Ask HN: Could stackoverflow.com work for other fields?

#1

Post by erictobia » Mon, Mar 23, 2009, 5:15 PM UTC

I tried asking this question on the actual site, but it was closed as "non-programming-related" fairly quickly.

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/674232/could-stackoverflow-work-for-other-fields-closed

Unfortunately, I'm still curious to hear what people think. Here is my original question:

"Pick the specialty: medicine, law, science, finance, cars, home improvement...any field that has specialized 'domain knowledge'.

Could someone build a successful forum, like SO, for other areas of expertise? Is there something different about programming that makes this site work exceptionally well?"

Re: Ask HN: Could stackoverflow.com work for other fields?

#2

Post by hcho » Mon, Mar 23, 2009, 5:44 PM UTC

The amount of time spent in front of a computer with an internet connection in a working day would be the key to success of such a site.

It would probably have higher traction among, say, graphical designers than medical staff.

Re: Ask HN: Could stackoverflow.com work for other fields?

#3

Post by chanux » Mon, Mar 23, 2009, 5:45 PM UTC

Get HN code & build your own doctorsnews, autonews etc. :) or may be add categories to HN system.

Re: Ask HN: Could stackoverflow.com work for other fields?

#4

Post by RossM » Mon, Mar 23, 2009, 5:48 PM UTC

I think so. I have a concept I'm working on that's more a request forum than a Q&A board but I'm borrowing a few things StackOverflow has implemented well (nothing unique - mainly the simple wiki revisions).

Something else to consider are the 'game' factors. StackOverflow implemented badges and they work well initially (and teach the user how to use the site). At the end of the day the things that tie you into a site are the things that make you want to keep going at it. On most discussion boards it's reputation/karma but little things like badges and medals help too.

Obviously it depends on whether the field needs/can have a question and answer platform, but I can see this discussion model working for most technical areas of knowledge.

Re: Ask HN: Could stackoverflow.com work for other fields?

#5

Post by vaksel » Mon, Mar 23, 2009, 6:03 PM UTC

I think it'll work for other fields but not as well as programming.

Programming gets you a much higher volume of traffic. The same programmer, might come to your site 100 times during the week to find solutions to the different problems. Its also a field where you have a lot of amateurs and students looking for solutions.

The other fields you mention under specialty, are all the "oh shit my car broke down what could it be?" type. Its a one time problem, after which the person won't come back for 2 years. So you'll never see the same growth as SO, because you don't have any repeat users.

Re: Ask HN: Could stackoverflow.com work for other fields?

#6

Post by bbgm » Mon, Mar 23, 2009, 6:23 PM UTC

Perhaps. The advantage with programming is that there is a lot of general knowledge that goes beyond languages, etc and even at the language level you have sufficient number of people with general interest. Where you can replicate that it should work. In the sciences I am not so sure. You tend to get too specific and there isn't a general enough dialogue you can have in most communities.

Re: Ask HN: Could stackoverflow.com work for other fields?

#7

Post by timcederman » Mon, Mar 23, 2009, 6:23 PM UTC

I had thought so. On closer inspection though, it's unlikely.

Why? Have a look at reference sites online. There were plenty of sites like experts-exchange before StackOverflow, and if you trawl Google Groups, you'll see a similar thing. Plenty of people asking technical questions, not so much anything else.

Certainly, you don't see medical students out there asking the best way to diagnose a rare disease.

There is one exception though -- Travel sites. Travel questions and forums are pretty big, and I think a Q&A site for that could be enormous.

Meanwhile Yahoo Answers, AskMeFi, etc continue to fill the gaps for other niches that might actually work.

Re: Ask HN: Could stackoverflow.com work for other fields?

#8

Post by sachinag » Mon, Mar 23, 2009, 6:24 PM UTC

http://www.sermo.com does this for docs - docs talk to other docs, and pharma companies and hedge funds pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to eavesdrop and seed specific questions they want answered. (The sign-in page restricts randoms to MDs and DOs to register.) It's a brilliant business model.

Re: Ask HN: Could stackoverflow.com work for other fields?

#9

Post by brandnewlow » Mon, Mar 23, 2009, 6:28 PM UTC

Are you famous in your field? No? Then it won't work.

HN works because PG is here. Reddit worked because PG was there to help it start.

Digg works because Kevin Rose is there.

StackOverflow works because Joel and Jeff are there.

Unless you've got a large audience to toss at the project on day one, expect a long, hard slog.

Re: Ask HN: Could stackoverflow.com work for other fields?

#10

Post by transburgh » Mon, Mar 23, 2009, 6:36 PM UTC

brandnewlow wrote: post #9

Are you famous in your field? No? Then it won't work. HN works because PG is here. Reddit worked because PG was there to help it start. Digg works because Kevin Rose is there. StackOverflow works because Joel and Jeff are there. Unless you've got a large audience to toss at the project on day one, expect a long, hard slog.

Was Kevin Rose known (on a PG level) before Digg??

I would say no.