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Ask YC: Viability of StackOverflow for other topics and community building.

5 points by izak30 ↗ HN
YC:

I know that most of you have at least used StackOverflow. I had thought that it would be a great platform for Q&A of any topic. I whipped up gamersaurus.com and now (before I even have any real users/questions) I'm not so sure. For example: Do most video game questions have answers that are 1) cannonical AND 2) not widely available? To me, that's really the value propisition of stackoverflow.

So, my question is: Is stack exchange, as a platform dead in the water for this, or is it as valuable as the community you build around it (or something else). My friend who runs a video game forum with 220k members seems to think the former.

6 comments

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dkasper
The concept of voting on questions and answers could probably be a valuable metaphor for most communities. Once you've been on voting sites a regular forum seems lame, what can you do when you really like an answer besides commenting "+1 to OP"?

I think that if stack exchange could be improved to allow customization in more ways it would be very useful, however the sites just seem too generic to have broad appeal in my opinion.

izak30
That's one of the biggest complaints I had from "Guy A" who looked at it. There was no decent way to 1) Interface with the content with his current site 2) port reputation two ways from his existing community.
milkshakes
i, for one, would love a version for startup related questions, from logistical, strategic and financial to technical implementation suggestions. something like a more powerful Ask HN. users can respond to questions based on their opinions or (hopefully) experiences, others can vote on the relevance and usefulness of the response
rrikhy
your wish is granted:

http://answers.onstartups.com/

izak30
So, that brings up another good point. StackOverflow, like answers.OnStartups was leveraged from an already burgeoning community, and quickly got other communities involved. With something grassroots, are you stuck in a chicken and egg problem?

I feel like if there are questions, there can be answers (some of us are better at google than others.. or less lazy or whatever) but if there aren't questions, it's dead.

milkshakes
yes i am so very excited about it. they seem to not have embraced the same philosophies i have been exposed to around this community. i'm going to try to share what i have learned there though i dont have much experience applying it