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While browsing AskUbuntu, I found a question about Wine + Steam. The OP said that he was using Linux Mint, and upon reading that, I thought "Oh, isn't that non-supported, or something?". So I opened the FAQ, and sure enough, it said that this [AskUbuntu] isn't the right place for questions concerning Linux Mint. So I flagged it, and posted a comment explaining.

After debating the OP on the relevancy of the question, I now feel like a bit of a jerk, since it hasn't been closed yet, so the Moderators (assuming one of them has viewed the flag) feel that this is still on-topic. Also, in hindsight, I recognize that this question is focused towards Steam + Wine security, and the fact that the OP is using Linux Mint is mostly a minor detail.

A similar question to this has been asked before - but that was about "official Ubuntu software" such as Unity and Ubuntu Software Center, and as far as I know, Wine is independent of Canonical/Ubuntu.

Was I in the wrong with this question? Is the fact that he's using Linux Mint enough to disqualify his question? Or does it vary from program to program? How "anti-other-os" is AskUbuntu? I don't want to make this mistake (if in fact it is one) again.

EDIT: Just noticed that I'm able to view my "helpful flags", which helps indicate if a mod/mods think my flag was right. Question still stands, since I still feel a bit murky on this topic.

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You did the right thing. The FAQ is as clear as it can get on this point. If the user has the same issue/question regarding Ubuntu, then he can edit it and ask to get it reopened!

It's good that you flagged it and commented. Higher reputation users and moderators will have a look at it too before it's closed, so don't worry about it.

And it can take a while for all five votes are in to have the question closed. 1 hour (as it is now) is a very short period in that sense. It seems that jrg has now closed it. Him being a moderator, it didn't take five votes.


From the same FAQ in the close section:

When a question reaches 5 close votes, it is marked as closed, and will no longer accept answers. Closed questions may be opened by casting reopen votes in the same manner. However, you may only vote to close or reopen a question once.

Additionally, less than five close votes not being acted upon to reach five will evaporate the ones made earlier and keep the question still open. You can see the current count of them mentioned in the question like close (2). Moderators can close without any count quorum.

And then you didn't even vote-to-close'd it, but just flagged it for attention. Nothing to worry about. See your profile page for your flagging history (not visible for everyone, including myself). Only worry when you get a log of declined ones. Learn from the ones that got declined there and ask here or on chat if you have questions, like you did now. :)

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  • Ah, I hadn't realized that 5 votes (excepting moderators) were necessary to close. Thanks for clarifying that; I wasn't sure if a program's "universality" (how closely one distro's version resembled another's) might qualify it, despite a non-supported OS.
    – ananaso
    Jan 17, 2013 at 23:34
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    As for the close vote count, I'm afraid only people who can actually vote to close can see them directly.
    – user98085
    Jan 18, 2013 at 0:24
  • @FEichinger Hmm, that may be true, yes. Anonymously, you don't see them indeed.
    – gertvdijk
    Jan 18, 2013 at 0:30

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