I've seen this question, and no, this is not a duplicate -- I don't want to ask, if we should migrate or close, because for me this is pretty obvious and sometimes I wonder, how this could not be so obvious to users with 30k+ rep?

I would like to ask, why following close-related, auto-generated comment is existing at all:


Can you please, kindly explain me, what is the reason (if any) for closing a question with above comment, and encouraging OP to ask it again, instead of actually migrating such question to Super User (or any other SE's site)? Do we really need closed-here-repeated-there doubles?

(*all the time**, over and over, I have to add comment to each such close-instead-of-migrate, asking the one, who voted for close, if he or she can kindly explain above to me)

I'm pretty sure (correct me, if I'm wrong), that above comment only encourage people to close question, instead of migrating it. For me (again, correct me, if I'm wrong), pointing user to ask the same question on other SE site, instead of actually migrating his or her question there is pointless.

And that is why, in my opinion, such comment (for people closing question) should either be removed or at least extended, with a short, clear notice:

migrate question, instead of closing it and asking user to repeat it somewhere else


Members of one site may not actually know for certain what's appropriate and on-topic at another site. Just because a question superficially deals with a subject that is covered by another site's description, doesn't mean that question will really be welcome. It's kind of rude to dump a question that isn't definitely wanted on someone else's doorstep, and it's not a great experience for the asker to be shoved off to another site, only to have the question closed there.

Moderators can migrate to any site, and also have a back channel in which they can talk to the moderators of the target site to see whether the question is wanted there. If you see a question that you think really ought to be migrated, go ahead and flag it. The migration options that close voters have are for the slam dunks.

In the end, though, it's the poster's job to find the right spot. In many cases, members of one site can only say with authority "This doesn't belong here", not "It belongs there".

See also Tim Post's answer to Migrate to *any* site?

  • I think, that you focus on reasons, while I've been trying to focus on technical details. If there is any sense to ask user to do a lot of job (re-asking question), that can be done with just one or few clicks? Exactly the same will happen (basing on question quality and meaning), no matter, if question is re-asked or if it is migrated. I trying to say, that if closer have any doubts, then he or she should close question with another comment. I only argue situation, where closer is certain, question should be migrated and closes question giving mentioned comment, instead of migrating it.
    – trejder
    Dec 17 '13 at 8:06
  • I agree, that questions may be unwanted, poor quality, again off-topic, etc. etc. But the key in my reasoning is, that they will not change even a bit, and will suffer the same problems, no matter if closed with proposition to re-ask, or actually migrated.
    – trejder
    Dec 17 '13 at 8:08
  • The etiquette underlies the technical decision. The difference is, if I vote to close it on Stack Overflow, it's closed. If the asker then re-posts on Super User and it's closed there too, that's between the asker and SU; it has nothing to do with me. If I vote to send Super User a question that they don't want, I've done a disservice to that site and the members there. We don't want that disservice to be the status quo, so we have a policy of very limited, careful migration.
    – jscs
    Dec 17 '13 at 8:12

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