All Questions
1,765
questions
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votes
2
answers
369
views
Area 51 Mathematics Open Community Reviews
Following the discussions in
Area 51 community peer review
and links therein, I have created the following proposal
Mathematics Open Community Reviews
hoping to get things started. The proposal ...
-4
votes
1
answer
307
views
Should my question be closed?
See the question "On the number of $n$-perfect numbers". Some people claimed that it should be closed because I know the answer while I don't simply because they are hard open problems in number ...
user82509
-4
votes
1
answer
254
views
Reputation recalculated: only even reputation now?
So +1 get 10 points for answers and questions, and -1 give -2 points. It is easy to see that users only have even reputation numbers now. Or did I miss a reputation-changing mechanism? (If not, why ...
- 42.5k
-4
votes
1
answer
217
views
How to contact moderators [duplicate]
Is there some way to contact all the MathOverflow moderators?
- 10.3k
-4
votes
1
answer
271
views
Why is a question asking for powerful arguments for intuitionism not a research level question?
I'd like to read some well-vetted and modern pieces arguing for intuitionism (the "intuitionist stance"?), which I take to be:
As the intuitionist sees it, the rules of logic used by mathematicians ...
- 398
-4
votes
1
answer
195
views
Would this question be appropriate for (main) MO?
Note #1: title of this post was modified as per a great suggestion from Todd Trimble
Note #2 ( to site moderators): I truly consider this question to be a legit "meta" question about the MathOverflow ...
- 205
-5
votes
2
answers
2k
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Why was this question about axiom of choice and the Wiles's proof of FLT deleted?
Why was this question about axiom of choice and the Wiles's proof of FLT deleted?
Namely the question was as follows:
Does the Wiles's proof of Fermat's last theorem rely on axiom of choice?
[I ...
- 1,149
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votes
3
answers
649
views
VIndictive downvoting--what can be done about such childishness, errh, lack of professionalism?
Clearly, from my reputation record, there has been some vindictive downvoting in the last three days or so. MathOverfflow is a community of people, not saints, and things like this are expected to ...
- 9,197
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votes
2
answers
367
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Why a Question gets Down vote and its Answer gets Upvotes?
Please, visit my question.
You will see the post has 9 downvotes and one of the answers got 7 up-votes. Moreover, the answer that got 7 votes is a mere try, not a complete answer. On the other hand ...
- 257
-5
votes
2
answers
485
views
If it doesn't interest you, don't read it!
As an algebraist, if I see an analysis question on Mathoverflow that falls outside my expertise, I probably won't read it in details, and if I do read it, I certainly won't judge its "level",...
- 3,041
-5
votes
1
answer
639
views
Restriction on Number of edits
Book about fluid dynamics asked Apr 13 '10 edited 1 hour ago
Are there examples of conjectures supported by heuristic arguments that have been finally disproved? asked 21 hours ago edited 2 hours ...
- 5,713
-5
votes
1
answer
265
views
The reason for putting on hold a question
Why was this question put on hold? It seems to be fairly specific and it is about mathematics. You could argue that it is slightly meta-mathematical; would it then be appropriate on meta MO?
user138661
-5
votes
1
answer
249
views
What to do when it seems that downvotes are not justified (for example, when they are directed "against" the person and not "against" the question)?
This question now has a score of $-2$ and it could be that it will be lowered still.
It is an elementary attempt to resolve an open problem.
I shared it with you because I am an amateur and almost ...
user114642
-5
votes
2
answers
307
views
Should metaMO allow actual requests for mathematical consulting services to be remunerated either by honoraria or by "usual and customary" fees?
Should metaMO allow actual requests for mathematical consulting services to be remunerated either by honoraria or by "usual and customary" fees?
If so, should MO receive reasonable "broker" fees for ...
- 205
-5
votes
1
answer
225
views
Bumping the question if it receives upvotes but no answer
Suppose a question is posted 3 days ago and it got decent number of up votes, say $5$ but did not receive any answer yet and not even comments which says some thing in direction of an answer..
In ...
- 5,713
-5
votes
4
answers
710
views
Migrating a question which is already posted on the other site [closed]
When a question begins by saying "This question appeared earlier on math.stackexchange.com" and links to that earlier posting, how does it make sense to migrate it to math.stackexchange.com (thereby ...
- 10.3k
-5
votes
1
answer
509
views
How to properly ask for the (non)existence of hypothetical mathematical objects on MO?
A question from a rookie on MO.
During my research, I introduced in my physico-mathematical equations some "nasty", "problematic" mathematical objects (namely functional integrals) that are at least ...
- 1,008
-5
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Protest for my account suspension [closed]
I posted this question about two month ago. Shortly after this, I got a moderator private message.
It says:
We've noticed that you have a pattern of engaging in lengthy discussions in comments, ...
- 1,149
-5
votes
1
answer
239
views
Close votes of different types
Sometimes when a question is closed, different people have a different reason for closing it. You can see this while voting: there is a count in the margin saying how many votes of a given type have ...
- 24.4k
-6
votes
2
answers
411
views
Is this site not intended to help mathematicians and aspiring mathematicians become more informed about the subject?
My account says "we are no longer accepting questions from this account". Although some of my questions have been negatively received (and taking into account the fastidious nature of MathOverflow), I ...
- 209
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1
answer
335
views
How the moderators/admin decide the significance/research orientation of any question before closing it? is it intuitive to them?
I am not sure whether there exists some kind of objectivity in taking a decision in closing a question. For example my question https://mathoverflow.net/questions/226226/a-symmetric-function was ...
K A Khan
-6
votes
1
answer
370
views
Are these close-votes cast correctly?
I asked this question on MSE. It received up-votes and one answer that seems imprecise and unsatisfactory to me. Then I posted it here on MathOverflow for answers of higher quality, and it was also ...
-6
votes
1
answer
297
views
Would it be okay/interesting to ask a survey type question?
I would be interested in asking a question which asks mathematicians who visit the site the following question:
1) What research topic are you actively working on right now?
2) Why are you ...
- 398
-6
votes
1
answer
280
views
Where did the reputation go?
Some time ago, it was decided that reputation should no longer be displayed by default, but users had the possibility to opt in to see it, as explained by Ben Webster. I had opted to see reputation, ...
- 5,065
-6
votes
2
answers
360
views
Should we encourage non-professionals to ask hard questions if that is good for the future development of the mathematics? [closed]
There is a story about Gauss being "unimpressed by FLT, pointing out (after finding a proof of the n=3 case) that in number theory it’s very easy to come up with problems that are very hard.".
But, ...
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votes
3
answers
1k
views
Why does mathoverflow encourage only research level questions while stackoverflow encourages ANY questions?
Why does mathoverflow encourage only "research-level" questions while stack overflow encourages "all-level" questions?
I understand that the two communities seem to have different mentalities towards ...
- 101
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votes
2
answers
458
views
Why was my probability question closed?
Why was my question closed here? Probability every team successfully presents a solution
At a summer math program a contest is held for $n$ teams. Each team, composed of $n$ individuals, is given the ...
- 101
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votes
1
answer
218
views
Do we have a privacy problem when people try and leave the mathoverflow community?
Do we have a privacy problem when people try and leave the Mathoverflow community?
Due to my objections regarding MO I deleted my profile. While I understand not deleting my questions and answers, I ...
user477396
-7
votes
1
answer
591
views
More precisely defining the scope of mathoverflow's subject matter
A few months back someone asked about the difference between questions appropriate for mathoverflow.net and those appropriate for math.stackexchange.com. And someone answered, saying something along ...
- 10.3k
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votes
1
answer
768
views
The question 'Mathematical work of Jonathan Gleason' disappeared
The question
https://mathoverflow.net/questions/291518/mathematical-work-of-jonathan-gleason
was deleted by some unknown person, not long after Jonathan Gleason passed away. I am shocked with the ...
- 91
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votes
1
answer
521
views
What is the best way to ask for comments on your proposed proof of some known theorem on MathOverflow?
Firstly, I apologize in advance if this post in not suitable for MO, but in my personal circumstances, I have no other place where I could post it.
Suppose one is fairly convinced that they have found ...
- 824
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votes
1
answer
252
views
Can the Math Overflow look be changed? [closed]
I love the math sites but I rarely visit this MathOverflow site because of its look. The color and appearance is not appealing. I know this will sound weird but the mathematics is cool, maybe they can ...
- 101
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votes
1
answer
355
views
Is Mathoverflow aware of its role of popularizing mathematics? [closed]
I read book of prof. Michał Heller. He received award of Hugo Steinhaus for popularizing science. In his speech he mentioned Steinhaus in anecdote. In 1952 Secretary of PAN (Polish Academy of Science) ...
user21230
-7
votes
1
answer
178
views
adding n cat lab tag
I propose adding n cat lab tag with an intention to discuss mathematics that is written in https://ncatlab.org/nlab/show/HomePage.
As https://ncatlab.org/nlab/show/HomePage has large amount of ...
- 5,713
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votes
1
answer
437
views
Account not deleted [closed]
25 hours after my account was scheduled for deletion, the account is still active. I tried deleting my answers manually but it is not possible in most cases, same for questions. What should I do?
user6976
-8
votes
1
answer
512
views
A radical proposal on votes and reputation
I was trying to explain the current controversy how “welcoming” MO is to a non-mathematician friend. The current best hypothesis for why MO is either attractive or repellent in general is that it has ...
- 17.5k
-8
votes
1
answer
176
views
Is it allowed to use images for pasting math formula?
Is it allowed to use images to paste math formula in mathoverflow.net ?
I think this is high efficiency, and few people search math questions by LaTeX.
- 101
-8
votes
1
answer
231
views
Answering off-topic questions
What is MO's exact policy on answering or not answering off-topic questions? Assuming there is some well-defined policy. My guess is: you are allowed to answer off-topic questions and if somebody ...
user140761
-8
votes
1
answer
416
views
Remove down-voting or show down-votes in the separate counter
I have been reading this question and answers and I have submitted the answer there which is really a question. I have added it there, because it come to my mind after reading the questions and ...
user21230
-8
votes
0
answers
647
views
An Introduction to Suspension Theory [closed]
Inspired by Konrad's last post I would like to start a discussion thread on some possible aspects of long time/permanent suspensions.
"Konrad" is a pseudonymous name for a long time suspended user. ...
user50633
-9
votes
2
answers
466
views
Play the game: an observation about the reputation [closed]
MO is a nice Q&A network. Its niceness comes partly from the fact that it's funny, thanks to the existence of the reputation points. Normally, mature mathematicians shouldn't need a system with ...
- 24.7k
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votes
2
answers
248
views
Has word "mathoverflow" trademark?
I have domain name mathoverflow.in, and I want to develop a free website or Q2A discussion forum using https://www.question2answer.org/ free open source platform. I'...
-9
votes
1
answer
275
views
Let Mathematics be a wild beast
I think the mathematics is a subject that should not hesitate to question any of it's old truths, as it enjoys the status of being foundation of the truth for most other sciences.
However, I'm seeing ...
-9
votes
1
answer
268
views
Does MO have a stand on neurodiversity? [closed]
Does MO have a stand on neurodiversity, if even informal? If not, should it have a stand? And practically speaking, how might it have a stand that could improve the community as a whole?
user37691
-9
votes
1
answer
385
views
Why is this answer about naming deleted?
My answer for Naming in math: from red herrings to very long names has been deleted. According to Why and how are some answers deleted?, the only two relevant reasons are:
commentary on the question ...
- 101
-10
votes
2
answers
394
views
Would you like to see a MathOverflow Mods' Office?
Recently Math Stack Exchange created the Math Mods' Office with the following room description:
For informal chat with the site moderators about moderation, spam, troublesome users and other ...
- 101
-10
votes
2
answers
358
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Why was my answer deleted?
The axiom of choice as a consequence of a stronger semantics?
On what grounds?
"It is not people who break ethical standards who are regarded as aliens. It is people like me who are isolated." (...
user111966
-10
votes
1
answer
394
views
Why so heavy downvoting?
For this question I received 7 upvotes and 9 downvotes. Why is so heavy downvoting?
- 8,838
-11
votes
1
answer
178
views
Limiting the length of questions?
Many questions on MO are not formulated as concisely as they could be. I would propose a limit of characters (to be discussed, say 500 characters), and you can "buy" more space by sacrificing some of ...
- 42.5k
-11
votes
1
answer
488
views
Should MO perhaps give numerological abductive questions a little more benefit of the doubt
Background:
This question is a much more specific version of a metaMO question which was deleted for some odd reason after one poster said in a comment that he agreed with everything said in the post....
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