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There is a referential question here on meta about listing all the movies and TV-shows referenced by the top-bar as part of our design. In the meantime we already got two genuine ID questions on the main site asking for identifying those movies/TV-shows seen in our top-bar, which have been closed/deleted in reference to this meta question. Now seeing that those will probably not have been the last times this question will be asked on the main site, it might be better to shift this question over to the main site, as less of a design oriented meta discussion and more of a canonical ID-this-image question, for easier duplicate-closing of potential future questions asking about the top-bar.

But there can be different viewpoints employed here, which makes this a decision to be carefully considered.

  • On the one hand, it is an inherently meta-like question about the site and its design and might thus better fit here. Not to speak of the fact that I wouldn't regard "ID this movie shown in this little icon" as a particularly good question for the main site in general.
  • However, we also have other canonical reference questions to be used as referral or duplicate targets for more specific and inherently off-topic questions. For example the one about finding similar stuff to refer recommendation questions to.

So should we move this question over to the main site or leave it here on meta?

(In the former case I would also tend to make this question Community Wiki, not just because it's a collaborative effort, but primarily to emphasize that it isn't really regarded as a proper question on its own but rather a kind of refertial FAQ question with more special on-topic nature.)

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  • Two? I have only seen one.
    – Ankit Sharma Mod
    Commented Feb 13, 2015 at 11:11
  • @AnkitSharma The other one is older and already deleted. I didn't really bother to look it up and link it, though.
    – Napoleon Wilson
    Commented Feb 13, 2015 at 11:39
  • Another entry: What are the movies/tv shows that are pictured on the negative present in Movies & TV section
    – Ankit Sharma Mod
    Commented Apr 22, 2015 at 6:27
  • I just asked another duplicate question because I didn't think to look on Meta for it. I agree it should be closed because it is a duplicate. However, shouldn't there be one such question left on the main site where it can be searched for and found to discourage other users posting the same question again? A message saying that it is technically off-topic and should not be used as an example of a good question and a link to the question on Meta would be a good idea.
    – CJ Dennis
    Commented Feb 8, 2016 at 2:23

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
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As requested, I'm posting this as a separate answer:

I suppose the only way to handle it is to respond with a link to the Meta question in the comments. Because it's really not a main site question.

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  • 1
    This is my preferred answer - its not really a main site question, and we can use it to bring users to Meta.
    – iandotkelly Mod
    Commented Feb 13, 2015 at 17:21
  • I tend to agree with this. I could live with migrating those questions to meta and closing them as duplicates.
    – Napoleon Wilson
    Commented Feb 14, 2015 at 1:50
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I think it does belong on meta, not on the main site. But I can see how it would be helpful as a target for closing all those duplicates on main, so here is my proposal:

  • Move the question to the main site.
  • Make it visible that this is not a good type of question to ask on the main site, and that it only exists as a special case. (similar to a historical lock)

It can then be used as a duplicate closing target, but will hopefully not lead new users to believe that it is ok to ask ID-this-picture questions here (which, as far as I am concerned, are off-topic).

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Sticky it in the Featured On Meta box. This is actually a great idea for 2 reasons;

  • It will stay within view of everyone who comes to the main site
  • It might bring users over to Meta who wouldn't normally come here, and they might stick around

It's really not a "main site" question, in fact it sorta breaks the rules as it asks for a list of movies.

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  • 1
    It should definitely not be stickied in there forever (if that's even possible), since that would only hide much more pressing issues. This is way too marginal of interest to be a permanent bulletin item among the few places existing there. The community bulletin is supposed to inform you of new and important discussions, not of marginally interesting stuff without any importance to the site at all, especially not permanently.
    – Napoleon Wilson
    Commented Feb 13, 2015 at 14:27
  • I'm just thinking of maximum visibility to draw in new Meta users. Maybe we can keep it there when there's nothing else pressing?
    – Johnny Bones
    Commented Feb 13, 2015 at 14:55
  • 4
    It just seems way too marginal and irrelevant to deserve permant treatment there, even when there's nothing else important to discuss.
    – Napoleon Wilson
    Commented Feb 13, 2015 at 14:56
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    Well, if you want to expand Meta participation, you gotta get 'em here first. And that question might get 'em here. Don't be so quick to discard it, this is where my Promotions experience comes in handy for the Moderator position. ;o)
    – Johnny Bones
    Commented Feb 13, 2015 at 15:00
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    The problem is that there will always be something to put up on the community bulletin, be this just a "hot meta post". And against this a 2 year old post about what those images in the top-bar mean will just look utterly irrelevant. I am very much for encouraging meta participation, but a major point of it is (and I thought you were supporting that, too), that this isn't to do meta just for the sake of its own, but for actually discussion important matters about the site. And that is what the community bulletin is for...
    – Napoleon Wilson
    Commented Feb 13, 2015 at 15:03
  • ...A link to the post that explains those design images, maybe somewhere, but as prominently as in the community bulletin, I don't think so as that would dillute what that feature is intended for.
    – Napoleon Wilson
    Commented Feb 13, 2015 at 15:04
  • 1
    I'd say to put it in the FAQ, but I have a feeling that would be ignored (just as the existing question is ignored by those who aren't familiar with the way SE works). I suppose the only way to handle it is to respond with a link to the Meta question in the comments. Because it's really not a main site question.
    – Johnny Bones
    Commented Feb 13, 2015 at 15:12
  • "I suppose the only way to handle it is to respond with a link to the Meta question in the comments. Because it's really not a main site question." - Now that's of course a good argument (being pretty much the current solution). Care to propose that in a separate answer?
    – Napoleon Wilson
    Commented Feb 13, 2015 at 15:17

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