All Questions
1,765
questions
39
votes
4
answers
2k
views
A StackExchange website aimed at graduate students?
There has been a lot of discussion about questions that do not get answered on MSE, but are not considered 'research level' on MO and thus get closed. The problem seems to be that certain questions ...
- 24.4k
39
votes
3
answers
3k
views
What shall we do with stone soup?
Sometimes, a question is asked that isn't up to the standards of MathOverflow. Maybe it's worded vaguely, maybe it's too open ended, or maybe the asker fundamentally misunderstood something important.
...
- 7,430
39
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Deleting others' work
Recently a question was posted on MathOverflow, which received (I think) more than an average number of upvotes. There was an answer to the question, by someone other than the OP. Next day, the ...
- 98.9k
39
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Cancel the association bonus
There has been some previous discussion of the association bonus, c.f.
The Association Bonus
Is there an association bonus for this site?
Can we please get rid of the association bonus for other ...
- 7,430
38
votes
29
answers
3k
views
Big list of feature requests and suggestions for a fantasy MO 3.0
I feel that MathOverflow is unique in the StackExchange network. There are features which we might want which might be unique to this site, and which might not be immediate feature requests or ...
- 21.7k
37
votes
5
answers
4k
views
History of MathOverflow
What is history of this site? When and by whom was it created?
What were the important milestones of this site?
37
votes
4
answers
921
views
Improving citations of MathOverflow posts
There are already a lot of citations of MathOverflow in the literature. Nevertheless, there is some resistance in the greater mathematical community since MathOverflow is not a traditional medium. ...
- 43.1k
37
votes
3
answers
722
views
Discreet editing
After I edited someone's Question or Answer, it feels real awkward to see my name mentioned in front of the author of the respective Q. or A. I feel that instead of displaying editor's name there ...
- 7,384
37
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Grothendieck's passing
I think it would be a healing ritual
for the MO community for someone of appropriate stature (which excludes me)
posting an inviting cwiki question that elicits responses from the users
to this ...
- 147k
37
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Viewing reputation and badges is now opt-in and compatible with the new front page
This announcement is a little late (see the discussion here), but in response to discussions over many years, we (the moderators and board) have implemented a change to the site where by default, ...
Ben WebsterMod
- 43k
36
votes
10
answers
4k
views
On the role of anonymity in a site dedicated to research-level mathematics
My questions is whether there is a good reason to allow anonymous users in a site dedicated to research-level mathematics. In theory, most users of this site are professional mathematicians and ...
- 13.1k
36
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Welcoming new user: on a recent question about connections
I think that the history of this question about connections is unfortunate. I would like to discuss (respectfully, without throwing blame around) whether/how a better outcome might have been achieved....
- 52.5k
36
votes
4
answers
987
views
MathOverflow to the rescue -- not in the usual way
Every now and then we get a post to meta about ways in which MathOverflow has improved the quality of someone's research. One way I haven't seen mentioned is one that just now happened to me, and (...
- 21.5k
36
votes
2
answers
537
views
Is it worth editing old posts to add links for references?
I always appreciate when citations to papers in MO answers/questions have a hyperlink — it’s very convenient for the reader, especially in cases where the referenced paper is non-trivial to find.
...
- 17.2k
36
votes
4
answers
847
views
Why not 'thanks' in comments?
I've noticed a message in mathoverflow's place for comments saying that '+1' or 'thanks' comments are not appropriate. I don't agree with the second kind of comment being inappropriate. I think it's ...
- 14.7k
36
votes
1
answer
1k
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How is it off-topic to ask whether the normalization of a local complete intersection is Gorenstein?
This question (which I did not ask) is whether the normalization of a local complete intersection domain is Gorenstein. Why was this closed as "off-topic"? Especially when this one, which asks ...
- 26.5k
36
votes
0
answers
457
views
Happy 4th anniversary, MathOverflow!
As some will cerainly know today (September 28th) is MO's anniversary, its fourth to be precise. Since this year it appears there is no system-message to celebrate the event, I thought I create this ...
user9072
35
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Reputation and badges are no longer visible next to the users' names
Right now it seems that a bug is affecting MO: reputation and badges are no longer displayed next to the users' names.
This happens both on the front page:
as well as on pages of individual questions:...
- 5,065
35
votes
4
answers
878
views
Using ideas found in MO and MSE in a paper
If there is an answer to a question that I have asked on MathOverflow or MathStackExchange which helps me to prove a result appropriate for a published paper, what should I do:
(1) Cite the MO or MSE ...
- 2,613
35
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Creating a "math.SE needs your help" thread
From time to time questions get asked on math.SE which may be quite suitable for MO. Given the current climate of math.SE, such questions may not receive the attention they are due: e.g., they ...
- 676
34
votes
6
answers
3k
views
How can we attract more grad students?
To quote an answer to a recent meta.MO question:
Here are some examples of people we would like the site to be
welcoming to:
Prominent mathematicians who are less "online" than the typical ...
- 5,691
34
votes
6
answers
1k
views
How can we visually differentiate MathOverflow from MathStackExchange within the constraints of the new design themes?
The new design theme introduced for MO here is now live. Several issues with the new theme were raised in that discussion. I'd like to discuss one of them, which is sort of buried in my answer and ...
Tim CampionMod
- 55.4k
34
votes
4
answers
1k
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Answers in comments are increasingly more common
I have checked a random sample of questions in the main page, and it seems that almost every one of them has some form of answer in the comments, apart from completely unanswered/untouched ones.
This ...
- 18.4k
34
votes
6
answers
1k
views
Disappearing "Hi!"
Just curious ...
A brand new member posted a question this afternoon, and I posted an answer.
I know him quite well, and he was here in Bristol to give a seminar two days ago, and without giving it ...
- 31.8k
34
votes
5
answers
1k
views
Long-term archiving of MathOverflow
Suppose 'the worst' happens. Stack Exchange folds (commerical entities have been known to), and at the same time the moderators lose all interest and/or decide the despise mathematics. Where would ...
- 7,430
34
votes
0
answers
768
views
Richard K. Guy, the centenarian mathematician
Professor Richard K. Guy, the great number theorist had passed away long before in March. Since there were no posts to commemorate him on this site (as far as I saw), I decided to post this question ...
- 1,823
34
votes
0
answers
615
views
Revamping the closure reasons
Motivation 1
Currently the custom off-topic reasons for MathOverflow read:
This question does not appear to be about research level mathematics within the scope defined in the help center.
...
- 33.9k
33
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is MO connected?
Is it the case that MO is actually split into several communities which only communicate with each other through meta-activity but have no actual mathematical interests in common?
This is not sheer ...
- 17.4k
33
votes
5
answers
741
views
Couldn't the comment vote rate limitation be made more ergonomic?
Quite often I read a comment thread, and then decide which comments I vote up.
As soon as this is more than one comment, I get an error message
that I can cast only one comment vote every 5 seconds. --...
Stefan KohlMod
- 18.7k
32
votes
4
answers
2k
views
How does one cite a MO post with an anonymous author?
I asked the question "Averaging $2^{\omega(n)}$ over a region" because this is a necessary step in a research paper I am writing. The answer is detailed and does exactly what I need, and it would be ...
- 23.1k
32
votes
3
answers
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Easy research-related questions, and closure reasons again
I am a bit confused by the close reason for https://mathoverflow.net/questions/154235/minimum-l1-norm-may-not-obtain-the-sparsest-solution?noredirect=1#comment395410_154235.
It is an easy question ...
- 18.4k
32
votes
2
answers
2k
views
early graduate level questions: MO or Math.SE?
When I first began on this site MathOverflow took questions at all levels. Then Math.SE was created and the level of MO has crept up steadily with Math.SE not necessarily absorbing the remainder ...
- 22.2k
32
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Is MathOverflow saturated?
I am playing with the Stack Exchange Data Explorer to compare some MathOverflow stats to arXiv stats. I was surprised to see, that in the last 4 years there was almost constant activity (measured by ...
- 1,592
32
votes
1
answer
603
views
Potential "technical" obstacle to migrations, and suggestion for a solution
Practical advice: If you want to/vote to migrate something to another site (especially math.SE) please make sure that at least one of the tags on the question exists on the target site (math.SE). ...
user9072
31
votes
10
answers
3k
views
What MO is for and what is *your* aim in participation?
Q1: What is your view on the purpose, aims and benefits of MO?
Q2: What are your specific aim, targets and benefits in participation at MO?
- 24.1k
31
votes
111
answers
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Requests for reopen and undelete votes for closed and deleted questions
Since I expect this may prove rather useful, I'm blatantly purloining Asaf's question from meta.math.se.
Please post general requests for reopen votes as answers below.
Beware that "short" ...
31
votes
9
answers
1k
views
Privacy of software-generated links to questions and answers
Recently I noticed that the software inserts the id
of the currently logged in user in the “share” link
of any MathOverflow question or answer.
When one is logged out, the “share” link comes out ...
- 33.8k
31
votes
1
answer
787
views
Problematic phrasing of Stack Exchange terms of service
There's a problem with how the Stack Exchange terms of service are phrased. Currently, they include the following paragraph:
In the event that You post or otherwise use Subscriber Content outside ...
- 16.3k
31
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Can I see who voted for what after I die?
I would like to know who has up- and (most importantly!) downvoted my questions. Will I find out after I die? What do different religions/beliefs say about this? I would happily convert to see the ...
- 18k
31
votes
0
answers
975
views
2013 Election Results
The election process is over, and now it is time to declare the winners:
Good luck in the new position, I'm sure that you'll prove to be a great addition to the community and its moderators!
On ...
- 37.1k
30
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Has there been a recalculation of reputation?
At the risk of being too venal: yesterday I had over 8500 and now I am under 7900. Anyone else experienced changes with similar orders of magnitude?
- 24.8k
30
votes
2
answers
918
views
On the current color scheme, and why it sucks
Being color blinded is not very easy. You end up wearing black shirts and blue jeans, because it's easier. When you look at a computer monitor sometimes the red and green mix together, all sort of ...
- 37.1k
30
votes
1
answer
949
views
How can a nonacademic with research level questions know which questions are research level?
I am actually still in High School, but I enjoy some more advanced forms of mathematics. I asked a question, and it generated a great response, and I really enjoyed the process, so must have come of ...
- 4,415
30
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Encouraging student users?
I recently made the transition from student to professor, and now I have a research student of my own. She keeps coming up with wonderful ideas, and I keep feeling like "surely this has been ...
- 24.7k
30
votes
1
answer
414
views
Text on some buttons has become unrecognizable
Very recently (I think today) the buttons with "Post your answer", "Answer your question" and some others became black, with the text hardly readable.
With me it happens on Windows 10 with latest ...
- 17.4k
30
votes
1
answer
544
views
At what point should MO recognise it needs to leave Stack Exchange Inc?
Edit Please note this is not me posting with my moderator hat on (I've signed the letter), and I didn't discuss this with the mod team before posting this. It's not within shouting distance of being ...
- 32.3k
29
votes
3
answers
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Celebrity usernames
The question "naive de Rham cohomology fails for singular varieties" (naive de Rham cohomology fails for singular varieties) recently received an apparently useful answer from a user with the name "...
- 20.8k
29
votes
6
answers
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MathOverflow at the Joint Mathematics Meetings, Baltimore, January 2014
The 2014 Joint Mathematics Meetings will be held January 15-18, 2014 in Baltimore, with hundreds thousands of mathematicians attending. It happens that I plan to attend, and since I'd enjoy going to ...
- 208k
29
votes
1
answer
883
views
Using MO as a platform to discuss papers in math?
A use case scenario: I am reading a paper and I get stuck on some point. It is obvious to me that everyone else who tried to understand this point would get stuck. I ask around, people either haven't ...
- 3,532
29
votes
1
answer
526
views
Opt out of the new upvote/downvote buttons?
I guess most of you have noticed by now the new upvote/downvote buttons. This seems to be in line with all the other SE sites (though I admit I haven't checked each and every one of them).
Does MO ...
- 6,469