8

In many questions, the OP isn't asking the right question to solve their problem. Either they're only trying to address a symptom of the actual problem, or they've misdiagnosed the cause of a symptom and are trying to solve a problem that doesn't actually exist. I think it's natural that this happens; if they understood the situation well enough to ask exactly the right question, they might not need to ask one at all.

Sometimes their question is close enough to the real issue that gathering a little extra information from comments makes it possible to edit it so that it becomes the question they really need to ask. This is not what I'm asking about here.

I'm wondering what to do with the other times, when after the real issue is discovered it turns out that their question is so far off that a useful edit would basically be a completely new question.

  • Should an edit that drastic be made so that the question can be answered (or quite possibly closed as a duplicate) or should I vote to close it as off-topic; no MCVE?
  • Does the correct action depend on whether or not there are existing answers that would be invalidated by a drastic edit?
  • Granted, answers to these types of questions usually aren't particularly valid to begin with.

I see that this may be a duplicate of A car with square wheels, although that seems to provide more guidance for answering (or not) XY problem questions, and I'm asking more specifically about what to do with the questions themselves.

13
  • wouldn't that fall into the XY problem category?
    – Patrice
    May 13, 2016 at 16:53
  • 7
    TL;DR; Leave them a note about XY problem? May 13, 2016 at 16:53
  • ... to extend: If you just notice it's an XY problem, leave a comment about the fact. If you well know what X and Y actually are, just leave an answer how to address the Y problem properly, while eliminating X. May 13, 2016 at 16:58
  • 3
    You can drop hints in the comment section, telling them how to ask the question correctly. That isn't always appreciated btw so don't expect a warm thank you. May 13, 2016 at 16:59
  • @Hans Well, answers in that direction are even less appreciated oftenly. May 13, 2016 at 17:01
  • In the situations I'm referring to, it has already become obvious in the comments that it is an XY problem (although not explicitly referred to as such). Often X doesn't even make sense as a problem, and there may not have been enough specific information given about Y to provide a good answer, just enough to know that it's really a Y. May 13, 2016 at 17:10
  • I think I have my Xs and Ys backward in that previous comment. May 13, 2016 at 17:17
  • @Don'tPanic Related, and also Related. May 13, 2016 at 17:18
  • Truth be told, you should scour xy-problem for situations like this. We should get on creating an FAQ for it since it does seem to be fairly common.
    – Makoto
    May 13, 2016 at 17:56
  • see also: A well defined question, but maybe the wrong one
    – gnat
    May 13, 2016 at 17:58
  • 3
    Related: What is the XY problem? on MSE May 13, 2016 at 18:16
  • @Makoto It may be a cross post FAQ. That problem isn't specific for SO, but has it's subtle idiosyncrasies regarding [MCVE] and such. May 13, 2016 at 18:22
  • @JonasCz It's definitely related and cross site relevant, rather than only with Meta SO. May 13, 2016 at 18:23

1 Answer 1

9

In many questions, the OP isn't asking the right question to solve their problem. Either they're only trying to address a symptom of the actual problem, or they've misdiagnosed the cause of a symptom and are trying to solve a problem that doesn't actually exist. I think it's natural that this happens; if they understood the situation well enough to ask exactly the right question, they might not need to ask one at all.

That's a well known Meta SE meme called the XY problem.

Here's the pic for it:

enter image description here

  • Should an edit that drastic be made so that the question can be answered (or quite possibly closed as a duplicate) ...

No, don't do this. Leave such kind of put in the mouth edits to the OP themselves.

It would be correctly rejected (for lower rep editors) as

  • clearly conflicts with author's intent This edit deviates from the original intent of the post. Even edits that must make drastic changes should strive to preserve the goals of the post's owner.

Better leave a comment that points out the OP's barking up the wrong tree (Well, as @Hans Passant mentioned that's often not well appreciated by the OP, because it makes them looking a bit stupid; so try to be gentle, let OPs keep their face, - especially asian OPs will appreciate that -, and not be just as rude like that nasty tree above).

... or should I vote to close it as off-topic; no MCVE?

Maybe, depends on the particular case. If there's no MCVE, that makes the question clear enough, vote to close it.

  • Does the correct action depend on whether or not there are existing answers that would be invalidated by a drastic edit?

Sure it also depends on this, invalidating existing answers is kind of rude, no means if the edit was done by the OP themselves, or another user.

  • Granted, answers to these types of questions usually aren't particularly valid to begin with.

Well, that really depends on these answers. If you think these fail to address the question, just downvote, and maybe refer to your comment or better answer.


IMHO it's questionable to ban XY problem questions from the site as off topic in general.

These can give great enlightenment for future researchers, no matter how poor the original question was asked (regarding the [MCVE] or other formal close reasons).

If the XY problem can be clearly spotted and eliminated with a concise answer, there should be an answer or duplicate.

4
  • /OT BTW, does someone know a good XKCD illustration in preference to that nasty pic I've been using here? May 13, 2016 at 18:40
  • I try to never be a rude, nasty tree, regardless of who I think the OP may be. May 13, 2016 at 19:00
  • I didn't meant to imply that! I just try to avoid making assumptions about people (including you). May 13, 2016 at 19:20
  • @Don'tPanic Easy! I'm of course not a racist, and you're right that such behavior should be shown regardless of any idiosyncrasies of the OP. Just kidding a bit. Why I was mentioning asian people regarding I let you loose your face situations, is that I've experienced that you'll get them mostly in a stucked situation and they will keep on insisting they did everything right, but not showing what "everything" actually is. That's just a personal observation. May 13, 2016 at 19:23

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