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To increase the amount of knowledge on the site (in question and answer form), I am considering if I should write some specific questions that I could provide answers to myself, with others answering as they see fit.

Funny, the filter/matcher is telling me "The question you're asking appears subjective and is likely to be closed."

This seems in line with the purpose of the site and would provide material for Google searches. Of course, we need to work on getting more researchers and students to sign up (I still need to finish an explanation and invite for a professor, the SPS club, and some friends).

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    $\begingroup$ I'm trying to seed with some of the questions I asked as a kid myself; hopefully the upvotes mean that they are welcome. :) $\endgroup$
    – user172
    Nov 8, 2010 at 6:37
  • $\begingroup$ @J.M. Ok, I had a flickering suspicion about your electric eel question, considering the number of results for the search. $\endgroup$
    – Mark C
    Nov 8, 2010 at 7:10

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It is simply not a good idea for a new site to "seed" it with questions.

Blog post: Area 51: Asking the First Questions

What you are calling "seeding" isn't typically such a good idea. Users should be asking real questions about problems they actually have.

People love answering questions. But fewer people want to watch someone to talk to themselves and even fewer people want to be given homework assignments for the sake of busy work.

But if you must, at least limit it to that rare, particularly interesting problem in the past where you wish you had this site to help you at the time. Or if you come across a good problem in your work, ask it — You don't have to answer it, even if you know the answer. But more times than not, if you're going to sit and simply think up some hypothetical "problems" to fill the site, it's going to look forced and pedestrian.

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  • $\begingroup$ I admit, I wasn't thinking so clearly, and at the back of my head I knew this would only attract people asking those same questions. Well, I'm not going to think up hypothetical "problems", so I doubt it would look "forced and pedestrian", but do take a look at similar questions that have already been posted. I am not contending for seeding, am I just saying that some less advanced questions can be asked without it appearing terribly unnatural. $\endgroup$
    – Mark C
    Nov 10, 2010 at 5:46
  • $\begingroup$ @Marc C: That sounds good. $\endgroup$
    – Robert Cartaino
    Nov 10, 2010 at 15:00
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Sure, seeding is fine, but I would suggest trying to write the question as if you didn't know the answer, so that people who actually don't know the answer can identify with it. Also, I'd suggest not answering your own question right away, but rather giving other people a day or two to answer it. Afterwards, if you haven't gotten a satisfactory answer, then post your own.

P.S. If the site is telling you that the question appears subjective, that's probably just because of some particular word you're using in the title, so don't worry about it.

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    $\begingroup$ If I understand you correctly, that is basically what I planned to do: Write a question (as if it were an example) and then try to answer it. Thank you for reminding me to do it that way. $\endgroup$
    – Mark C
    Nov 7, 2010 at 4:46
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If you want stronger people on the site, I suggest asking the questions that are really puzzling you, for real.

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    $\begingroup$ Yes, I agree. That is one important way to prepare the site for a higher grade of users. $\endgroup$
    – Mark C
    Nov 10, 2010 at 5:48

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