no "Too Localized" reason any more](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/1489/what-should-our-new-off-topic-close-reasons-be). What should we do with these types of questions?
Edit: should probably also point out that Google Reader is just a topical example. In the future this could also apply to many other commonly used services that rely on a backend provided by a single company, eg Facebook, GMail, Twitter, Skydrive, Flickr, Dropbox and so on.<issue_comment>username_1: I fully agree with the question. And checking our closure reasons, there's nothing that matches this case. As I already mentioned in chat: Maybe we should propose an appropriate closure reason on Meta SE; I was thinking about something like "NLR" (no-longer-relevant), as matching the "too localized *(in time)"* (this term also would avoid the confusion we had in the past about what "too localized" means).
I further agree they should be closed, but not deleted (as already described in the question). Not only for the rep, but also for reference. Though specific to *Google Reader*, parts of those answers might prove useful in other context as well.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: As you say, there's no particular reason to leave these questions open. At the same time, there doesn't seem to be a compelling reason to close them either.
The risks/costs of leaving them open are:
* Users might answer them inappropriately. On the face of it, this seems unlikely: nobody's even likely to add a "me too" or "thanks" answer any more.
* 'Community' might occasionally bump unanswered questions to the front page, making it look stale.
The risks/costs of closing are:
* Someone has to actually go through and close all the questions. In this case, there are only 20, but that's still time that could be better spent.
* Some of the questions might still be relevant and attract further useful answers. Maybe they're tagged 'google-reader' but actually apply to any RSS reader, or to other apps that sync to the 'cloud'. Questions can be re-opened later, but that's an extra barrier to a user who just wants to add some relevant information: they'll probably go away instead of trying to get the question re-opened.
Unless these questions are doing some harm to the site, I don't think it's worth closing them.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: tl;dr as long as there is no appropriate close reason, leave them open
I would leave them untouched. There is no real problem with them continuing to exist. One could argue that they will show up as irrelevant search results, and if closed they could be filtered out if the search is made with `isclosed:0`. But that's the only real argument I can think of.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: Questions about apps that no longer exist, especially those tied to a service that is no longer available, are of no use to anyone. These questions should be closed and, in the fullness of time, deleted. They're useless clutter.
Fortunately, people who have gained reputation from upvotes and/or bounties on such questions (and their answers)—in the event they are deleted—will get to keep their reputation if the question or answer has been visible on the site for 60 days and scored 3 or higher. ([source](http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2012/03/reputation-and-historical-archives/))
For what it's worth, [Web Apps](http://webapps.stackexchange.com) has a custom off-topic reason for just this sort of scenario:
>
> Questions on applications that no longer exist are off-topic for Web Applications as no one will ever be able to make use of the answers again. Rest in peace, dear departed app - you will be missed.
>
>
>
([Related discussion](https://webapps.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/1090/how-should-questions-about-defunct-services-be-handled))
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/07/15 | 1,104 | 4,419 | <issue_start>username_0: ### Problem at hand:
The question "[How do you link to applications in the Android market?](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/345/16265)" is being marked as duplicate of the closed question "[How to post a link to an android market app? [duplicate]](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/609/16265)", that in turn mentions the first one as duplicate, causing an infinite cycle.
This appears to happen more often that it should and I am not sure of what's the appropriated action to take with this scenario.
### What should be done?
Should this questions be flagged as to report the issue *or* should one just skip this subject on the review for close votes (assuming that there's already a method to deal with this...) ?
---
### For the sake of future reference, here's some screenshots:
<issue_comment>username_1: I fully agree with the question. And checking our closure reasons, there's nothing that matches this case. As I already mentioned in chat: Maybe we should propose an appropriate closure reason on Meta SE; I was thinking about something like "NLR" (no-longer-relevant), as matching the "too localized *(in time)"* (this term also would avoid the confusion we had in the past about what "too localized" means).
I further agree they should be closed, but not deleted (as already described in the question). Not only for the rep, but also for reference. Though specific to *Google Reader*, parts of those answers might prove useful in other context as well.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: As you say, there's no particular reason to leave these questions open. At the same time, there doesn't seem to be a compelling reason to close them either.
The risks/costs of leaving them open are:
* Users might answer them inappropriately. On the face of it, this seems unlikely: nobody's even likely to add a "me too" or "thanks" answer any more.
* 'Community' might occasionally bump unanswered questions to the front page, making it look stale.
The risks/costs of closing are:
* Someone has to actually go through and close all the questions. In this case, there are only 20, but that's still time that could be better spent.
* Some of the questions might still be relevant and attract further useful answers. Maybe they're tagged 'google-reader' but actually apply to any RSS reader, or to other apps that sync to the 'cloud'. Questions can be re-opened later, but that's an extra barrier to a user who just wants to add some relevant information: they'll probably go away instead of trying to get the question re-opened.
Unless these questions are doing some harm to the site, I don't think it's worth closing them.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: tl;dr as long as there is no appropriate close reason, leave them open
I would leave them untouched. There is no real problem with them continuing to exist. One could argue that they will show up as irrelevant search results, and if closed they could be filtered out if the search is made with `isclosed:0`. But that's the only real argument I can think of.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: Questions about apps that no longer exist, especially those tied to a service that is no longer available, are of no use to anyone. These questions should be closed and, in the fullness of time, deleted. They're useless clutter.
Fortunately, people who have gained reputation from upvotes and/or bounties on such questions (and their answers)—in the event they are deleted—will get to keep their reputation if the question or answer has been visible on the site for 60 days and scored 3 or higher. ([source](http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2012/03/reputation-and-historical-archives/))
For what it's worth, [Web Apps](http://webapps.stackexchange.com) has a custom off-topic reason for just this sort of scenario:
>
> Questions on applications that no longer exist are off-topic for Web Applications as no one will ever be able to make use of the answers again. Rest in peace, dear departed app - you will be missed.
>
>
>
([Related discussion](https://webapps.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/1090/how-should-questions-about-defunct-services-be-handled))
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/07/23 | 540 | 2,025 | <issue_start>username_0: My question (link [here](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/49745/my-clock-has-disappeared)) originally had a [htc](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/htc "show questions tagged 'htc'") tag. Then another user edited it to remove [htc](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/htc "show questions tagged 'htc'") and added [htc-desire-x](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/htc-desire-x "show questions tagged 'htc-desire-x'") instead. I felt both the tags are relevant and added [htc](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/htc "show questions tagged 'htc'") back. But the user again edited my post to remove [htc](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/htc "show questions tagged 'htc'"). Before getting into a toggle edit fight, I was wondering if it's against rules to have both the tags in a question?<issue_comment>username_1: It is not against the rule, though putting the two is useless (if you do a "htc" search, all `htc-` tags will show up). I just think that if your problem concern only one particular device, it should have `htc-device` as tag but not `htc`. `htc` tag should be used for problems related to all HTC in general.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: The manufacturer tags like [htc](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/htc "show questions tagged 'htc'") are more of a catch-all for when there isn't a more specific tag that applies (eg for obscure/unusual/new phone models), they're not needed if there's a more specific tag that applies, so aren't normally used, unless your problem is related to everything HTC related, which is rare.
Looking at the question, your problem could well be related to the HTC Sense custom interface, home screen and widgets that HTC add onto most of their phones now, so adding [htc-sense](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/htc-sense "show questions tagged 'htc-sense'") tag in addition would make sense.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer] |
2013/08/03 | 737 | 3,317 | <issue_start>username_0: I struggled for a while reading [this question](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/50469/16265) where the OP was asking for a consistent answer about the Android battery, battery calibration and battery usage.
He pointed out several answers from different users that present a conflict on advices on how should an Android user proceed with battery maintenance and usage.
The question raised on my head after reading this was:
```
Are we giving the appropriated information about battery usage and maintenance?
```
that in turn lead me here to discuss this matter, because if we've got contradictory information, some one is wrong or the specifics of each situation require a more careful explanation about the battery maintenance and usage.
---
Should we have a canonical question e.g.:
How do I take care of the battery of my device?
===============================================
I believe *for now*, that this question would have an answer covering each scenario, or a single answer pointing to individual already existent answers for each scenario.<issue_comment>username_1: Good point, I shared (and still share) Zuul's concern. Alternative to a question/answer summing up things and pointing to the corresponding answers, this summary could be **placed in the corrsponding tag-wikis** ([calibration](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/calibration "show questions tagged 'calibration'"), [battery](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/battery "show questions tagged 'battery'")), including links to each other and to the corresponding questions – as it is already done for many other topics ([lost-phone](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/lost-phone "show questions tagged 'lost-phone'"), [backup](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/backup "show questions tagged 'backup'") to name some examples).
I know this still leaves the question I raised earlier: how can we draw more attention to the tag wikis. I often encounter questions even using the correct tags, where the answer is given in the tags' wiki already. But as with duplicates, some users tend to go straight asking their questions without doing any search either. The big advantage of placing such information in the corresponding tag wikis is: it makes it easy to find, without having to use a search at all. For this reason, even if decided for a "canonical question/answer", this should at least be linked to from the corresponding tag (as we should do for the [update](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/update "show questions tagged 'update'") tag and the "how do I update my device [to Android x.y.]" questions, to make them easier to find.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I think this is out of our domain. Most of this is really about the physical properties of batteries in general, and not Android or Android device batteries specifically.
I also think a lot of the conflicting answers are due to the fact that different batteries (even of the same type, like lithium ion) respond differently to different charge and discharge strategies. And manufacturers certainly do things differently on a hardware level to interact with the battery. So I don't think there is an appropriate canonical answer to be had.
Upvotes: 0 |
2013/08/08 | 668 | 2,762 | <issue_start>username_0: I created an account to contribute an to an issue. Now I see that I can't.
I have no idea what hoops I should be jumping through to contribute, but I don't think there should be any.
I need 50 reputation, whatever that means. I'm sure that kills a lot of posts. There are thousands of sites like this one that require you to join to comment. They all want you to hang out, have coffee, make them your home. Not.
My brand new Nexus 7 is having random wifi connect issues. But I can't comment on the thread about it.<issue_comment>username_1: If you don't take any time to learn anything about the site you're visiting, it's not going to work for you. [Start here](https://android.stackexchange.com/help/whats-reputation).
We're not *obligated* to help you, and we **are** a community-led site. Driveby comments that can be left by anyone are not in our best interest. You will notice that you don't even need to sign up to post a question or answer, however.
Without knowing what question you're referring to or what your comment would be, it's hard to help you further.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: As you've noticed, you need more reputation points to comment on someone else's post than to ask or answer a question. Why's that? Because new users don't always understand how this site is different from a web forum or a mailing list. They don't always realise that Stack Exchange sites have *questions* and *answers*, rather than threads and replies. Sometimes, new users think it's appropriate to add a comment to a question to say, "I'm having the same problem too," or to "bump the thread". **That's not how this site works.** Comments like that don't add anything to the site, so we don't want them. If you're having the same problem as someone else, you can *star* the question to be notified of new answers.
I notice that you used the term "thread" in your question. Perhaps you've fallen into the same trap: it's an easy enough misunderstanding to make until you read the FAQ or use the site for a while. That misunderstanding is exactly what the privilege system is for. Once upon a time, it was customary to *lurk* on a mailing list or BBS (that is, to read the site without posting), so that you can learn the conventions and the culture of the site rather than posting in the wrong place. The privilege system exists, in part, to help keep that custom alive here.
It's up to you whether you participate or not. As you say, there are are plenty of web fora out there if that's all you want. But if you stick around, I think you'll find, as I have, that Stack Exchange's reputation and privileges help keep the quality of discourse more productive than you find on the average forum or mailing list.
Upvotes: 3 |
2013/08/10 | 744 | 2,948 | <issue_start>username_0: I decided to cast a close vote on a question. Should I also down vote the question? When is it good practice to also down vote?<issue_comment>username_1: I'm happy about any feedback on this proposed answer.
It depends on many factors. For example on whenever you think the question is salvageable by editing. If you are able to edit the question to prevent the close vote, consider doing so. Editing is always the best solution.
But if the question is for example unclear, then cast the close vote and motivate questioner to add more information. A down vote is usually not necessary then.
Finally if the question has severe problems that are most likely not solvable, then consider to cast also a downvote with your close vote. [Closed, negative score questions will automatically get deleted after 9 days.](https://meta.stackexchange.com/a/92006/156683) They don't have to go through the vote to delete process.
Background: Before 2013-08-05, certain closed questions received an automatic downvote from community. This process took care to keep AE's delete vote queue short by creating mostly negative score closed questions, [but the behavior was changed.](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/190947/is-it-time-to-be-rid-of-automatic-down-votes-on-certain-closed-questions)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Already asked on StackOverflow Meta:
* [Downvotes versus close votes on questions](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/33286/downvotes-versus-close-votes-on-questions)
* [When to downvote, when to close vote, when to do both?](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/87715/when-to-downvote-when-to-close-vote-when-to-do-both)
---
**EDIT #1:** After username_1 edited his question, my personal comment earlier is no longer relevant. However, I still agree on the Answer on the SO Meta posts above.
Generally, we should edit to make the question clearer. If it's lacking information, we ask for clarifications via comments. We ask them to edit that into their question, or we update it ourselves, based on their comments.
We can either be proactive or guide them to read the guidelines. *But I prefer to be more proactive, as if I were gathering requirements from the customer.* We ask in a way that we get what we exactly need to make it understandable for us and for everybody.
Regarding edits (and based on recent experience), chances are we may not always get it right. *It happens.* We're either too tired to understand / interpret it correctly (or it's not in our domain of expertise). OR, it could be that the question itself is too confusing to be rephrased. BUT, we can try to make it simpler and easier to read / understand. If our interpretation was wrong, the OP can always comment or improve our attempts to edit. This is peer review in action; we can't always be right.
When all else fails - meaning, the question is helpless - the VTC and downvotes come in.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/08/14 | 2,490 | 9,542 | <issue_start>username_0: A User just marked three different questions and three different answers as duplicates and I challenge anyone to review them.
1. [Heimdall errors, “ERROR: Failed to detect compatible download-mode device.”](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/51198/7425)
2. [Heimdall errors, “ERROR: Partition ”recovery“ does not exist in the specified PIT.”](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/51065/7425)
3. [Heimdall errors, “ERROR: Failed to confirm end of file transfer sequence!”](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/51062/7425)
According to @t0mmb13b, 1 is a dupe of 2. 2 is a dupe of 3. And, 3 is a dupe of 1 and 2. This is nothing short of a total failure to read any of them. I took time to enter these errors into android.stackexchange.com. I didn't do it for me, I did it for others that may run into these problems with Heimdall. **They're all self-answered**. And, all of these shared a similar format in the title for easy disambiguation by visitors and search engines. All of these errors are caused by different symptoms so I'll summarize them here.
**The numbers correspond to the above**
1. This is caused by the device not being in *download mode*. The device must be put in a different mode.
2. This is caused by the command's partition argument being lowercase. This is really awkward for a Linux/GNU guy, because `heimdall (5)` breaks convention, that `--argument` is the same as `--ARGUMENT`, what should have happened is that `heimdall` should have done `--partition_name "ARGUMENT"` instead. For those who make these most basic-assumptions about Linux utilities, Heimdall is likely to cause confusion. The error message heimdall produces is also useless for most people.
3. This is caused by a bug in a release candidate of `heimdall`. It simply needs to be updated. Why is this important if it's just a release candidate then? Simple, `heimdall` is frozen at 1.4rc1 in the [Ubuntu repository](https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/heimdall-flash).
Users need to read the questions and answers before they comment. This kind of closing of questions and answers just discourages involvement. The onus can't be on the submitter to explain why his stuff is different when the judge, jury, and executioner was simply too lazy to read.<issue_comment>username_1: Your [initial post](https://android.meta.stackexchange.com/revisions/1558/1) was way to offensive. I am considering to delete it all together and taking additional measures, but first I want say a few words.
There is absolutely no need to insult anyone. A user voted on some of your questions, so what? Nothing happened, and even if something had happened: Everything within the Stackexchange network can be reverted.
>
> Users need to read the questions and answers before they comment. This
> kind of closing of questions and answers just discourages involvement.
> The onus can't be on the submitter to explain why his stuff is
> different when the judge, jury, and executioner was simply too lazy to
> read.
>
>
>
Why is it a problem to explain why you think your questions aren't duplicates, if somebody else doesn't think so? What's wrong with a discussion to find a consensus? Besides, nothing has happened, there was no 'executioner' involved.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: Having read the original revision of your post, I'm a little surprised that such an experienced user wouldn't have a better way of dealing with his posts being VTC'ed. Things may be different in the crowded, shouty city of Stack Overflow, but ASE is above all a friendly site. Mistakes happen sometimes, and if we think someone has made a bad call, we try to persuade them civilly and rationally, without name-calling or hyperbole. It's a struggle sometimes, and everyone has an off day now and then, but it makes the site more rewarding for everyone and ultimately more involving. If you think you can manage to join us in a friendly discussion, then we can help resolve any problems together. If you can't manage that, then the warning that we are discouraging your involvement won't trouble us greatly.
I must admit that I was a little uncertain when I read your posts. We've occasionally had problems on ASE with users posting several similar questions to promote a commercial product, or some very confused users trying to get a tutorial by asking about one step at a time (e.g. "How do I install adb?" "What custom ROM can I use for this device?" "How do I install Odin?" "How do I connect this device to my computer?" "How do I unlock the bootloader?" etc. instead of simply "How do I install a custom ROM?"). And we sometimes get one user re-posting the same completely off-topic question over and over, with slightly different wordings, to try to get it considered on-topic.
For this reason, when I saw a succession of (on the face of it) similar questions, all self-answered, all from the same user, I was immediately on the alert: not because of anything particularly wrong with the questions, but because we've had problems with similar-looking questions. It took me quite some reflection, and reading the questions several times, to convince myself that you're "on the level" (i.e. that you're posting in good faith, and that you understand we're not trying to be Wikipedia). The regular users on the site are quite a mix: some (like me) are developers, some make a living through Android in various ways, and some are just keen users who don't touch the command-line if they can help it. Given all of these factors, I'm not at all surprised that a close-vote was thrown in haste.
As you're an experienced user on other SE sites, I know you don't really believe that one close-vote constitutes an "execution". But if it troubles you so much, I can think of some things you might do next time to avoid even that:-
1. Phrase your question as a question. None of your posts contains a question. They're all just error messages and transcripts of terminal sessions. If you weren't answering your own question, we'd say, "What are you asking? Is it 'what does the error mean?' or 'how can I get past it?' What are you trying to achieve when you get this error?" In fact, if your aim is to make posts that are useful to future visitors, I'd recommend that you add those details now, to make the questions more understandable. It should have the side-effect of making it easier to see that they're not the same question.
2. If you're planning something a little out-of-the-ordinary, such as a 'dump' of useful information on one topic, it doesn't hurt to drop into our chat-room and let us know that you're going to do it. Or ask on meta, "I just did some stuff with Heimdall. Is it OK if I post a series of questions and answer them myself, to document the problems I overcame?" (The answer will certainly be yes: the idea's not to get permission, but to alert us.) It's not *necessary*, but that way, it won't be a surprise to the regulars, and we are less likely to jump to conclusions or get 'trigger-happy'.
To reiterate: I don't think there's anything wrong with your questions. On ASE, we're just not used to getting helpful content in this manner. When we get several similar posts from one user, it's more commonly spam or otherwise unhelpful. I can see why you might be irritated that someone made a bad call in this case, and if you can rise above that irritation and stay civil, we'll respect you all the more for it.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_3: Alright, let's see here what I interpreted, to let others see.
Links enclosed for reference:
* [Heimdall errors, "ERROR: Failed to detect compatible download-mode device."](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/51198/heimdall-errors-error-failed-to-detect-compatible-download-mode-device) - Screen dump, with heimdall v1.4.0 no question asked, this was asked 12 hours ago. The log dump indicated this - `$ sudo heimdall flash --RECOVERY recovery.img` - ok so I thought, its a flashing problem, the answer to that was resolved in said answer.
>
> $ sudo adb reboot download then proceed to flash it.
>
>
>
* [Heimdall errors, "ERROR: Partition "recovery" does not exist in the specified PIT."](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/51065/heimdall-errors-error-partition-recovery-does-not-exist-in-the-specified-pi) - Screen dump, with heimdall version 1.4.0 asked, 2 days ago, log dump indicated this - `$ sudo heimdall flash --recovery ./clockworkmod_6.0.3.2_jfltespr.img --no-reboot`, hmm, ok, another flashing recovery problem - the answer, again resolved
>
> heimdall flash --RECOVERY ./clockworkmod\_6.0.3.2\_jfltespr.img --no-reboot
>
>
>
* [Heimdall errors, "ERROR: Failed to confirm end of file transfer sequence!"](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/51062/heimdall-errors-error-failed-to-confirm-end-of-file-transfer-sequence) - Screen dump, no question asked, heimdall version 1.4.0 RC 1, with log indicating `sudo heimdall flash --RECOVERY ./recovery.img --no-reboot` - oh! Another flashing problem again, answered with a bug in the Heimdall package that shipped with Ubuntu and having to upgrade the package from official Heimdall site.
That is where I understood all three of them are all linked.
Try understand what others would perceive of your line of questioning in relation to Heimdall, all *related to flashing recovery* which is why I flagged them as duplicates and vote-closed. I even suggested in a helpful comment to try re-edit the questions by consolidating them, in that last linky posted.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/08/14 | 680 | 2,646 | <issue_start>username_0: There are 19 questions tagged [remote-control](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/remote-control "show questions tagged 'remote-control'").
There are 7 questions tagged [remote-access](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/remote-access "show questions tagged 'remote-access'"). (Of these, 5 are also tagged [remote-control](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/remote-control "show questions tagged 'remote-control'"); 2 are not.)
What's the difference between the two tags? Should they be merged?<issue_comment>username_1: I would agree to merging them.
[remote-control](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/remote-control "show questions tagged 'remote-control'") is described as as:
>
> Remotely control your Android device **from any other device/computer**,
> or vice versa.
>
>
>
[remote-access](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/remote-access "show questions tagged 'remote-access'") is described as:
>
> Methods to remotely access a device **from another device**, where at
> least one of the two should be running Android.
>
>
>
Interestingly, [remote-desktop](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/remote-desktop "show questions tagged 'remote-desktop'") is a synonym of [remote-access](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/remote-access "show questions tagged 'remote-access'"), which makes it even more confusing if Al Everett describes [remote-control](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/remote-control "show questions tagged 'remote-control'") as seeing the "desktop".
**UPDATE #1:** However, we could probably make a distinction between:
* Accessing an Android device from another device (may or may not be an Android device)
* Accessing a non-Android device from an Android device
However, the second point may be useless, given that it may be via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Maybe de-synonym [remote-desktop](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/remote-desktop "show questions tagged 'remote-desktop'") for Android-controlling-non-Android and use [remote-access](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/remote-access "show questions tagged 'remote-access'") for controlling-Android-from-anything.
Also, perhaps [remote-control](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/remote-control "show questions tagged 'remote-control'") could be repurposed for questions regarding the IR emitters some devices (Samsung GS4 and Galaxy Mega, HTC One, LG Optimus G Pro, etc.) are starting to include.
Upvotes: 1 |
2013/08/21 | 322 | 1,306 | <issue_start>username_0: Is this the best site to be asking about the Android command line? Because many of the commands are different than on my Unix-like system.<issue_comment>username_1: It depends a little. IMHO it is clearly on-topic as long as it is user-oriented (and not development-oriented), even it might be a "power-user's terrain". And even more on-topic if it's clearly something Android specific (as you've already indicated, many commands are "a little different", e.g. not all options are available to them).
But as you've asked for "the best site", there's also a second point to consider: If it's a generic quesion on available commands, or how to deal with things like redirecting output, piping, listing directories etc., that might fit better on either [Unix & Linux](https://unix.stackexchange.com/) or [Super User](https://superuser.com/) (at least you should *check* the questions there before, as you might find yours already answered).
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I would have to say that this is definitely the right place to be asking about the command line, especially when it is Android specific.
[Can I trigger a media scan via the command line?](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/51784/can-i-trigger-a-media-scan-via-the-the-command-line/)
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/09/18 | 1,105 | 4,084 | <issue_start>username_0: [Froyo](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/2696/when-will-my-phone-get-the-android-2-2-update-froyo) and [Gingerbread](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/2695/when-will-my-phone-get-the-android-2-3-update-gingerbread) each added a lot of changes compared to their predecessors. [Honeycomb](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/7680/when-will-my-device-get-the-android-3-x-update-honeycomb) caused a lot of confusion, what with it only ever being available for a very few tablets. [Ice Cream Sandwich](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/14766/when-will-my-device-get-the-android-4-0-update-ice-cream-sandwich) was a big deal, with a *lot* of changes. Each of the [Jelly](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/24575) [Bean](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/32589) [iterations](https://android.stackexchange.com/q/49832), less so (although "Project Butter" was a significant improvement).
The idea with the first of these Community Wiki questions was to act as a repository of knowledge and to short-circuit the plethora of "When will {name of device} get Android {version}?" questions that we saw.
**Are these still needed?**
By all indications, the Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 (KitKat®) are going to be released in about four weeks. The last few Nexus devices will get it (those not encumbered by carrier customizations, that is, like my Verizon Galaxy Nexus) and the flagship devices of the big OEMs within a few months.
But will we really be saving ourselves from a bunch of "When will {name of device} get Android 4.4?" questions if we make another Community Wiki?
Google has done a lot to move key functionality out of the OS into updateable apps/services. (By golly, remember when we had to get an Android update to get a new Gmail?) There's not much of anything in Android 4.3 that I feel like I'm missing on my VZW GNex at 4.2.2. Things are much different now than when a new version of the OS made the device feel brand new.
Also, it takes time and effort to keep those lists updated. Even though they're Community Wiki, I've only ever seen a handful of people add information to the answers. Plus, they get out-dated. No one is clamoring for information on Froyo or Gingerbread, and few are still looking for information on Ice Cream Sandwich. Anyone still on prior versions there have resigned themselves to the version they have or have taking the plunge with a custom ROM.
So, should we continue to create and maintain these Community Wiki Android version questions/answers?
More importantly, if we don't, **how should we handle the inevitable *"When will {name of device} get Android {version}?"* questions?**<issue_comment>username_1: 4.3 hasn't seen much action (it hasn't been long), but the questions for 4.1 and 4.2 each have over 20k views.
By comparison, the average question got less than 1.8k views in the last year (my calculation assumes no older questions got views, which is obviously wrong).
There are definitely problems with these questions but besides being massive drivers of traffic, they're also pretty highly voted. People want them.
I see the direction Google is going, but I don't think we should follow suit until our audience does.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I second Matthew's thoughts: we do need to do something for this situation. We still get a lot of "Can I install 4.2 on my $phone?" questions, and at the moment the only alternative course of action is to answer them all individually (if anyone bothers answering them).
I for one wouldn't be sorry to see the "When will my device get..." questions go: they're necessarily going to be incomplete, and they're a time sink to keep up-to-date. But the second half of your question, the part you haven't set in bold, the part no one is answering; that's the important part. How else should we handle the inevitable "When will {name of device} get Android {version}?" questions? If someone proposes an alternative, we can debate it. I'm afraid I have no ideas, and it looks like no one else does either.
Upvotes: 2 |
2013/09/23 | 1,294 | 3,987 | <issue_start>username_0: Perhaps we can rename [nexus-7](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/nexus-7 "show questions tagged 'nexus-7'") to [nexus-7-2012](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/nexus-7-2012 "show questions tagged 'nexus-7-2012'"), and create a new [nexus-7-2013](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/nexus-7-2013 "show questions tagged 'nexus-7-2013'") for the 2nd generation tablet.<issue_comment>username_1: As per my comment on the question itself, if the differences between those generations justify separate tags, we should handle that similar to [samsung-galaxy-tab-2-7](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/samsung-galaxy-tab-2-7 "show questions tagged 'samsung-galaxy-tab-2-7'") for two reasons:
1. consistency
2. easier handling (nobody will stick to the year in the tag, most will even confuse it)
From the [samsung-galaxy-tab-2-7](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/samsung-galaxy-tab-2-7 "show questions tagged 'samsung-galaxy-tab-2-7'") tag wiki: *It is the successor to the original Galaxy Tab 7.0* – so we have the same issue here.
so IMHO we should keep the [nexus-7](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/nexus-7 "show questions tagged 'nexus-7'") tag as-is, and (if necessary) just add a [nexus-2-7](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/nexus-2-7 "show questions tagged 'nexus-2-7'") (though I wonder if it shouldn't be `nexus-7-2` for "Nexus 7, 2nd generation", and `samsung-galaxy-tab-7-2` respective).
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I think it should be [nexus-7-2012](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/nexus-7-2012 "show questions tagged 'nexus-7-2012'") and [nexus-7-2013](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/nexus-7-2013 "show questions tagged 'nexus-7-2013'").
Here's my reasoning:
1. [Nexus 7 (2012)](https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Nexus_7_2012_16GB?id=nexus_7_16gb) is what Google themselves calls the old device on the Play Store.
2. The wikipedia articles on the devices are [Nexus 7 (2012 version)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nexus_7_%282012_version%29) and [Nexus 7 (2013 version)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nexus_7_%282013_version%29).
3. [A Google search shows 102 million hits](https://www.google.ca/search?q=%22nexus%207%202013%22) for "Nexus 7 2013", versus only [33.8 million for "Nexus 7 2"](https://www.google.ca/search?q=%22nexus%207%202%22), and [a mere 3.5 million for "Nexus 7 2nd generation"](https://www.google.ca/search?q=%22nexus%207%202nd%20generation%22) so the former is clearly the more common naming.
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_1: Being afraid the year-tagging may lead to confusion, another alternative would be [nexus-7-2nd](https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/nexus-7-2nd "show questions tagged 'nexus-7-2nd'") for the 2nd generation. Quoting my reasons from the comments on my other answer:
* People will remember they bought the device in 2013 and use that tag for their 1st gen device.
* For others with the 2nd gen it seems that long ago, they might think it was 2012.
* And the 3rd group just pickst the first tag popping up, being completely confused.
* Add a year more (2015), plus maybe a 3rd generation, and confusion will be even bigger.
`nexus-7-gen2` (or, as Flow put it, `nexus-7-2gen`) would IMHO still be better than a year "numbering" for given reasons.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: For the most part, we don't *need* device-specific tags. They lead to overuse. It's pretty rare for an issue that someone is facing to actually be specific to their device. (People should use tags to help categorize their *issue*, not their *device*.)
I've not seen evidence that there's an overabundance of questions where the distinction between the original Nexus 7 and the newer (2013) model is in anyway important.
So, I say: No, we don't need a new tag, nor to rename the old one.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer] |