3
$\begingroup$

I originally posted this on Meta StackExchange to judge whether my thoughts fit within SE and have been redirected back to our Meta.

We've received a few questions along the lines of purchasing references since we've opened in Beta. While I personally don't think direct questions about "What is the best 3D printer to buy?" are appropriate questions, I'm curious about a potential middle ground.

Should we consider including tags such as , , or ? The idea being that certain questions would inherit one of these tags (or something similar) to help facilitate traffic to specific questions. These questions would pose ideally be (in the OP's eyes) useful in making a purchase decision.

Case in point: This question, outlining some of the potential relative cons to UV printing compared to FDM/FFF printing, could prove useful to someone looking into purchasing a new UV printer.

This idea can be combined with those proposed here, such as @TomvanderZanden's suggestion to create a series of controlled "best" questions.

Amendment

I might also suggest that if we, as a community, decide to use such a system have moderators lock these questions to avoid any sort of spam (unnecessary answers). These questions should also be set to community wiki to ensure that any bias is dealt with as a community.

$\endgroup$
1
$\begingroup$

I like the idea of incorporating product reviews into the 3dprinting StackExchange

Why?

  1. It fits the Q&A model of Stack Exchange
  2. Product pre-purchase questions are probably the number 1 question every new user wants to ask and needs to know (as Ryan noted). We should attempt to find a way to help provide that answer.
  3. It provides a bridge to further questions. Once they purchase a printer, they will have questions.
  4. Since it is the number 1 question for new users, what a great way to draw them to the site. When they search, they should find this site has the answer.
  5. It gives us a way to point people on forums here. I often see links to reviews on forums. Why can't those point here? Once they are here, hopefully we will stay and contribute.
  6. It would provide a great source of new content. The number of new products and new users are growing at an exponential rate.
  7. If we do it right, it will help users and help move us forward on our Beta Goals.

Challenges

  1. We need to make sure the reviews are well done and are StackExchange style answers. What I mean by that is that where they will likely have some opinion-based content, the primary content should be based primarily on objective qualities. Maybe some sort of a "Style Guide", limitations on who can post, and peer review would help mitigate that. I am not that familiar with how to manage that on a StackExchange.
  2. Maybe this is a repeat of #1 - UNIFORMITY.
  3. Making sure the reviews doesn't become product advertisement / self promotions.
$\endgroup$
1
0
$\begingroup$

I've seen a few questions in the past week or so of people asking questions that would fit under the printer-review or buyer review tags you've suggested. However I don't think they are quite within the scope of the main site.

Specific questions regarding the benefits of one style of printer over another would be well suited to the site simply because they're less opinion based than than what a 'review' tag would tend to suggest.

The question you've posted as a reference, I would say is well suited to the SE since it's asking specific and quantifiable questions with potentially correct or incorrect answers. I think any question posed that could fit under a tag of "printer-review" would tend to be more opinion based regardless of how the question is phrased. I'm probably the worst out there for posting answers that are a mix of fact and opinion already, no need to encourage me to be more opinionated!

$\endgroup$

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .