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My question library package manager for Windows was closed as non constructive (probably as a result of the meta-discussion from here because it was voted to close exactly by the people from there).

I don't see how this question is not constructive. It is simply asking for a package manager for Windows with some certain properties. Being non-constructive would mean (as I would understand it) that no constructive answer can be given. I fail to see how that is. Even if the answer is "no, there is no such thing", it would be constructive.

I also don't see why this is a bad question (as said in the discussion here). It asks for some software with some properties. I have asked it on StackOverflow because those properties make it esp developer related.

Any answer to this question would be helpful to all other people with the same question.

Can somebody elaborate why this question or any answers is of negative value to SO?

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Do you plan to post one of these for each of the questions that were justifiably closed as a result of your previous question? If so, you'll likely hit the question limit here as well. –  M.Babcock Mar 31 '12 at 1:34
@M.Babcock: I don't really see what you all want to achieve. That I leave SO? There is still no single answer explaining why I am contributing negative value to SO by my question or my general activity. It just seems that you don't really like the way I use SO. –  Albert Mar 31 '12 at 1:40
Albert: Not a single one of us really cared about how you used SO until you came here on meta to 1) complain and 2) not bother listening to our thoughts. –  Andrew Barber Mar 31 '12 at 1:44
Of course that is not the intention. I'm not personally familiar with your questions outside of the ones you publicly highlighted, so in general I can't say you aren't contributing (nor have I said so). When asking questions it is generally expected that you "do your homework" and you've been extremely vocal about how this basic requirement is not necessary. This, in fact, does hurt the community as a whole. Before considering your response, understand that I will not be drawn into one of the pointless debates you've associated yourself with. –  M.Babcock Mar 31 '12 at 1:45

3 Answers 3

up vote 16 down vote accepted

As the existing answers illustrate, you have asked a "List Question". Those are never good. There isn't a single good answer to them. There are dozens. No one else who sees your question will have the same set of requirements, so it won't help.

Therefore, list questions are Not constructive

Stack Overflow is not a place to build lists of stuff. There are hundreds of other places you can go for that.

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Ah, thanks for explanation. Whereby two of the three given answers are actually not answers to the question, so it seems there is only a single right answer anyway (at this point). But I see your point. And btw., I think there are quite a few people with exactly this set of requirements (mostly Open Source developers though, maybe SO is not so Open Source user friendly, esp. not the Windows ones). –  Albert Mar 31 '12 at 1:46
Stack Overflow is not a place to build or wittle down a list of tools. Whether for open source or closed source; windows or Linux; newbie or experienced. It's a place for... oh, nevermind... –  Andrew Barber Mar 31 '12 at 1:48
@Albert: I spend all day answering questions about open source tools. It's quite friendly here. It's just that your platform of choice doesn't provide an apt-get equivalent, and that's a serious piece to try to replace. –  sarnold Mar 31 '12 at 1:49
@sarnold: Yea, of course it is. But does it make my question bad? Also, Win isn't even my platform of choice. All I was trying to do is to compile some Open Source project on Windows with MSVC which had many dependencies on other libraries and it was a pain to download/install them manually and to configure MSVC to setup the include path etc etc. What I asked for in my question was a tool to simplify this. –  Albert Mar 31 '12 at 1:51
@Albert: It makes your question a "List Question", which we close as "Not Contructive". But, I repeat myself, don't I? –  Andrew Barber Mar 31 '12 at 2:28
No, actually you repeat me. This question is part 3 in a series. –  Cody Gray Mar 31 '12 at 3:26
@TheEstablishment hehe... I was gonna try to come up with some snarky way to say that, but decided to avoid the mental effort :p –  Andrew Barber Mar 31 '12 at 3:28

I quote (emphasis mine):

This question is not a good fit to our Q&A format. We expect answers to generally involve facts, references, or specific expertise; this question will likely solicit opinion, debate, arguments, polling, or extended discussion. See the FAQ for guidance on how to improve it.

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And this is false for the given question. –  Albert Mar 31 '12 at 1:22
Five users with 3,000 or more reputation disagree with you. –  Jack Maney Mar 31 '12 at 1:24
Can you elaborate how any answer will not involve facts or references or expertise? Can you elaborate how any answer could be debatable? –  Albert Mar 31 '12 at 1:24
Can I? Yes. Will I? No. I am not here to reiterate over and over again why some of your questions are not good questions for SO. –  Jack Maney Mar 31 '12 at 1:25
You still haven't. –  Albert Mar 31 '12 at 1:26
Technically, you're right; however, that's because it was already done. Are you able to give a single reason why you would listen to an explanation from me when you clearly either can't or won't listen to this one? –  Jack Maney Mar 31 '12 at 1:28
It says there "overly broad and solicits". That is both not true. It is quite specific. Have you read and understood the question? –  Albert Mar 31 '12 at 1:32
Yes, I have. Why should I answer any more of your questions when you've made it quite clear that you'll ignore any answers that you don't like? –  Jack Maney Mar 31 '12 at 1:34

Since you're pinning it's closure on those that disagreed with you're previous MSO question, I'll explain my reasoning for vote closing it.

This question brings no value to SO because it would have been more constructive to do the search yourself. Google will automatically update based on recently found matches where any answers to your question would need to be manually updated. Posting a question to any of the StackExchange sites is not and should not be considered an alternative to doing your own research. That is why the How to Ask says Do your homework, though I'd extend that beyond the walls of StackExchange and into the greater internet because the StackExchange network is not a let me google that for you service.

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My question is not simply about a package manager for Windows. Have you even read it? –  Albert Mar 31 '12 at 1:25
Would it matter if I did? It was on its way to being closed. Besides, the answer is still the same. –  M.Babcock Mar 31 '12 at 1:32
May I ask: How often have you setup MSVC for a project with many dependencies to other external libraries and prepared redistributable builds? (Hint: that is what the question is about ...) –  Albert Mar 31 '12 at 1:33
Btw., Googling for "library package manager for windows" doesn't help as all. As you would unterstand if you have read the question... –  Albert Mar 31 '12 at 1:34
@M.Babcock: I'm a little worried that you voted to close without reading the question -- don't get me wrong, I would have also voted to close, but I'd like to think we at least give every question a fair shake first. –  sarnold Mar 31 '12 at 1:37
@sarnold - I never said I didn't read the question. Unfortunately I wasted my time doing so, but knowing that this particular user refuses to do any research before asking questions I was probably a little biased. –  M.Babcock Mar 31 '12 at 1:39
@M.B: Ah! I'm glad I misinterpreted your Would it matter if I did? response. Thanks! –  sarnold Mar 31 '12 at 1:48

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