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Example Question: Digital Effects Unit

Other sites tend to disallow too localized questions as in the long end they could result in outdated information and they would thus clutter the site, the details that are important to that question just change over time which makes it unfeasible to keep it open as it would result in a bloat question once it is outdated.

So, do you agree that we should disallow this and inform the user? Or do you see a reason to allow this?

2 Answers 2

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I have no problem with that question. We're here to answer people's questions, now. If they're going to be usedful for the next ten years that's a nice plus.

I don't see that question as "localised" - in fact it's easier to help people if you have more specifics about the situation.

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I disagree with the statement that my question was 'too localised' - I simply wanted to know if a piece of equipment from 1990 is going to be significantly worse than a piece of equipment from 2010.

In 5 years time, people on the 2nd hand market will still be wanting to know the same question. And the answer it received (They hiss and are noisy) is still going to be correct in 10, 15, 20 years, as the device itself is not going to metamorph into something that doesn't do those things.

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  • Asking how something differs between the past and now gives the question a localization in time fixed on now, if you visit the question again in the future it will differ from now and thus be useless for the future. Besides the localization in time, your question is also dependent on the availability of your specific product on the second hand market. Both lead into a too localized question... About the answer, which this discussion is not based on: The MidiVerb will indeed still have issues in the future, but the Lexicons might also gain unforeseen issues.
    – Tamara Wijsman
    Commented Dec 9, 2010 at 1:50
  • @Tom - in that case, virtually every single question on the site is "too localised", as technology changes all the time. The best way to remove white noise from a recording will change, as well as anything at all to do with microphone selection, and dozens of other questions.
    – Mark Henderson
    Commented Dec 9, 2010 at 1:55
  • @Farseeker: No, the first one is a bad example. Noise does not change, "use a low-pass filter to roll off the very high frequencies where this noise is usually found" will not change in the future. The second one isn't "too localised", it doesn't specify time nor cost. He is asking for experience and shopping recommendations, which is subjective and falls under this meta question...
    – Tamara Wijsman
    Commented Dec 9, 2010 at 2:03
  • @Tom - in that case, the accepted answer should have "Audio Cleaning Lab by Magix" removed from it, lest it be "too localised". Oh, and my question about Ardour even though it is a very specific question and CW to boot (see comment on this question). Oh yeah, and what about when you can't get your hands on a NES any more - do we need to scrub the answers to this question, even though they help?
    – Mark Henderson
    Commented Dec 9, 2010 at 2:13
  • @Farseeker: The question about Ardour does not intentionally involve price, quality or time. It asks how to consider between those two software packs and if there are other alternatives, I don't see how that is "too" localized? Please open a meta question if you disagree with Robert closing the DIY question, it looks like a mistake from my perspective... Nothing wrong with the NES question. This meta question is not a discussion about answers, please note that the NES question is in essence unanswered; so these answers provide temporary less good solutions till better answers appear...
    – Tamara Wijsman
    Commented Dec 9, 2010 at 2:37
  • @Tom - I've no issue with the question being closed, but I'm really not seeing how my question was any more localised than many of the other questions on the site. For example, in 5 years time, Ardour may have had its development dropped, or there may be other solutions that shit all over it, rendering my decision between the two products outdated or at worse completely wrong. Personally I see that question as far more "localised" than a question about a fixed point in time.
    – Mark Henderson
    Commented Dec 9, 2010 at 2:41
  • @Farseeker: Still, the question compares it to Audacity and invite other alternatives (Sonar, ProTools, Reaper, ...). It's very rare that they all would get their development dropped. So, your question about digital recording on linux will still be useful in the future. While a question that is fixed to a point in time won't be useful in the future...
    – Tamara Wijsman
    Commented Dec 9, 2010 at 2:45
  • @Tom - if my question were fixed to a point in time in the future, or a point in time that was variable, then I would agree. But a question that's fixed to a point in time firmly in the past, should not be. My question was about 1990. Sure, I could have omitted the "compared to today" part, but the fact still stands that what was wrong with that device in 1990 will still be correct in 10 years time.
    – Mark Henderson
    Commented Dec 9, 2010 at 3:15
  • @Farseeker: Then your question could be "I'm after a effects unit for just some simple plate reverb and maybe some delay on two mono channels. I've seen Alesis MidiVerb 4's around on the second hand market. It looks great and exactly what we need, but it's from around 1990. Is this going to be an issue?" All the rest either invites localization or buying recommendations. You can indeed change a question around to not match the reasons for closure, but the question in it's current form falls under two of these reasons...
    – Tamara Wijsman
    Commented Dec 9, 2010 at 3:34

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