What is the best way to handle near duplicates? Here are two examples of what I mean.
This question asks about zero divisors in commutative rings. However, this older question asks a slightly more restrictive question, although the answers contain the general solution.
This question asks a question about tensor products for which this question asks to prove even more. However, the new question allows a solution method which the old question did not.
In both circumstances, the new question is very nearly a duplicate of the old question, yet in both cases the new question has some merit the old one does not. What to do?