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The Help Center states that for a question to be on-topic, it needs to fall under the following categories:

  • Using and administering official Ubuntu flavors including: Edubuntu (14.04), Ubuntu GNOME, Kubuntu, Ubuntu Kylin, Lubuntu, Mythbuntu (16.04), Ubuntu Studio, Xubuntu, Ubuntu MATE, Ubuntu Touch, Ubuntu Budgie (17.04+) and Ubuntu "Snappy" Core.
  • Running third-party applications on Ubuntu.
  • Development on Ubuntu.
  • Services provided by Ubuntu and Canonical.
  • Any questions not mentioned below or here are great!

These rules are somewhat vague and confusing. For instance, Running third-party applications on Ubuntu. I personally take this to mean questions asking about how to get a program to run on Ubuntu are on-topic, but anything beyond that should be asked elsewhere.

As an example: I've noticed a lot of questions asking for help when a program won't run under WINE:

(Searching WINE in the AU search will yield many more.)

Now, to me, these questions are off-topic. They are not asking how to get WINE running (it already is). Instead, the questions are about how to get programs running under WINE, and troublehsooting errors in Windows applications. In my opinion, questions asking for help are basically asking how to get the program running on Windows.

Getting a program running under WINE isn't getting a program running under Ubuntu, it's asking how to use WINE. Since WINE isn't a Canonical service, it doesn't fall under the category that makes questions about using Canonical programs on-topic.

I think we need to come to a consensus on whether or not this type of WINE question is or isn't on-topic. It would be even better if we could find a clearer interpretation of this rule.

Specifically, should questions about troubleshooting programs running under WINE be on-topic? Generally, how should we interpret this rule for future use?

The Help Center states that for a question to be on-topic, it needs to fall under the following categories:

  • Using and administering official Ubuntu flavors including: Edubuntu (14.04), Ubuntu GNOME, Kubuntu, Ubuntu Kylin, Lubuntu, Mythbuntu (16.04), Ubuntu Studio, Xubuntu, Ubuntu MATE, Ubuntu Touch, Ubuntu Budgie (17.04+) and Ubuntu "Snappy" Core.
  • Running third-party applications on Ubuntu.
  • Development on Ubuntu.
  • Services provided by Ubuntu and Canonical.
  • Any questions not mentioned below or here are great!

These rules are somewhat vague and confusing. For instance, Running third-party applications on Ubuntu. I personally take this to mean questions asking about how to get a program to run on Ubuntu are on-topic, but anything beyond that should be asked elsewhere.

As an example: I've noticed a lot of questions asking for help when a program won't run under WINE:

(Searching WINE in the AU search will yield many more.)

Now, to me, these questions are off-topic. They are not asking how to get WINE running (it already is). Instead, the questions are about how to get programs running under WINE, and troublehsooting errors in Windows applications. In my opinion, questions asking for help are basically asking how to get the program running on Windows.

Getting a program running under WINE isn't getting a program running under Ubuntu, it's asking how to use WINE. Since WINE isn't a Canonical service, it doesn't fall under the category that makes questions about using Canonical programs on-topic.

I think we need to come to a consensus on whether or not this type of WINE question is or isn't on-topic. It would be even better if we could find a clearer interpretation of this rule.

Specifically, should questions about troubleshooting programs running under WINE be on-topic? Generally, how should we interpret this rule for future use?

The Help Center states that for a question to be on-topic, it needs to fall under the following categories:

  • Using and administering official Ubuntu flavors including: Edubuntu (14.04), Ubuntu GNOME, Kubuntu, Ubuntu Kylin, Lubuntu, Mythbuntu (16.04), Ubuntu Studio, Xubuntu, Ubuntu MATE, Ubuntu Touch, Ubuntu Budgie (17.04+) and Ubuntu "Snappy" Core.
  • Running third-party applications on Ubuntu.
  • Development on Ubuntu.
  • Services provided by Ubuntu and Canonical.
  • Any questions not mentioned below or here are great!

These rules are somewhat vague and confusing. For instance, Running third-party applications on Ubuntu. I personally take this to mean questions asking about how to get a program to run on Ubuntu are on-topic, but anything beyond that should be asked elsewhere.

As an example: I've noticed a lot of questions asking for help when a program won't run under WINE:

(Searching WINE in the AU search will yield many more.)

Now, to me, these questions are off-topic. They are not asking how to get WINE running (it already is). Instead, the questions are about how to get programs running under WINE, and troublehsooting errors in Windows applications. In my opinion, questions asking for help are basically asking how to get the program running on Windows.

Getting a program running under WINE isn't getting a program running under Ubuntu, it's asking how to use WINE. Since WINE isn't a Canonical service, it doesn't fall under the category that makes questions about using Canonical programs on-topic.

I think we need to come to a consensus on whether or not this type of WINE question is or isn't on-topic. It would be even better if we could find a clearer interpretation of this rule.

Specifically, should questions about troubleshooting programs running under WINE be on-topic? Generally, how should we interpret this rule for future use?

added 290 characters in body; edited title
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TheWanderer
TheWanderer
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Should questions about running Running programs in WINE be allowed-- on-topic or off-topic?

(Not The Help Center states that for a duplicate of What should be done (if anything) about the "How to run [Windows Program] in Wine?" questions?question to be on-topic, as far as I can tell.)it needs to fall under the following categories:

  • Using and administering official Ubuntu flavors including: Edubuntu (14.04), Ubuntu GNOME, Kubuntu, Ubuntu Kylin, Lubuntu, Mythbuntu (16.04), Ubuntu Studio, Xubuntu, Ubuntu MATE, Ubuntu Touch, Ubuntu Budgie (17.04+) and Ubuntu "Snappy" Core.
  • Running third-party applications on Ubuntu.
  • Development on Ubuntu.
  • Services provided by Ubuntu and Canonical.
  • Any questions not mentioned below or here are great!

So the help center here allows for questions on the installation and usage of third party programs, as long as theyThese rules are being used on Ubuntusomewhat vague and confusing. This includes using WINE itselfFor instance, since WINE isRunning third-party applications on Ubuntu. I personally take this to mean questions asking about how to get a third party program that runsto run on Ubuntu are on-topic, but does it include running programs under WINE?anything beyond that should be asked elsewhere.

Since WINE isn'tAs an emulation layer, it could be argued that running programs under WINE is really just running programsexample: I've noticed a lot of questions asking for help when a program won't run under Ubuntu itself, but I don't think that's the case. WINE does provide a compatibility layer, and that compatibility layer is what causes issues with:

(Searching WINE in the programs it tries to runAU search will yield many more.)

I kind of see it as being similarNow, to Crouton:me, these questions about Crouton and problems caused by Crouton are off-topic. They are not asking how to get WINE running (it already is). Instead, but just because someone uses Crouton doesn't make the question off topic, since Crouton isn't really somethingquestions are about how to get programs running on Ubuntuunder WINE, and is more comparabletroublehsooting errors in Windows applications. In my opinion, questions asking for help are basically asking how to get the BIOS loader on a normal setup (it's a program running under Chrome OS)on Windows.

InGetting a similar way, just because someone uses WINE doesn't make the question off-topic, but I feel as though questions aboutprogram running programs under WINE are really questions aboutisn't getting a program running third party programs under third part programs under Ubuntu, it's asking how to use WINE. The connection is distantSince WINE isn't a Canonical service, and any questions onit doesn't fall under the subject are really morecategory that makes questions about WINE itself than using WINECanonical programs on Ubuntu-topic.

 

This is in responseI think we need to the (seemingly) recent increase in questions about problems playing games and running other programs undercome to a consensus on whether or not this type of WINE question is or isn't on-topic. We can't help with these questions really, and I think they shouldIt would be reported instead as bugs, since that's kindeven better if we could find a clearer interpretation of what they arethis rule.

So for the question/suggestion. I personally think thatSpecifically, should questions about usingtroubleshooting programs running under WINE should be offon-topic in most cases, since they're not really asking how to use WINE itself? Generally, but rather how toshould we interpret this rule for future use a certain program on the WINE platform. What does the community think?

Should questions about running programs in WINE be allowed?

(Not a duplicate of What should be done (if anything) about the "How to run [Windows Program] in Wine?" questions?, as far as I can tell.)

So the help center here allows for questions on the installation and usage of third party programs, as long as they are being used on Ubuntu. This includes using WINE itself, since WINE is a third party program that runs on Ubuntu, but does it include running programs under WINE?

Since WINE isn't an emulation layer, it could be argued that running programs under WINE is really just running programs under Ubuntu itself, but I don't think that's the case. WINE does provide a compatibility layer, and that compatibility layer is what causes issues with the programs it tries to run.

I kind of see it as being similar to Crouton: questions about Crouton and problems caused by Crouton are off-topic, but just because someone uses Crouton doesn't make the question off topic, since Crouton isn't really something running on Ubuntu, and is more comparable to the BIOS loader on a normal setup (it's a program running under Chrome OS).

In a similar way, just because someone uses WINE doesn't make the question off-topic, but I feel as though questions about running programs under WINE are really questions about running third party programs under third part programs under Ubuntu. The connection is distant, and any questions on the subject are really more about WINE itself than using WINE on Ubuntu.

This is in response to the (seemingly) recent increase in questions about problems playing games and running other programs under WINE. We can't help with these questions really, and I think they should be reported instead as bugs, since that's kind of what they are.

So for the question/suggestion. I personally think that questions about using programs under WINE should be off-topic in most cases, since they're not really asking how to use WINE itself, but rather how to use a certain program on the WINE platform. What does the community think?

Running programs in WINE -- on-topic or off-topic?

The Help Center states that for a question to be on-topic, it needs to fall under the following categories:

  • Using and administering official Ubuntu flavors including: Edubuntu (14.04), Ubuntu GNOME, Kubuntu, Ubuntu Kylin, Lubuntu, Mythbuntu (16.04), Ubuntu Studio, Xubuntu, Ubuntu MATE, Ubuntu Touch, Ubuntu Budgie (17.04+) and Ubuntu "Snappy" Core.
  • Running third-party applications on Ubuntu.
  • Development on Ubuntu.
  • Services provided by Ubuntu and Canonical.
  • Any questions not mentioned below or here are great!

These rules are somewhat vague and confusing. For instance, Running third-party applications on Ubuntu. I personally take this to mean questions asking about how to get a program to run on Ubuntu are on-topic, but anything beyond that should be asked elsewhere.

As an example: I've noticed a lot of questions asking for help when a program won't run under WINE:

(Searching WINE in the AU search will yield many more.)

Now, to me, these questions are off-topic. They are not asking how to get WINE running (it already is). Instead, the questions are about how to get programs running under WINE, and troublehsooting errors in Windows applications. In my opinion, questions asking for help are basically asking how to get the program running on Windows.

Getting a program running under WINE isn't getting a program running under Ubuntu, it's asking how to use WINE. Since WINE isn't a Canonical service, it doesn't fall under the category that makes questions about using Canonical programs on-topic.

 

I think we need to come to a consensus on whether or not this type of WINE question is or isn't on-topic. It would be even better if we could find a clearer interpretation of this rule.

Specifically, should questions about troubleshooting programs running under WINE be on-topic? Generally, how should we interpret this rule for future use?

Source Link
TheWanderer
TheWanderer
  • 19.5k
  • 23
  • 44

Should questions about running programs in WINE be allowed?

(Not a duplicate of What should be done (if anything) about the "How to run [Windows Program] in Wine?" questions?, as far as I can tell.)

So the help center here allows for questions on the installation and usage of third party programs, as long as they are being used on Ubuntu. This includes using WINE itself, since WINE is a third party program that runs on Ubuntu, but does it include running programs under WINE?

Since WINE isn't an emulation layer, it could be argued that running programs under WINE is really just running programs under Ubuntu itself, but I don't think that's the case. WINE does provide a compatibility layer, and that compatibility layer is what causes issues with the programs it tries to run.

I kind of see it as being similar to Crouton: questions about Crouton and problems caused by Crouton are off-topic, but just because someone uses Crouton doesn't make the question off topic, since Crouton isn't really something running on Ubuntu, and is more comparable to the BIOS loader on a normal setup (it's a program running under Chrome OS).

In a similar way, just because someone uses WINE doesn't make the question off-topic, but I feel as though questions about running programs under WINE are really questions about running third party programs under third part programs under Ubuntu. The connection is distant, and any questions on the subject are really more about WINE itself than using WINE on Ubuntu.

This is in response to the (seemingly) recent increase in questions about problems playing games and running other programs under WINE. We can't help with these questions really, and I think they should be reported instead as bugs, since that's kind of what they are.

So for the question/suggestion. I personally think that questions about using programs under WINE should be off-topic in most cases, since they're not really asking how to use WINE itself, but rather how to use a certain program on the WINE platform. What does the community think?