Are we going to allow questions of the format: "Why/how is ExpressionEngine better than <insert other CMS name here>?"

Question

Given the somewhat tribal nature of developer's loyalty to their preferred CMS(es), how should we handle the likely questions asking about comparing EE to other solutions?

I'm genuinely ambivalent about this: on the one hand there is the possibility of such questions degenerating into low quality discussions of the "my CMS is better than yours/ Wordpress does/doesn't suck" type that are of no use to anyone.

On the other hand, making the right platform choice for any project is vital, and it would be useful (particularly for EE newbies) to be able to draw on the community's experience of what is and is not a good fit for the EE, which will inevitably draw some comparisons to/with other platforms.

Answer 1

Stack Exchange isn't well-suited to being a discussion forum, and in terms of a Stack Exchange-style Q&A site, such questions should be closed as not constructive.

You might find these types of comparisons and debates pretty intriguing, like a group of colleagues sitting around a table exchanging barbs and success stories. But these questions tend to be little more than conversation starters that will likely solicit debate, arguments, polling, and some pretty extended discussions. That type of activity is not really a good fit for this type of Q&A.

Stack Exchange is designed to create an authoritative collection of answers to those longer-tailed questions about ExpressionEngine; mostly questions that you encounter in your day-to-day activities that you need a real expert to answer; the type of answers that can be supported by facts, references, or specific hard-earned expertise.

That's the entire purpose of having a Stack Exchange site.

Leave the religious platform wars and endless feature comparisons to the discussion forums… all of which have been asked hundreds of times before on every other site on that subject.

Answer 2

I agree with Robert - these questions don't fit well on Stack Overflow, and won't work well here either.

Taking it slightly further - I think questions such as "Is X add-on better than Y add-on" should be immediately closed as well, because they will lead to debate or extended discussion. Unless the question is framed in a more specific way, such as "What is the best way to achieve X".