Posting the same question both here and on other sites
Posting the same question to multiple forums at the same time is often considered impolite. We don't completely ban such cross-posting, but we ask you to think hard before you do it and to follow some rules.
Cross-post sparingly
Rather than post the same thing here and elsewhere from the get-go, post in one place at a time. Let enough time go by (think days, not hours) before you take your question somewhere else. Sometimes people at another site may suggest you post here if your question doesn't fit within the scope of the other site.
Always link to your other posts, and update everywhere with any solutions
No matter what your reason for cross-posting is, when you post here please be sure to link to your related post on the other site and keep both ends updated with any solution.
Don't just dump a link to your post on another help site
If you posted elsewhere but didn't find a solution, please don't just drop a link to that original post here. A bare link post is missing the details that make it useful and discoverable to people with similar problems in the future. It is also unlikely to entice any potential helpers to click through.
Posting the same question in more than one place on this site
Please do not post duplicate questions to multiple categories
If you struggle to determine which category to post your questions under, make your best guess while tagging other related topics. Multiple duplicate posts will be flagged by our spam filter and automatically hidden.
Why these rules?
Part of being a friendly, welcoming community is respecting the effort everyone puts into helping one another. That includes making sure no one wastes time addressing a problem that's already been solved elsewhere.
Not following the rules above makes it very likely that other people will see your actions as rude. By cross-posting, you are asking more people to spend time on your question. In return, you should be ready to spend more of your time making it easy for people to help you and updating all the sites you posted on when you get an answer.
What should I do if I see people duplicate-posting or cross-posting?
- Please flag any duplicate posts that you notice.
- Please flag any cross-posts that don't follow the standards above.
Flagging posts that don't follow our guidelines is a great way to help the community!
How to Flag
- Under each post, there is a "show more" button (â˘â˘â˘). Click it to expand all the options.
- Click on the flag (hover text: "privately flag this post for attention or send a private notification about it"):
- Select "Something Else - This post requires staff attention for another reason not listed above."
- Add a note that this is a likely duplicate or a problematic cross-post.
- Bonus points if you include links to the multiple offending URLs!
What happens when I flag?
- Flagging is anonymous.
- Staff will respond on a case-by-case basis and will usually assume no rudeness was intended.
- We typically merge duplicate posts and send anyone who cross-posted impolitely a private message about cross-posting best practices.
Version 1.0.0
Got something to ask? Or add?
FAQ posts are closed to replies. If you have any questions or suggestions, please visit the corresponding discussion thread: FAQ Discussion: Is it OK if I cross-post?