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I think a pretty fundamental problem with the current SO approach to question moderation is that if you are not very knowledgeable about something (ie the kind

I think a pretty fundamental problem with the current SO approach to question moderation is that if you are not very knowledgeable about something (ie the kind of person likely to ask a question), you can't easily tell if your question is a "duplicate" of another (but differently worded) SO question. Ive had some of my questions get closed and then get pointed to an earlier question, where the only way to recognize that the answer Im looking for is mentioned on the page is to know the answer already.

JimDabell 2y ago
> if you are not very knowledgeable about something (ie the kind of person likely to ask a question), you can't easily tell if your question is a "duplicate" of another (but differently worded) SO question. Ive had some of my questions get closed and then get pointed to an earlier question. This is a success. You asked a question, you got the answer to your question. Closing your question as a duplicate is not punishment or mockery. Closing your question as a duplicate is saying “We already have the answer to that question! Here it is! No need to wait for somebody to come along and explain it again.” Stack Overflow is a wiki, not a forum or help desk. If somebody starts a new Wikipedia page on George Washington, the correct response is not to have two pages on George Washington, the correct response is to delete one of them. The same applies here.
- firesteelrain 2y ago
  It’s not that. It’s the browbeating that is a turn off and rude comments. Like others have said, it is toxic. They are also drumming up old (12 year plus old) questions finding duplicates and accusing people of plagiarism when the site rules changed. It’s gotten worse over time
  - JimDabell 2y ago
    > It’s not that. I’m replying to a comment that is talking about exactly that. If you want to complain about something else, then that’s a different discussion. But for the purpose of this discussion, yes, it’s that. > It’s the browbeating that is a turn off and rude comments. Like others have said, it is toxic. Can you give some examples? If I believed everything people say on this subject, I would expect to see a never-ending stream of insults and bullying on Stack Overflow, but when I go there, I don’t see anything of the sort, except for the occasional comment that’s voted heavily down and/or moderated away. I know toxic behaviour is against the rules, and I can see those rules are enforced effectively. As far as I can tell, the idea that Stack Overflow is a pit of toxicity is a complete myth. Where is all of this toxicity? Saying that something is off-topic for the site is not toxicity. Closing things as duplicates is not toxicity. Hitting pause on an account that is mass-deleting content is not toxicity.
    - firesteelrain 2y ago
      Your response is exactly what I am talking about.
      - JimDabell 2y ago
        To clarify – you think saying that I haven’t observed what you claim and asking for you to give examples is toxic behaviour? We have very different ideas about what is toxic.
        firesteelrain 2y ago
        "I’m replying to a comment that is talking about exactly that. If you want to complain about something else, then that’s a different discussion. But for the purpose of this discussion, yes, it’s that." Tone, excessive italicization for emphasis. "If I believed everything people say on this subject" Yes, that. You really should watch how you speak.
    - Fraterkes 2y ago
      Consider reading the second part of my comment.
- Fraterkes 2y ago
  Did you read the second part of my comment?
plorkyeran 2y ago
Why is that a problem? It sounds like you successfully had your questions answered.
- Fraterkes 2y ago
  Did you read the second part of my comment?
  - plorkyeran 2y ago
    Yes? You didn’t know enough to be able to recognize that an answer was applicable to your specific scenario, but then had someone let you know that it was. If they were a jerk about it then that’s a problem, but otherwise I don’t understand what your issue is?

JimDabell 2y ago

> if you are not very knowledgeable about something (ie the kind of person likely to ask a question), you can't easily tell if your question is a "duplicate" of another (but differently worded) SO question. Ive had some of my questions get closed and then get pointed to an earlier question. This is a success. You asked a question, you got the answer to your question. Closing your question as a duplicate is not punishment or mockery. Closing your question as a duplicate is saying “We already have the answer to that question! Here it is! No need to wait for somebody to come along and explain it again.” Stack Overflow is a wiki, not a forum or help desk. If somebody starts a new Wikipedia page on George Washington, the correct response is not to have two pages on George Washington, the correct response is to delete one of them. The same applies here.

firesteelrain 2y ago
It’s not that. It’s the browbeating that is a turn off and rude comments. Like others have said, it is toxic. They are also drumming up old (12 year plus old) questions finding duplicates and accusing people of plagiarism when the site rules changed. It’s gotten worse over time
- JimDabell 2y ago
  > It’s not that. I’m replying to a comment that is talking about exactly that. If you want to complain about something else, then that’s a different discussion. But for the purpose of this discussion, yes, it’s that. > It’s the browbeating that is a turn off and rude comments. Like others have said, it is toxic. Can you give some examples? If I believed everything people say on this subject, I would expect to see a never-ending stream of insults and bullying on Stack Overflow, but when I go there, I don’t see anything of the sort, except for the occasional comment that’s voted heavily down and/or moderated away. I know toxic behaviour is against the rules, and I can see those rules are enforced effectively. As far as I can tell, the idea that Stack Overflow is a pit of toxicity is a complete myth. Where is all of this toxicity? Saying that something is off-topic for the site is not toxicity. Closing things as duplicates is not toxicity. Hitting pause on an account that is mass-deleting content is not toxicity.
  - firesteelrain 2y ago
    Your response is exactly what I am talking about.
    - JimDabell 2y ago
      To clarify – you think saying that I haven’t observed what you claim and asking for you to give examples is toxic behaviour? We have very different ideas about what is toxic.
      - firesteelrain 2y ago
        "I’m replying to a comment that is talking about exactly that. If you want to complain about something else, then that’s a different discussion. But for the purpose of this discussion, yes, it’s that." Tone, excessive italicization for emphasis. "If I believed everything people say on this subject" Yes, that. You really should watch how you speak.
  - Fraterkes 2y ago
    Consider reading the second part of my comment.
Fraterkes 2y ago
Did you read the second part of my comment?

plorkyeran 2y ago

Why is that a problem? It sounds like you successfully had your questions answered.

Fraterkes 2y ago
Did you read the second part of my comment?
- plorkyeran 2y ago
  Yes? You didn’t know enough to be able to recognize that an answer was applicable to your specific scenario, but then had someone let you know that it was. If they were a jerk about it then that’s a problem, but otherwise I don’t understand what your issue is?