4

Every question needs to include some basic information:

  1. The functionality of the requested software
  2. On which operating system(s) the software needs to work (or indicate that it is a web-app)
  3. Price range, or gratis (free of cost)

If it does not matter which operating system(s) or the cost, that really should be specified.

Is there a way we can convey these requirements when people ask questions?

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  • 1
    I'm very new to this SE and I'm honestly already tired of asking back what requirements people want. It doesn't help that people don't even come back or comment after clarification once they do get an answer. – lucasgcb May 16 '19 at 7:11
  • @lucasgcb Thanks for your feedback. I understand your concerns, and have felt similar things on other SE's. Are you saying that people flag your question, and then you clarify, but they never come back? If so, the best way to add information is by editing your question. If it's been temporarily closed, vote to reopen it. If that's not getting the job done for some reason, let me know, because I'd like to work on fixing it. I welcome your continued feedback. – RockPaperLz- Mask it or Casket♦ May 16 '19 at 7:20
  • No no, I've never asked a single question here. I look at the questions being asked and I have to ask back for clarification very often. Then, when I do give out an answer, the person who asked simply vanishes and I have no idea if they worked it out or found something else - no comment, vote, nothing. There's something about this SE that attracts crushingly new users to the StackExchange process and they get lost easily. – lucasgcb May 16 '19 at 7:30
  • @lucasgcb Yes, you are absolutely correct. We have a few meta questions about this issue. Not long ago, we started receiving a large quantity of questions from people who obviously have not read or understood the basics of posting here. My workload, as one of the moderators, has increased significantly. To fix this issue, it's going to take a lot of effort and creativity. This meta Q/A is a step in that effort. Thank you again; I sincerely appreciate your concern. – RockPaperLz- Mask it or Casket♦ May 16 '19 at 7:37
  • We have What is required for a question to contain enough information. Maybe that's what should be pointed to. But how/where? – user416 May 16 '19 at 20:18
  • @lucasgcb I use PhraseExpress to comment with a default answer, 10 characters typed gives output: Please read What is required for a question to contain enough information and edit your question. Any similar macro program will do. – user416 May 16 '19 at 20:22
  • @lucasgcb Regarding and I have no idea... I posted a question about exactly such an issue on the Earth Science meta, and had though about doing that here about our off-topic flood. Maybe later (or feel free to do so yourself). – user416 May 16 '19 at 20:28
  • @JanDoggen Looks cool, is that autocommenter program it better than this script? In either case, maybe I caught this SE at the wrong time but more than half the questions I browse need immediate clarification, so that was more of a reinforcement for the OP. – lucasgcb May 16 '19 at 20:36
  • @lucasgcb I don't know, I've never tried AutoReviewComments because I needed something system wide – user416 May 17 '19 at 7:01
  • Btw, matching "canned responses" for mentioned script can e.g. be found here – currently for SR and Android.SE (additions/updates and lists for other sides welcome). Not sure what you mean by "system wide", @JanDoggen, but the script comes with a default rule set you might find half-way adequate. – Izzy♦ Jun 1 '19 at 8:05

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