The idea is that questions that don't focus on a real problem, that solicit users to provide "lists of things" don't tend to fit the Q&A model very well for several reasons.
Consider this example question, taken from Q&A is Hard, Let's Go Shopping, except I've added a few more answers to help make a point:
Q: What’s the best low light point-and-shoot camera?
A: Canon S90 and Lumix LX3.
A: Nikon D3.
A: My favorite is Pentax S2.
A: See this link to buy low light cameras from our store
The end result is a post filled with nothing but an uninspired list of everyone's favorite cameras, with no way to validate the information and determine what is best, and no explanations as to why it's the best choice.
However, that's not to say these posts should be closed immediately and tossed into the garbage bin. The first one should probably be edited to include more specific information about the problem. Otherwise, we could end up with a lot of answers that don't help solve the asker's problem and confuse visitors looking for a solution, not a link farm.
The second question appears to have plenty of detail, but the answer could be improved. The person posting appears to be asking a follow up question to help the asker clarify the post, and this should be done with a comment.
The Q&A is Hard, Let's Go Shopping blog post recommend teaching people how to fish rather than just giving them a fish. Consider that it may be more valuable for a person to learn how to evaluate a Genealogy site rather than just giving them a link. One goal here is to teach and to learn. Consider this edited photography question, which focuses more on information that can help people for years to come:
Q: How do I tell which point-and-shoot cameras take good low light photos?
A: I strongly recommend looking for something with
- a fast lens (2.0 at least)
- reasonable ISO handling (at least 400, but preferably 800)
- the biggest sensor available
The sum of these factors are really critical for low light situations.
So, I'd propose taking a hard look at these questions, and also taking a look at what one of the community managers said here about avoiding overly trivial questions during the beta, and then discussing how we can edit and improve them.
Most of the time, when we ask for a link or a resource, there's a real problem under the surface that we can elaborate on. It's just a matter of asking the right follow-up questions in the comments to figure out what that problem really is. Hope this helps!
