These questions introduce short answers (sometimes only a link). They cannot be asked to be improved in clarity since the OP does not remember everything about the application. Though there are cases where this might work, in the majority ... it seems to be more of a
Find me what I am looking for, by reading my mind.
As there is no other way to other to give the right answer without playing the guessing game.
Most recent
Ah, the "identify-me-this" questions. It was kind of covered here:
http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2010/11/the-pee-wee-herman-rule/
I recently had a long discussion on gaming meta regarding “Help me remember this game” questions. I’ll spare you all the gory details; my general conclusion was this:
If we get an excellent user who asks a good, thoughtful [game] identification question and sticks around in our community to participate, then it’s worth allowing it in those rare cases as a high quality “getting to know you” fun question.
So basically, no, I would not allow them unless they are of exceptionally high quality indicating the type of user who would ultimately be a net positive to the community.
(I still don't really agree with gaming on this, but that community is hyper-engaged and a bit biased overall. I think here you'll have a very different audience.)
Most if not all of these questions should be closed as too localised. They're limited to the hazy memory of the person asking and very much written in a way that doesn't help anyone in the future.
They're usually of the below:
Where did I put my keys? No, not those keys, the keys I had yesterday. No, not those, the ones I use to open the door. Not that door, the front door. Not the wooden door, the one in front of that. Exactly. The one that starts the car.
It'd serve everyone much better if it was more along the lines of this:
My car won't start. I've tried credit cards, celery and even sticking a fork into this slit next to the drive shaft thingo. How can I start my green Honda Civic?
Less memory master and more problem solver.
