8

Since we have custom off-topic close reasons:

Close reasons

...we can no longer choose the default off-topic close reason:

Default close reason

Question

Should we add a new custom close reason that mirrors the default reason text, for the cases where none of the more specific reasons match? The text would be:

This question does not appear to belong here. Either it's not database-related or it otherwise conflicts with the scope of our site. See What topics can I ask about here?, What types of questions should I avoid asking? or this blog post for more info.

We should still prefer to use the custom reasons, or Other (explaining what is wrong), but having the default text available would be a useful time saver, and prevent people choosing a less appropriate close reason. A particular concern is that the current arrangement encourages migration when the question would be better simply closed here.

Related:

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
8

Yes!

Add a new custom close reason using the default close reason as a template.

2
  • Any chance that there could be an extra step if choosing the default? Something like, "Are you sure you can't provide any more info regarding the closure recommendation, to guide the poster as to their best next steps?" Or, you know, something better and shorter? Options would be "Close without details" or "Choose a better close reason" (or, again, better and shorter - not my strong suit). Would make it faster to choose a more detailed reason than the generic one, but still easy to choose the generic one.
    – RDFozz
    Sep 12, 2017 at 19:18
  • I guess it would decrease the quality of explaining why a question was closed.
    – John K. N.
    Jun 5, 2018 at 11:11
3

No!

People will choose the newly-reinstated default reason every time, depriving the question author of a more detailed reason for the closure, and specific advice on what to fix.

1
  • Not supplying a default value, will require the person that is vtc to think a bit why a question would have to be closed.
    – John K. N.
    Jun 5, 2018 at 11:18

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .