In the help center, we currently say that:
[If your question is] is not about general computer networking, software and hardware, you're in the right place!
I propose that we write a custom closure reason for posts that have misunderstood this, for example:
- How do I change my router connection settings?
- How do I slow down a specific site with my router?
- How do I reuse my old modem?
- Do Ethernet cables need to be connected to the router?
- What do these router messages mean?
(for reference, we've had 14 posts closed as off-topic in the last 90 days)
Almost all of these are being closed with the following reason:
This question does not appear to be about Internet of Things, within the scope defined in the help center.
Clearly, many people are misunderstanding what the site scope is—presumably, they see Internet and assume our site is about Internet-related problems. This isn't at all true, so their questions are closed.
To give users some more guidance, I propose that we add a specific closure reason, under off topic because...:
General networking, software and hardware questions are not on-topic for this site — the Internet of Things is about physical devices with electronics that interact with the world. General questions about computer hardware, software and networking may be on-topic at Super User instead.
Hopefully, this would give our users some more information about why their question isn't about IoT, and save some time for users closing. I don't anticipate any change in the site scope with this reason; only giving more information to those who would have had their question closed anyway.
Would this closure reason be useful? Any tweaks, or other off-topic reasons that could also be helpful?