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Today I asked a question about dual-head video cards for Ubuntu 10.04 or 11.04. It was marked as a duplicate and CLOSED, though the link I was directed to provides absolutely NO information about dual-head video cards.

The moderator who marked it as closed perhaps doesn't understand what I was asking, but marking it as closed and "exact duplicate" is an insult.

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    Another thing to keep in mind is that the "exact duplicate" text is what is supplied as an automatic category -- there are very few to choose from when closing a question. Even if it is more accurate to say, "closing as insufficiently different with regards to possible solution, scope, or likely audience input," it will still be marked as an "exact duplicate". It's an imperfect process.
    – belacqua
    Commented Sep 13, 2011 at 19:36
  • Gotcha. I guess after having used stackoverflow for so long I was surprised to find what seemed, in my eyes, not so welcoming a community. By the time I posted my question I had done quite a bit of research, modified the xorg.conf several times and finally was asking for help. My question was very specific and I don't feel it was left open for people to hijack with off-topic comments. It was frustrating, to say the least. I've since put away the voodoo doll I made of Marco, specced out a couple new computers and struggle along with crap hardware.
    – Tass
    Commented Sep 13, 2011 at 21:28
  • Your question didn't feel like a duplicate to me. But you've encountered an area where the Linux community has long had trouble -- so many h/w possibilities and related config idiosyncrasies that sometimes finding help doesn't draw from a deep pool of relevant experience or knowledge. Closing might have been done partly from the sense (which moderators would have a better feel for than me) of your question falling on an unhappy spot between the Scylla of over-particularity and Charybdis of over-generality (which collides eventually with the 'exact duplicate' category of unviability).
    – belacqua
    Commented Sep 13, 2011 at 23:20
  • Sigh...Marco Ceppi decided to wield his ban hammer and close my question (askubuntu.com/questions/203232) too, except it was absolutely not an exact duplicate of another question - it covers an entirely different group of video cards. I'm afraid to even ask a question about why that question was closed, and I'm totally sick of power-tripping moderators on different StackOverflow sites.
    – Andrew Mao
    Commented Oct 22, 2012 at 13:42

1 Answer 1

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The question was closed as a duplicate of another question asking for virtually the same information:

How do I find which graphic cards work with Ubuntu

The answer to that question points you to the same location: All the certified as working hardware components for Ubuntu - single, dual, n head video cards are included in that link. Just because your questions scope was more narrow shouldn't negate the fact that it's still a duplicate.

The primary reason for closing, aside from the fact I believe it is a duplicate, is leaving it open would likely have ended up being a large list of various cards - content like this is difficult to maintain in this environment as support for cards changes from time to time depending on improvements in the system.

Reopening your question will ultimately lead to the same exact answer provided in the question with a more narrow scope regarding "Support for graphics card" and that, with all the above reasons, is why it was ultimately closed.

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    I'm not asking for "virtually the same information." I am asking, explicitly, for feedback from people who have successfully managed to set up twin view with a dual-head card. Do you truly suggest that I scour that list and retrieve the specs for every card listed? Unless you have some good scoop about getting this G450 to work? ;-) After spending about 10 man hours trying to get this thing to work I've finally reached out to the community (I use stackoverflow religiously and was hoping for similar altruism) just to be squished. It hurts.
    – Tass
    Commented Aug 4, 2011 at 18:41
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    @Tass I don't mean to squish you, a better question may have been to ask about how to get your G450 to work. Ultimately either you're going to have to scour that list - or another community member will. I recommend find a few cards that you would want and then checking their compatibility against said list.
    – Marco Ceppi Mod
    Commented Aug 4, 2011 at 18:44
  • I've already asked for help with the G450. To no avail. I'm not interested in shopping for cards I want and then seeing if they work, my hardware's old and I'm only able to use PCI and AGP cards. This is why I was asking for scoop from other uses because these two interfaces are becoming harder to come by.
    – Tass
    Commented Aug 4, 2011 at 18:45
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    @Tass I'll reopen your question, in hopes that the community will answer. However, there's a chance that it may be closed again. I'd also recommend possibly adding more details about your limitations to help really focus the answers.
    – Marco Ceppi Mod
    Commented Aug 4, 2011 at 18:50
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    Just to pitch in, I was the one who first suggested closing the question. It was not that I meant to insult you or thought it was a stupid question, I just thought it might be outside the scope of the site (potentially), or perhaps covered elsewhere.
    – RolandiXor
    Commented Aug 5, 2011 at 4:29

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