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From a user perspective a kernel-side software isn't as different as userland ones (on windows, you launch .sys instead of .exe).

But it appears questions about finding a particular filesystem or choosing utilities for forcing to delete files or choosing the best scheduler related to a specific configuration got closed as not related to software recommendations. On some OS those kind of questions use userland programs (they still use privileged CPU ring).

So are questions about programs which run at kernel-side/privileged CPU ring on-topic on SR?

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Kernel-side software is on-topic just like user-side. For that matter, operating system recommendations are on-topic (even if it's hard to write a good one).

I don't know why you perceive that questions related to kernel-side software get closed as off-topic, since you didn't post links.

  • A question asking for a driver for a specific filesystem would be on-topic. So would a question leaving the filesystem open; you would have to describe the use case precisely enough to explain why you can't use just any filesystem, but that's par for the course.
  • “Utilities for forcing to delete files” should be on-topic but you'll need to explain what “forcing to delete files” means (ways to hit the user with a stick if they refuse to delete files are off-topic because they would be hardware recommendations).
  • “Choosing the best scheduler” sounds like it's asking about configuring a scheduler that you have, rather than installing a new one (which is rarely possible as schedulers tend to be built deep inside OSes). Configuring software that you have is off-topic here, but on the off chance that you do mean a piece of software that you can install, that would be on-topic.
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  • softwarerecs.stackexchange.com/q/16830/2341 as example...
    – user2284570
    Feb 11, 2015 at 15:22
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    @user2284570 This question is partly a question on the deliberations of the SD card associations (which is completely off-topic), partly a question about the features of exFAT (off-topic and too broad and vague for Stack Exchange but could be a topic for a discussion forum or a chat conversation), and only slightly asking for a software recommendation (which filesystem to use on an SD card). In order to be answerable as a software recommendation question, you need to explain what you use it for. What criteria are important in your FS choice?
    – Gilles 'SO- stop being evil'
    Feb 11, 2015 at 15:30
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    Plus, "chosing the best X" (at least without context) rather sounds like being either "too broad" or "primarily opinion based" – specifically if it would end up as a list of names (not enough criteria given). If, OTOH, there were a clear use-case described in a fully comprehensible way to encourage specific recommendations, it were on-topic (as a general rule, never ask "what is the best X" unless you expect us recommending the "worst X" otherwise – which would defeat the purpose of this site ;)
    – Izzy Mod
    Feb 11, 2015 at 17:14

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