All Questions
1,819
questions
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Ignoring certain users' postings
This old post on meta stackexchange contains a script that hides posts from users of your choice. There were some negative comments there and the script doesn't seem to be working anymore (maybe ...
- 30.1k
21
votes
2
answers
627
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Data on voting by 'association bonus only' users
There's recently been some discussion of the potential impact on voting of users whose only MathOverflow reputation comes from the network association bonus.
I asked the SE team about this, and ...
- 7,480
21
votes
2
answers
790
views
How do off-topic question askers find MO?
Apologies if this has been addressed on Meta before (it's a little hard to know the right keywords to search for Meta questions with).
Question: Has there been any systematic attempt to try to figure ...
- 21.5k
21
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1
answer
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Mathoverflow lecture series using chat
This was something that came up recently in the homotopy theory chat room. Even if it wasn't to homotopy theory, has MO ever considered asking active users with interesting research to host lectures ...
21
votes
2
answers
767
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Stack-exchange devoted to research problems, the suggested approaches and updates
The idea is to have a database of open research problems where the answers will be updates or suggested approaches. One research problem per post. This is in the spirit of Polymath.
Reasons:
...
- 3,808
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7
answers
2k
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Can MO go back to +5 rep for questions? Should it?
In case you missed the news, upvotes on questions now grant +10 reputation instead of +5, and the change has been implemented retroactively (most if not all users have already had their reputation ...
- 26.3k
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7
answers
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What is needed to succeed in keeping up the level of the site and retaining the good contributors?
MathOverflow is a nice high-level communitiy with a good collegial academic atmosphere.
I'd like to know about how this can be achieved; for example how does MathOverflow keep up the good qualitiy of ...
- 408
20
votes
1
answer
1k
views
What to do with links to arXiv front end?
There are quite a few posts which link to some paper at http://front.math.ucdavis.edu/ rather than directly at https://arxiv.org/
The front for arXiv at UC Davis seems to be down for some time. (I ...
- 4,588
20
votes
2
answers
904
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Questions on Coq
Now I'm awake again, I can raise this here in meta, as per quid's request.
I commented on the question How do I verify the Coq proof of Feit-Thompson?
I like this question, and would defend it ...
- 33.1k
20
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Formatting a citation to a MathOverflow answer
What's a good way to format a citation to a MathOverflow post in a paper?
Here is a first draft (with hyperlink, and assuming it's reference number 16, say), but maybe people can think of ...
- 24.4k
20
votes
2
answers
884
views
It's been another year...MO exists since six years!
As provable by Question Number 1 the site started to exist almost exactly six years ago.
Everybody who feels like saying something on this occasion, feel free to post an answer.
user9072
20
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2
answers
446
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Voting on meta questions to indicate agreement or disagreement
We've previously discussed the meaning of a downvote on meta, and I think that's worth reading before discussing anything further here.
I don't at all like that perfectly reasonable questions (...
- 7,480
20
votes
2
answers
966
views
Can (and should) Project Euclid links be replaced in bulk?
In February 2021, Project Euclid made some changes on their website: Project Euclid Platform Migration FAQs.
It is probably a consequence of this that the links starting with ...
- 4,588
20
votes
1
answer
677
views
How to respond to premature crossposts from Math.SE?
There seems to be a general feeling (if not policy) to the effect that questions should not be simultaneously posted to MathOverflow and Math StackExchange (Math.SE). (I think there may have been a ...
- 28.8k
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2
answers
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Any other site besides mathoverflow and mathematics stackexchange?
I know the differences between mathoverflow and math-stack but I have been wondering:
Are there legitimate mathematical questions that would not get answered at math-stack because there is no ...
- 101
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votes
1
answer
1k
views
Someone is trying to delete the Memorable Titles thread
There is currently a vote to delete this very old thread. I am writing to register my strong protest against this and bring it to the attention of other users here on meta.
Most memorable titles
- 19.3k
20
votes
1
answer
730
views
Traffic from the list of hot network questions
To better understand the advantages and disadvantages of having MO questions featured in the list of hot network questions, as discussed here and here, it would be useful if Stack Exchange could ...
- 43.5k
20
votes
2
answers
682
views
Building an MO app?
On stackapps, there is a broad spectrum of apps designed by users to improve their Stack Exchange experience. Most apps are oriented toward Stack Oveflow and do not necessarily address the needs and ...
- 43.5k
20
votes
2
answers
836
views
MathOverflow conferences
What would the appropriate initial steps be to host a MathOverflow conference?
Back in 2019 I hosted a party for the 10th anniversary of MathOverflow, and it was a blast.$^*$ Since then I've ...
- 8,878
20
votes
1
answer
803
views
The math! It's overflowing!
See what happens if you expand the comments on this question, we get this prime example of a math overflow:
Of course, this is due to a \$ problem, but still, it seems to be a flaw in the CSS that ...
- 115
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votes
0
answers
756
views
Which "non-arxiv" tags are de facto top-level tags?
The tag system on MathOverflow is designed in such way that each question should contain top-level tag; these are the tags which correspond to subject areas on arXiv and generally have format such as ...
- 4,588
20
votes
0
answers
223
views
Visited / unvisited links in the questions / answers
I just posted a question and I noticed that unvisited links use a color that is difficult to distinguish ... but visited links are even harder to recognize. See the snapshot below from my Firefox 41....
- 1,602
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0
answers
307
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Make edit history more accessible
Once a post has been edited once, there is a direct link to the revision history of the post that is visible to everyone as in this example:
However, when a post has not been edited, this link is not ...
- 43.5k
19
votes
6
answers
2k
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Shall we have tea?
As was recently discussed at Should meta be Q&A?, it's rather strange to have our meta site run on a Q&A basis.
In the past our meta site was a Vanilla forum, and in fact it still exists, ...
- 7,480
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votes
4
answers
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views
Why was "The origin(s) of the word “elliptic” migrated to hsm?
This question on the history of the ellipse terminology was migrated to hsm after a week of being active on MO and receiving several useful answers.
Did the OP ask for migration?
Why are some ...
- 5,235
19
votes
1
answer
603
views
Creation of "procrastination" tag
One user has created the tag procrastination: see this question. In principle I would have immediately deleted it as totally irrelevant (in the same way I would delete "Stupid question" or &...
- 59.2k
19
votes
2
answers
968
views
Nominating other community members
Is there no mechanism to suggest other community members for nomination?
If I remember correctly, last election there was some mechanism in place to suggest community members other than ourselves who ...
- 8,878
19
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Dealing with possible incorrectness
I have seen a few responses on MO that I think are either incorrect or possibly incorrect.
What is the best way to draw attention to possible incorrectness?
(I provide two examples below; if this is ...
- 7,596
19
votes
2
answers
804
views
asking questions outside of field of expertise
MathOverflow + Math.StackExchanage are great resources for learning and talking about mathematics. Often, I can get constructive and informative discussions leading to progress.
MathOverflow is a ...
- 22.4k
19
votes
2
answers
831
views
Using MathOverflow to help with referee work
Suppose I am refereeing a paper and wish to remain anonymous as referee. Suppose I had trouble understanding some of the proofs in the paper and made a post on MathOverflow and received a very helpful ...
- 325
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votes
2
answers
1k
views
Why do non-research and soft questions get closed if and only if the poster lacks high reputation?
The title says it all.
Don't get me wrong. I have actually enjoyed my first few weeks on MO. I am not writing out of personal vendetta. That is, I have not had any of my own questions closed and I ...
- 1,071
19
votes
1
answer
984
views
What caused the spike in views and visits on September 23, 2018?
Just curious: What might have caused the spike in visits & views on that Sunday?
A spike in the pulse of mathematics.
Screenshot from site analytics.
- 148k
19
votes
2
answers
2k
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How can I log in into my old mathoverflow account?
I had a separate log in account for mathoverflow. Now, I'm unable to log in into that. I see only options of logging in using google, facebook, stack exchange etc but no option of logging using ...
19
votes
1
answer
652
views
Should I give a link to my recent published paper to an old question of mine on MO?
4 years and 6 months ago I asked on MO: "Who introduced the terms “equivalence relation” and “equivalence class”?" It was somehow a resting stone of a long journey that started 13 years ago from today ...
- 2,269
19
votes
1
answer
946
views
Somebody copied my question from mathstackexchange word-for-word
While using google to search for "11th power diophantine" it gave the mathoverflow link,
The diophantine eq. $x^4 +y^4 +1=z^2$
which is copied word-for-word from my mathstackexchange post,
https://...
- 11.7k
19
votes
3
answers
410
views
Community Wiki in the hands of moderators
I don't understand the wisdom of removing the CW button from the control of an author of a question, and having always to pester the moderators to turn it on. Might it be possible to return this ...
Todd TrimbleMod
- 51.9k
19
votes
1
answer
933
views
Is my question suitable for MO?
Around a month ago I asked a question on ME here. It was well received (got seven up votes). Sadly nobody was able to help much. To get more attention I also placed a bounty on it. Still no luck. The ...
- 211
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votes
2
answers
765
views
How can I tell if my question is appropriate to MathOverflow or if I should just put a bounty on it at Math.SE?
I have at least two questions which are about graduate level mathematics on Math.SE, but about which I have serious doubts regarding whether or not they are "research level". In other words, I don't ...
- 2,567
19
votes
0
answers
883
views
Are we making it too tempting/easy to send inappropriate posts to MSE?
This "question" (asking for generalized help with a long list of elementary topics) is clearly going to be unwelcome almost anywhere, yet two users voted to close with a suggestion to "see math....
- 22.3k
19
votes
0
answers
1k
views
Increase in unexplained downvotes on (old) questions/answers?
I recently received a downvote without comment on a question and all of its answers, which are good independent of the value of my question imo. I’ve also had two other questions receive similar ...
- 8,878
19
votes
0
answers
416
views
The message "User was removed" can be ambiguous
You could save me a few heart attacks :-) by changing the message to the more clearer "Voter was removed" (or whatever you see fitting). I first thought I was removed (maybe on another suboverflow, ...
- 4,631
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0
answers
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Passing of John Nash
I'm sorry to report the sad news that John Nash has died.
Requiescat in pace.
- 46.6k
18
votes
11
answers
893
views
2022 Moderator Election Q&A – Question Collection
The purpose of this thread was to collect questions for the questionnaire. The questionnaire is now live, and you may find it here.
MathOverflow is scheduled for an election next week, 2022-09-19. In ...
- 101
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4
answers
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What areas/aspects of mathematics are underrepresented on MO?
The question:
What areas/aspects of mathematics are underrepresented on MO?
- 24.1k
18
votes
4
answers
1k
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Mathoverflow and the mathematical community
What is the general point of view of the mathematical community about MO ?
Do you talk about MO with your colleagues non-"MO users" ? What are their views?
Is it acceptable to cite MO's posts in ...
- 25.2k
18
votes
3
answers
999
views
Are Links to Articles Behind a Paywall Acceptable Answers?
This question boils down to whether an answer to a question should contain sufficiently free and easily accessible detail about the solution to a question.
So IMHO it would be perfectly acceptable, ...
- 12.4k
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5
answers
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Is it frowned upon to answer a question and vote to close?
Is it frowned upon to answer a question and vote to close it? I did this for
MO166234 and received this comment from a high-rep user:
...
- 6,327
18
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1
answer
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Are there universities that take your MathOverflow score seriously
When being considered for a position at a university as a post doc or phd or professor, does your MathOverflow account mean anything. Are there any universities that take this seriously when looking ...
- 1,189
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5
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On the recent question "Is Euclid dead?", or: Is it considered good practice to use MathOverflow for a campaign?
Yesterday, a question entitled Is Euclid dead? has been asked
in which the OP states:
"Currently I am leading a campaign for the return of EG to the syllabus
of the high schools of my country (...
Stefan KohlMod
- 19.3k
18
votes
2
answers
676
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Proposal to more aggressively delete off-topic questions
We are going to get many more off-topic questions now.
Can we agree to vote to delete on them so as not to pollute the site?
It takes a few votes from users who can vote on such things and/or one ...
- 46.4k