This question was just asked:
What is the best way to recommend a new browser to my family?
The question does not ask about a browser recommendation, or a piece of software, but simply asks how to convince family members to use a new browser.
Some commenters on the question seem to think that it is on topic.
Can a question be on topic here if the question does not ask for a software recommendation?
The question is clearly off-topic, as it is not asking for a software recommendation. It is more of a relationship question than a software recommendation question.
The scope of our site is software recommendations. There is nothing in the FAQ or on meta to indicate that a question that doesn't ask for a software recommendation could be on topic, whether or not it is a good-subjective style question that is relevant to experts in this field.
To simplify things:
IMHO we should draw a line between the two. I see the value of the question. I also see how it relates to our site's name. But sorry, I don't see how it is really on-topic. We focus on high-quality software recommendations themselves. That's the purpose of our main site. When in doubt how to give high-quality software recommendations, we have Meta.
We certainly don't want to "cover everything around software and its recommendations". That's an issue most (if not all) SE sites have: Defining the borderline. And sorry as I feel about the otherwise good question: IMHO it's on "the other side" of it. A cobbler should stick to his last :)
As I am the one that asked the question, I would like to take the first stab at defending the question. Others have already spoken up, so I will not speak for them.
To start, let's discuss the fact that I know a thing or two about StackExchange and I wouldn't have asked this question if I didn't think it was a good fit. I don't have a habit of asking throwaway questions because they are fun to overload the mods with. I did consider that the purpose of this site is for recommendations (granted, most people are looking for specific software, not how to recommend software) but I also know that this question has very specific implications (security, experience). So let's don't go with "what does this person know about our StackExchange site, crucify!" but instead consider the merits of what I'm looking to achieve with the question. Which is my second point:
This site is still in beta. This is still a good time to define what this site is all about. We should be posting well-written guiding questions that other people can look to to learn from. Yes, this question strains credulity for some folks, and that's fine. I personally am against operating system recommendations, but I am not the dictator of this site, we are a community that wants to grow what is acceptable.
Lastly: I don't think this question can be too conversational or opinion based, I feel like there are a few experts in this field that can share their opinions for the rest of us to learn from. I would like to learn from those people. This site is a good way to do that.
Thanks for hearing me out.
Like all SE sites, this one is about a field of expertise: knowing when to use what software.
This question is clearly related to that field. Unlike most of our questions that ask for that expertise to be applied and the take away value is only a solution not the knowledge needed to arrive at a solution, this question is about the field itself and the take away value will be more people having knowledge about when and how to recommend software to others.
The question is clearly topical. The only thing that remains to ask is, "Is it constructive?" Question that are too opinion based and just discussion starters would not be constructive, but I suggest that this one is very well formed and fits the good part of the Good Subjective, Bad Subjective litmus test.
In summary, yes questions can be on topic without looking for a specific software package if they are about the field of expertise needed to generate and act on recommendations as long as they are otherwise good constructive questions that fit the SE model.
