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Meta How to best ask about algorithmic problems

This question was of very poor quality and should have been closed. I closed it but someone disagreed, for reasons unknown. I'm not sure if it's an actual algorithm question or just a request for f...

posted 3y ago by Lundin‭ · edited 3y ago by Lundin‭

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#2: Post edited by

Lundin‭ · 2022-01-04T12:46:07Z (almost 3 years ago)

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This question was of very poor quality and should have been closed. I closed it but someone disagreed, for reasons unknown. I'm not sure if it's an actual algorithm question or just a request for free code. C strings are very specific to that programming language and I'm not sure if it's even meaningful to discuss handling of them in abstract terms.
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> What requirements should be stated?
What language, compiler, system etc are you using (when this is relevant).
In case a question is about performance then the question might need to define if they are interested in actual run-time execution speed, or theoretical execution speed/number of comparisons ("Big O" etc), or memory consumption etc etc.
> Should an implementation language or set of languages be specified?
Only if the question is about implementing an algorithm in a certain language. It is not OK to ask to have free code written by unpaid volunteers - it's (arguably) very rude and a violation of our "be nice" Code of Conduct, so the user might get suspended for posting such.
A question about how to implement something in a specific language is by definition not a broad algorithm theory question.
> Do we care about duplicating external content
If some solution already exists we should point them that way. But answers that are nothing more than a mere link to an external resource should be avoided. Such can and should be posted as comments instead. Answers should add something of value to _this_ site.
> Is the full implementation of algorithms feasible within the Q&A format?
Yes, given that the poster has made an effort themselves and are asking about particular problems they are facing. Code review of complete working code is also on-topic here, use the code review category.
> How would a high quality on-topic question about an algorithmic problem look like?
Detailed, with some research effort. Writing such questions is hard!
Here's one attempt I made at some point: https://cs.stackexchange.com/questions/68214/finding-the-spots-furthest-away-from-bad-data. Not sure if it's a great question but at least someone understood it well enough to give a great answer, after which I realized how to best design the algorithm.

This question was of very poor quality and should have been closed. I closed it but someone disagreed, for reasons unknown. I'm not sure if it's an actual algorithm question or just a request for free code. C strings are very specific to that programming language and I'm not sure if it's even meaningful to discuss handling of them in abstract terms.
---
> What requirements should be stated?
What language, compiler, system etc are you using (when this is relevant).
In case a question is about performance then the question might need to define if they are interested in actual run-time execution speed, or theoretical execution speed/number of comparisons ("Big O" etc), or memory consumption etc etc.
> Should an implementation language or set of languages be specified?
Only if the question is about implementing an algorithm in a certain language. It is not OK to ask to have free code written by unpaid volunteers - it's (arguably) very rude and a violation of our "be nice" Code of Conduct, so the user might get suspended for posting such.
A question about how to implement something in a specific language is by definition not a broad algorithm theory question.
> Do we care about duplicating external content
If some solution already exists we should point them that way; re-inventing the wheel is rarely ever a good idea. But answers that are nothing more than a mere link to an external resource should be avoided. Such can and should be posted as comments instead. Answers should add something of value to _this_ site.
> Is the full implementation of algorithms feasible within the Q&A format?
Yes, given that the poster has made an effort themselves and are asking about particular problems they are facing. Code review of complete working code is also on-topic here, use the code review category.
> How would a high quality on-topic question about an algorithmic problem look like?
Detailed, with some research effort. Writing such questions is hard!
Here's one attempt I made at some point: https://cs.stackexchange.com/questions/68214/finding-the-spots-furthest-away-from-bad-data. Not sure if it's a great question but at least someone understood it well enough to give a great answer, after which I realized how to best design the algorithm.

#1: Initial revision by

Lundin‭ · 2022-01-04T12:45:00Z (almost 3 years ago)

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This question was of very poor quality and should have been closed. I closed it but someone disagreed, for reasons unknown. I'm not sure if it's an actual algorithm question or just a request for free code. C strings are very specific to that programming language and I'm not sure if it's even meaningful to discuss handling of them in abstract terms.

---

> What requirements should be stated?

What language, compiler, system etc are you using (when this is relevant). 

In case a question is about performance then the question might need to define if they are interested in actual run-time execution speed, or theoretical execution speed/number of comparisons ("Big O" etc), or memory consumption etc etc.

> Should an implementation language or set of languages be specified? 

Only if the question is about implementing an algorithm in a certain language. It is not OK to ask to have free code written by unpaid volunteers - it's (arguably) very rude and a violation of our "be nice" Code of Conduct, so the user might get suspended for posting such.

A question about how to implement something in a specific language is by definition not a broad algorithm theory question.

> Do we care about duplicating external content

If some solution already exists we should point them that way. But answers that are nothing more than a mere link to an external resource should be avoided. Such can and should be posted as comments instead. Answers should add something of value to _this_ site.

> Is the full implementation of algorithms feasible within the Q&A format?

Yes, given that the poster has made an effort themselves and are asking about particular problems they are facing. Code review of complete working code is also on-topic here, use the code review category.

> How would a high quality on-topic question about an algorithmic problem look like?

Detailed, with some research effort. Writing such questions is hard!

Here's one attempt I made at some point: https://cs.stackexchange.com/questions/68214/finding-the-spots-furthest-away-from-bad-data. Not sure if it's a great question but at least someone understood it well enough to give a great answer, after which I realized how to best design the algorithm.

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