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I figure this is a long shot, but I recently came across this post. It was deleted by several users over a month after it had been posted, answered, and closed as a duplicate.

Does anyone know why this question might have been deleted? My impression is that the general policy is to not delete questions except under some specific circumstances, and this meets none of them.

Clarification from the comments: I'm under the impression that we delete ongoing contest questions, spam and simultaneous cross posts, questions where discussion has devolved to the point of intervention becoming necessary, presumably questions containing illegal content. I wasn't aware that we regularly deleted closed questions, as implied by Jonas Meyer's answer. I have especially observed a tendency to be more lenient in including well received questions or answers and this has two 5+ answers.

Since this seems to be a point that is confusing people, I'm not asking that the question be undeleted. I'm asking about why we delete questions like this.

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  • $\begingroup$ Now, undeleted. $\endgroup$
    – Gerry Myerson
    Commented Mar 29, 2017 at 22:33
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    $\begingroup$ From that OP: "Please do not use this thread to engage in debates on contentious matters (e.g. reasons for closure)." I looked there first and concluded that this was inappropriate based on the guidance in that very thread. $\endgroup$
    – Stella Biderman
    Commented Mar 29, 2017 at 22:58
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    $\begingroup$ "except under some specific circumstances, and this meets none of them." What are those circumstances according to your understanding? $\endgroup$
    – quid
    Commented Mar 30, 2017 at 0:06
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    $\begingroup$ @quid Ongoing contest questions, spam and simultaneous cross posts, questions where discussion has devolved to the point of intervention becoming necessary, presumably questions containing illegal content. I wasn't aware that we regularly deleted closed questions, as implied by Jonas Meyer's answer. I didn't mean to imply that there was a particular rule, but just that the reasons I was aware of for deletion didn't apply to this post. Especially because I've observed a tendency to be more lenient in including well received questions or answers and this has two 5+ answers. $\endgroup$
    – Stella Biderman
    Commented Mar 30, 2017 at 3:30
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    $\begingroup$ Thank you I now understand better where you are coming from. Some time ago there was a lot of discussion about deletions of 'normal' questions, and I assumed (in error) you were referring to some guideline from that time. Tangentially, in fact, according to policy, ongoing contest questions are usually not deleted but locked (the answers are deleted). $\endgroup$
    – quid
    Commented Mar 30, 2017 at 16:40
  • $\begingroup$ @quid I've edited the OP to make my question clearer, for future readers. $\endgroup$
    – Stella Biderman
    Commented Mar 30, 2017 at 16:47
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    $\begingroup$ "I wasn't aware that we regularly deleted closed questions" is not a reason to undelete a question. It does happen, frequently, that low quality questions, or duplicate questions, etc, upon closure (5 users needed) and after 48 hours (unless the question was heavily downvoted), it becomes eligible for deletion. Just because there are upvoted answers to it does not make it immune to deletion. Some would even argue: "those that answer questions that others deem closable do so at their own risk." I'd suggest you think twice re quality or duplicity of question, before answering it $\endgroup$
    – amWhy
    Commented Mar 30, 2017 at 21:47
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    $\begingroup$ @amWhy I'm prepared for criticism. I just don't understand why you refuse to believe what I say and insist on telling me so over and over again. $\endgroup$
    – Stella Biderman
    Commented Mar 30, 2017 at 23:16
  • $\begingroup$ @StellaBiderman Please understand that I do not, not believe you ($\lnot\lnot \text{believe you} = \text{believe you}$). We have probably gotten off to a rough start. I'm sorry for my part in that. I suspect you and I have a lot more in common than either of us knows. So let me extend to you an "olive branch", okay? $\endgroup$
    – amWhy
    Commented Mar 30, 2017 at 23:21
  • $\begingroup$ @amWhy Okay. Thank you :) I'm sorry too. $\endgroup$
    – Stella Biderman
    Commented Mar 30, 2017 at 23:22
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    $\begingroup$ Just noticed that the question referred to in the title was redeleted a day after it was undeleted. $\endgroup$
    – Gerry Myerson
    Commented May 1, 2017 at 23:55

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The technical answer is that 3 users with enough points voted to delete. Every closed question is subject to such deletion (except merged or locked ones I think). Those with enough points decide what criteria (or "policy") they want to use, and when there are concerns about deletion voting decisions they are sometimes raised on meta, like this. Although the particular voters might choose to weigh in with specific criteria they used, there is otherwise no way to know exactly.

Sometimes such deletions are done for clean-up of low quality content (which is subjective). In this case the question was closed as a duplicate, which in general may have little correlation with quality. Personally I think it is useful to keep reasonable duplicates around, providing further linked explanations to duplicate (or nearly so) questions. This question meets my subjective criteria for voting to undelete.

Although you are asking for explanation here, in the future if you are requesting that something be undeleted or reopened, you can just post at Requests for Reopen & Undeletion Votes, etc. (volume 01/2015 - ) [current version], or in a chat room about closures and deletions. (Because of this post that would probably be redundant for this question.)

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    $\begingroup$ @whyAm I don't understand the chastising. This question is explicitly off-topic in that thread. I didn't ask for it to be reopened. I wanted to hear about why people might have closed it so I understand such things better. $\endgroup$
    – Stella Biderman
    Commented Mar 29, 2017 at 22:43
  • $\begingroup$ Very well, then, Stella, I'll delete my comment to Jonas, but don't act so clueless about your intentions with your post. $\endgroup$
    – amWhy
    Commented Mar 29, 2017 at 22:48
  • $\begingroup$ And no, @Stella, this question would have been more honestly posted at the link in Jonas' answer. Asking "Why closed/why deleted" is hardly off topic there. $\endgroup$
    – amWhy
    Commented Mar 29, 2017 at 22:50
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    $\begingroup$ @whyAm I really don't appreciate the hostility and derision you've treated me with in this thread. I don't know why it's so shocking to you that someone might be interested in community norms except as a sly way to gain an insignificant amount of reputation. If I cared that much about 70 points, I would just go answer another question. I wasn't even expecting this question to be reopened. $\endgroup$
    – Stella Biderman
    Commented Mar 29, 2017 at 22:57
  • $\begingroup$ Please, @Stella, don't put words in your mouth. Those are your words, not mine. $\endgroup$
    – amWhy
    Commented Mar 29, 2017 at 23:21

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