41
votes
Accepted
Should we remove the reputation requirement for answering on meta?
Remove both question and answer requirements
Meta is a great way for new users to ask questions about the site, so there shouldn't be a rep restriction keeping them from doing so.
New users should ...
37
votes
Accepted
What are our specific abbreviations and terms?
See also Stack Exchange Glossary - Dictionary of Commonly-Used Terms.
Abbreviations marked with a star (*) are chat specific.
ATO: Attempt This Online; a website similiar to TIO where newer versions ...
36
votes
Accepted
Are newbies allowed to write programs in golf languages?
Let's just put it this way — where do experienced golfing language users come from? They certainly don't just fall out of the sky, and must have started somewhere, right?
Without the practice and ...
- 61.7k
32
votes
A proposal to combat Meta Bloat™: The Big Consensus Freeze
I propose that each commonly-used language have a separate explanation of the rules that most pertain to it, with code examples. I think this is more digestible that a big general FAQ, especially to ...
- 144k
27
votes
Are newbies allowed to write programs in golf languages?
An answer is judged on its content, not on the status of the person who posted it.
If an established and respected community member posts an answer to a code-golf question that makes no effort to ...
25
votes
How can we attract experienced golfers?
Strive to outgolf
For skilled golfers to take us seriously, they need to see us try for the best golf.
If someone's already submitted in your favorite language, take it as a challenge to do better. ...
- 144k
22
votes
Accepted
Don't downvote off topic posts into oblivion
posts that are unintentionally against our on-topic guidelines have no reason to be downvoted.
This is false; posts with a score of -4 or lower do not appear on the front page.
Making low quality ...
- 210k
21
votes
Accepted
Let's customise the "How to Answer" pop-up
This was recently changed to the text proposed by coredump. New users who enter the Your Answer box will see:
- 101
21
votes
Are newbies allowed to write programs in golf languages?
Of course you can: anyone can answer any question in any language: there's no restriction upon new users apart from those put in place by Stack Exchange (which Programming Puzzles and Code Golf can't ...
- 23.3k
21
votes
I'm new to code golf, what are some things I should know?
I don't really know what's best specifically for you but I'll share my short experience over the past year here.
I started out golfing in Java, probably the worst possible language to golf in. ...
- 20.6k
21
votes
I'm new to code golf, what are some things I should know?
A few thoughts, from a fairly-newbie:
Use whatever language you like. Personally, I see every language as competing in its own space. I compete against other JavaScript entries, and to a very small ...
- 2,731
20
votes
On downvoting questions of users not in the know
The tooltip for the downvote button says
This question does not show any research effort; it is unclear or not useful.
It is an excellent description of the question you link.
Does not show any ...
- 43.1k
17
votes
Accepted
When should challenges be protected?
Other SE sites have questions that already got a satisfying answer, and new answers will likely be thank you posts or other kinds of noise. In these situation, protecting questions is the way to go. ...
- 210k
17
votes
On downvoting questions of users not in the know
If the challenge is a homework question in disguise, or otherwise looks like an attempt to get this community to do someone else's work for them, then I would downvote it. I would certainly not direct ...
- 6,376
17
votes
Accepted
Standard New User Welcome Messages
I always start by welcoming the new user. It's best to make users feel welcome in the community and not to sound hostile. I also always recommend the Sandbox (especially now that there's no rep limit)....
- 24.6k
17
votes
Is there simple example or demo to show how to play with this community?
Hello and Welcome to Programming Puzzles and Code Golf! I'm delighted that you'd like you join our community. We're glad to have you.
To get a feel for the community and how to contribute:
You can ...
- 24.6k
17
votes
New users' guides to golfing rules in specific languages
Haskell
Basic IO
In Haskell, a valid answer is usually a function, unless a full program is required by the challenge.
Even if a challenge requires you to output an infinite stream of data (like all ...
17
votes
Newbie question about voting
Voting while participating
As it's a contest it doesn't make sense to vote for other answers - does it?
It is a contest, but I like to think of it as a challenge. And everyone participates ...
- 46.2k
17
votes
The view from a newcomer (or an unwary traveller)
Hello and Welcome to PPCG!
Indeed, while PPCG is somewhat different from the main Stack Overflow site, there is a lot of information about questions that can be found in the Help pages, specifically ...
- 501
17
votes
Accepted
what did I do wrong and how can I improve
At a brief glance, some potential reasons are:
This looks a lot like a homework question or a coding challenge taking from another site.
We don't help with homework
Using a challenge from another ...
- 52.9k
16
votes
Should we have a "Welcome to PPCG" new user post?
Let's do it!
This is a great idea! While new users won't necessarily see it on their own, they can be easily linked to it, once it exists.
While we currently have a community FAQ, I think it would ...
- 42k
16
votes
Unspoken challenge rules
We need an honest intro for new askers
We need a frank explanation of what makes a good challenge. Not something that lists all rules and possibilities, but advice like you'd give a friend who is new ...
- 144k
16
votes
Let's customise the "How to Answer" pop-up
I am evidently sold on the idea. Here is a modified version in order to bring more thoughts on this.
If this is an answer to a challenge
Be sure to follow the challenge specification. ...
- 6,770
15
votes
Welcome to Code Golf and Coding Challenges Stack Exchange!
Answering
Unlike most Stack Exchange sites, answers here are typically easier to write than questions. However, there are a few things that every answer needs to include, and a couple of criteria they ...
14
votes
"Be Nice" applies to off-topic questions too
This also applies in Chat
Often when a post is off topic on the site people will ping the NewMainPosts message announcing the question, with complaints or generally unwelcoming statements.
Just ...
Wheat WizardMod
- 96.5k
14
votes
Newbie question about voting
Do not vote for code length!
Code length is not a good way to determine what to vote for, because it isn't a good indicator of quality. A golflang submission can be thoroughly uninteresting and still ...
- 15.4k
14
votes
Welcome to Code Golf and Coding Challenges Stack Exchange!
Asking
Asking good, high quality challenges is a key aspect of the site. Some users almost exclusively post challenges, and some prefer instead to only answer. However, asking is very different on ...
13
votes
How can we attract experienced golfers?
Vote.
The main mechanism of stackexchange is voting. As @LuisMendo said, if you attract more users in general, you will gradually bring in those more experienced golfers.
When you see a good answer ...
- 411
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible