MathOverflow

« first day (2860 days earlier) ← previous day next day → last day (1083 days later) »

4:27 AM

@TimCampion I would not worry about that too much. The advantage of chat is that also less important things can be said here. (Something that does not seem relevant enough to be posted as a comments or as a post.)

And chat also can be less focused and more discussion-like. (After all, if there is a longer exchange in comments, it is often moved to chat.)

It seems that this time some MO users actually joined the discussion about the modal window.

I fully understand if some users might be skeptical that it helps - after all, we have the data from the time when the /ask/advice was introduced for this purpose on some sites.

And also I understand that there are also some advantages to having occasional MSE-level question on MO.

11 hours later…

Tim Campion

3:10 PM

@MartinSleziak My impression was that there was substantial community involvement in the discussion when you first introduced it, although most of the answers to your meta post were a bit tangential. A couple of the people who commented this time around did so partly after I encouraged them to elsewhere.

4 hours later…

Tim Campion

7:14 PM

Regarding the modal window dialog, I'm now wishing I had chosen a slightly different format to solicit feedback.

I think people are more likely to vote something up than down in general.

I'm now firmly of the opinion that the cross-posting language should not be there.

Cross-posting is not the most important problem with first-time askers, I think.

And length is a real concern.

Since it just takes one click anywhere on the screen and the modal window disappears "forever", only wording which really jumps out is likely to be read at all.

But cross-posting seems to be the most popular suggested change so far.

oh well!

I'm thinking, though, that it's most important to try to communicate one thing:

that the site is for "research-level mathematics" and not for "general mathematical questions"

Currently that point is slightly buried, just in that it is included in a bullet point which is just one of 3 bullet points.

I'm trying to think of a way to get that to jump off the page a bit more.

Everything I've thought of, though, is a bit unwelcoming.

For instance, we could lead with STOP! in big bold letters --

followed by "Is your question about research-level mathematics? If not, use other sites"

But the tone of something like that is singularly unwelcoming.

Anyway, I agree with you @MartinSleziak that chat is a better place for brainstorming over issues like this than the comments of a meta question.

What about something like this:

> Welcome to MathOverflow! We welcome your questions about research-level mathematics. For general questions in mathematics, use other sites.

> To improve the chances of your question getting an answer make sure that it:
>
> * Includes the necessary background and has an informative title. (See also: [How to write a good MathOverflow question?](https://meta.mathoverflow.net/q/882))
> * Is properly formatted - use [MathJax (TeX-like syntax)](https://meta.mathoverflow.net/q/3763) for writing mathematics.
>
> Before you post, [search the site](https://mathoverflow.net/search) to make sure your question hasn’t been answered
>
> * Summarize the problem

Mostly this just pops that first point out of the list of bullets. Perhaps that doesn't really help with making it "pop".

hmmm

What if.... in order to post, you need to answer the question "What is an anagram of 'Banach-Tarski'?"

In fact, in order to register for an account the nForum that's what you do-- you email the site administrator with your favorite math joke.

« first day (2860 days earlier) ← previous day next day → last day (1083 days later) »

all rooms