Is it ok to direct non-Perl related questions to the Chatterbox?

Hi all,

While answering a post from a new member regarding Perl and non-Perl related questions (cvs, apache configuration, etc...) I was tempted to advice him/her to post his/her "specific" non-Perl related questions in the Chatterbox.

Would this be considered "good practice"? or is it better to avoid encouraging people to post non-Perl questions at all

Thanks in advance

citromatik

Comment on Is it ok to direct non-Perl related questions to the Chatterbox?

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Is it ok to direct non-Perl related questions to the Chatterbox? by moritz (Cardinal) on Jul 12, 2011 at 09:34 UTC
Sure, the Chatterbox FAQ says: Q: What sort of things are discussed in the Chatterbox? A: Everything and anything!! Topics tend to lean towards perl (naturally). Unix and current events pop up often too, but in general, anything goes. The topic of the CB is intentionally not restricted, so it's easier to keep SoPW free of off-topic questions. Perl 6 - second systems done right	[reply]
Re^2: Is it ok to direct non-Perl related questions to the Chatterbox? by citromatik (Curate) on Jul 12, 2011 at 10:17 UTC
Yes... But one thing is to feel free to ask about any topic in the chatterbox and another (slightly different) is to encourage people to post "off-topic" questions. I am glad to see that there is no "off-topic" concept in the Chatterbox. I have been gotten better advices on non-Perl related topics in the Chatterbox than in the official forums of that topics! :-D Thanks for clarification citromatik	[reply]
Re^3: Is it ok to direct non-Perl related questions to the Chatterbox? by MidLifeXis (Monsignor) on Jul 12, 2011 at 13:18 UTC
The population of those on PerlMonks is diverse, both in depth and breadth. That is something that has attracted me to PerlMonks. In addition to the varied areas of knowledge, this also, IMO, helps to generate a diverse set of solutions to any given problem. --MidLifeXis	[reply]
Re: Is it ok to direct non-Perl related questions to the Chatterbox? by davido (Cardinal) on Jul 12, 2011 at 15:59 UTC
I do it all the time. But the key is to keep it as simple as possible. Asking for help on a lengthy C problem isn't going to be too successful. Asking about an SQL query that I've got "almost right but not quite" is a lot easier. You just have to be mindful of the format of the CB: It doesn't lend itself well to "In depth" problems, but rather to quick discussion of issues that just need minor clarification. People are generally patient and helpful to me there, and when possible, I try to help out too. Dave	[reply]