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If I find an answer on some website to a question that does not already exist on SO

Should I create a question and answer it with the information I've found to 'add to the SO knowlege base' for future visitors?

I tend to search SO first, before google, because chances are I'll find more helpful information here. So shouldn't I add information that isn't here?

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It depends how "useful" your "information" is. If it's something that fits in with the faq then go for it; otherwise please, please don't. –  ben is uǝq backwards Sep 12 '12 at 20:33
So long as you're not copying/pasting/plagiarizing too... –  user7116 Sep 12 '12 at 20:34
Good point, but what if it's something that paraphrasing would be futile on...not exactly code, but it is perfectly written already –  d-_-b Sep 12 '12 at 20:35
Keep the policies of the "origin website" in mind. If they say no copying, then don't. If they're CC-BY-SA like us, and you do decide to post to SO, remember to attribute. –  Pops Sep 12 '12 at 20:39
Everyone brings up really good points....I'll throw myself under the bus here: stackoverflow.com/questions/12378955/… seems like it's easily found in google, but with newer versions of chromebooks (i think that ) they replaced qemacs with vim editor. So all sites were useless to me..until I found the one I linked to. Is this something I should have shared? Keep in mind the consensus on SO has been "no,bad" –  d-_-b Sep 12 '12 at 20:43
@iight, I've just read your question; I think it might have something to do with emacs... I'm really not sure (I use emacs), which is probably why it got downvoted and closed. –  ben is uǝq backwards Sep 12 '12 at 20:45
idk....It seems like a useful question related to programming that will help people in the future that search on SO. But -- the people have spoken! :) –  d-_-b Sep 12 '12 at 20:46
lol and since it got closed...im sure as hell accepting my answer :P hahah –  d-_-b Sep 12 '12 at 20:51
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1 Answer

up vote 3 down vote accepted

I think this is the reason why the "answer your own question" feature has been added in the first place.

You can find this checkbox at the bottom of the "Ask a question" page:

Answer your Question

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I agree, but - to play devil's advocate, If someone else can simply google really hard and find it...should it be my responsibility to add this content to SO? (as a good-semaritan and to help SO have [even] more content) –  d-_-b Sep 12 '12 at 20:35
I see...I must have missed that, and as a result got bombarded with downvotes and close votes lol –  d-_-b Sep 12 '12 at 20:37
Convenience link to the announcement of that feature –  Pops Sep 12 '12 at 20:37
@iight I did not mean the answers to trivial questions that show up at the top of the first google query that you try, I mean answers that took you a while to figure out even with the help of a search engine and one or more external web sites. SO has deservedly gained high visibility in the search engines, so sharing something that you found on other sites is helpful both for the original site and for SO. It goes without saying that the attribution to the original site is a mandatory thing. –  dasblinkenlight Sep 12 '12 at 20:38
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