23

Migration paths allow for questions to be moved from Ask Ubuntu to other sites in the Stack Exchange network. The idea is that rather than simply closing questions as being "off-topic", then the questions can be moved to be the correct Q&A website.

These could allow us to keep our site on topic and at the same time not being 'mean' by simply closing questions and effectively preventing the asker from getting answers to valid (but off-topic) questions.

From the Stack Exchange blog:

If you’d like to make a case that a migration path should be unlocked between two sites — show us examples of those questions being closed as off-topic on the site.

So what migration paths would we like?

1

2 Answers 2

20

I believe it should be possible to move questions from Ask Ubuntu to the Unix/Linux site.

Examples of questions that have been closed that could have been migrated include:

Additionally, it seems that the general consensus from this discussion is that we are not warmly welcoming questions on Ubuntu derivatives such as Linux Mint. So far none of these questions have been closed, but I suspect the community would be far happier closing questions about Ubuntu derivatives if they were being sent on to Unix/Linux rather than being simply trashed. Examples include:

Note: I appreciate there is likely to be less support for migration of questions in the opposite direction, from Unix/Linux SE to Ask Ubuntu, so that isn't part of this proposal.

2
11

I definitely agree that more migration targets should be provided. There is only one path to Ask Ubuntu Meta currently and we can only ask for migration to different sites by raising a moderation flag and describe the migration in our own words.

I would like to see the following migration targets available on Ask Ubuntu (probably in the stated order). I am providing examples of closed or manually migrated questions.

4
  • 2
    I like your three choices. That should cover almost all cases.
    – edwinksl
    Oct 11, 2016 at 17:48
  • The big question is if these sites want to allow us to just send them whatever questions people feel like sending. We already close too many things erroneously, why include another site in the mess?
    – Seth
    Dec 19, 2016 at 18:33
  • 1
    @Seth Anyone (including OP) can just go and ask the question on the other site without much fuss. I like the idea from the linked meta-meta article that migration should be considered a service for the asker (and answerers, and community as well). The listed question which were migrated (after I raised the moderation flag) got meaningful comments and answers on the target sites. The others were just closed without any meaningful answers, despite they are our main goal, aren’t they?
    – Melebius
    Dec 20, 2016 at 10:03
  • Having spent a few years now moderating both AU and U&L, I am very much against this idea. I'm afraid the number of times I have seen flags suggesting migration on questions that actually should be migrated is tiny. I am convinced that allowing the community (which consists mainly of users who know this site and not the others) to migrate would be a very bad idea.
    – terdon
    Feb 7, 2019 at 16:27

You must log in to answer this question.

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