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I clicked What shouldn't I ask here? and was puzzled by no mention of jailbreaking, NDA and so on.

Later I realised that a separate section – What can I ask here? – includes a list of things that should not be asked. At least:

… refrain from asking about ...

  • Apple Developer Programs or iTunes Connect (including iAd and the iBookstore)
  • programming, with the exception of AppleScript and Automator
  • installing or using Apple operating systems on non-Apple hardware
  • a shopping or buying recommendation for hardware
  • pre-release or beta software (We consider versions not available to the public to be - in this category)
  • obtaining or using pirated software or media

… beta, pre-release, and general developer questions that might be covered with a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) …

Arranging things in that way, in the two subsections of the FAQ, is counterintuitive. Nots and nons are currently misclassified as can-dos.

What kind of questions should I not ask here? should list:

  • refrains (the nots)
  • stuff that might be subject to nondisclosure (the nons).

Summary

This meta question is:

  • about arrangement of points within the FAQ page
  • not about removal of points.
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  • Could you clarify what you'd like to see so I can determine if this needs to be fielded here or on the main meta? I'll make an answer based on my understanding of the situation.
    – bmike Mod
    Jul 30, 2012 at 15:18
  • Thanks @bmike. At least some of the six points seem Apple-specific.
    – Graham Perrin
    Jul 30, 2012 at 15:25
  • 1
    Indeed - I presume you are not calling for removal of the specific things we discourage but for it's relocation.
    – bmike Mod
    Jul 30, 2012 at 15:33

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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Here is how the FAQ works today.

All sites on Stack Exchange (87 full and another 52 beta) currently have static content for the FAQ and a very small section that can be customized for a specific site.

By design, we can only customize this top section.

Here's what could be done today:

  1. Delete all the site specific guidance on what not to ask (if the confusion of having it it two places was seen to be worse than having it in the FAQ)
  2. Ask on the main meta to allow sites to customize the "don't ask" portion as well as the "ask" portion.

I feel strongly that our customized "do not ask" information needs to be in the FAQ and thus would support keeping it there until such a time that #2 is possible for us to accomplish.

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  • 1
    Total agreement that a shortlist of questions to not ask does belong somewhere in the primary FAQ page.
    – Graham Perrin
    Jul 30, 2012 at 15:37
  • 1
    Perfect. You could leave this question here and see if a similar question has been asked on the main meta (or ask it yourself there) so that the main meta question could see how one site is working around this limitation.
    – bmike Mod
    Jul 30, 2012 at 15:40
  • Groovy. This answer alone is acceptable to me (personally) but I'll leave the question open indefinitely for other meta bods to consider at their leisure. If/when a status-completed time approaches, ping me here or in chat and I'll tidy up.
    – Graham Perrin
    Jul 30, 2012 at 15:45

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