While the original idea: Modifying the faq, shopping edition was a great one and duly implemented...I think that the existing link to http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2010/11/qa-is-hard-lets-go-shopping/ simply isn't conveying the message properly here on ServerFault.

Even now, when I read the Q&A is hard Let's go Shopping link, it isn't very reader friendly.

For an SF question, it reads more like "you can't ask which server to buy, but you could ask what to look for in a server for a particular scenario."

Yet, we tend to close both of those questions MOST of the time.

The reason I bring this up, is we see a LOT of: "Which tool/software should I use for (X)?" or "monitoring recommendations" or "I want to have my server do (X), is there software that will do that?", etc.

So, let's be VERY generous and say that these folks HAVE read the FAQ and HAVE clicked the link and skimmed over the "Shopping" link. Perhaps they are simply seeing it and misreading it or feel it doesn't apply to ServerFault at all and is just an outdated link?

I just think it couldn't hurt to create our own version of the Q&A is Hard Let's Go Shopping link. Something specific to ServerFault and its audience. I'd be happy to help construct one if others feel the same.

To the people that will state "they still won't read it and follow it"...I'm with you in that boat, but it can do no worse than the existing link.

While the original idea: Modifying the faq, shopping edition was a great one and duly implemented...I think that the existing link to http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2010/11/qa-is-hard-lets-go-shopping/ simply isn't conveying the message properly here on ServerFault.

Even now, when I read the Q&A is hard Let's go Shopping link, it isn't very reader friendly.

For an SF question, it reads more like "you can't ask which server to buy, but you could ask what to look for in a server for a particular scenario."

Yet, we tend to close both of those questions MOST of the time.

The reason I bring this up, is we see a LOT of: "Which tool/software should I use for (X)?" or "monitoring recommendations" or "I want to have my server do (X), is there software that will do that?", etc.

So, let's be VERY generous and say that these folks HAVE read the FAQ and HAVE clicked the link and skimmed over the "Shopping" link. Perhaps they are simply seeing it and misreading it or feel it doesn't apply to ServerFault at all and is just an outdated link?

I just think it couldn't hurt to create our own version of the Q&A is Hard Let's Go Shopping link. Something specific to ServerFault and its audience. I'd be happy to help construct one if others feel the same.

To the people that will state "they still won't read it and follow it"...I'm with you in that boat, but it can do no worse than the existing link.