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I'm getting the impression that a question of the type "I've written this package. What do you think about it?" is not well suited for the mechanics of this site.

Currently there are two questions of this type on the first page of the "unanswered list" ordered by votes:

Automated management of package options and loading order

Equation connected by lines

They are getting some comments, but it is hard to conceive what a "valid answer" would look like which would be accepted by the OP.

One could maybe argue that the questions are "off topic" in the strictest sense as it is unclear what exactly is being asked, but on the other hand I appreciate the idea of giving package authors the opportunity to tap the expertise assembled on this site also for general comments, not only to solve specific problems occurring during package implementation.

What could be done about this?

Leave them alone?

I've been thinking one could maybe start a "big list" question (on meta?) asking "What package are you currently working on?" where these questions together with the comments could go as "answers".

Edit: TBH the main reason for this question is that I like to browse the unanswered questions list and questions which "cannot be answered" somehow disturb my sense of tidyness ;-)

Maybe to remedy this, we could add some noncommittal answer like "This seems to be a very nice package and I would love to see it on CTAN soon"?

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I'm pretty in-favor of a single, CW question on Meta where everyone can list the packages they are actively working on if they so desire.

While certainly not appropriate as a Main post, I can imagine that it may be appropriate as a Meta post. Considering it would not be about TeX syntax but rather about TeX happenings specifically as it pertains to users of this site, I would say it's OK (speaking only for myself). I would consider it to be community advertisement of projects of common-interest, and an interesting showcase of how members of this community really are involved in TeX systems at large.

  • Moving two highly upvoted, open questions from main to be answers to a meta question is among, but maybe the most radical alternative I've considered above. I'd like to hear the opinion of other users (especially mods) on this position. – Stephan Lehmke Jan 26 '14 at 15:28
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Maybe a tag or a label we could add to "not-quite-questions"? I like separate posts for each one.

  • 3
    This would not change the fact that they would stay highly voted in the "unanswered questions" list. – Stephan Lehmke Jan 22 '14 at 14:22

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