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For example this one. Application in question is Filebuilder Desktop Application - stand alone, closed source, paid commercial java-based application run on the personal computer. But designed specifically to upload files to Drupal.

So where is the line? Under what conditions questions about applications like that should be on-topic? After all there are modules to integrate APC or GIT with Drupal, but we consistently mark GIT and APC questions off-topic anyway. If there will be fork like Git-for-Drupal, will it became on-topic? Does the fact it is or it isn't a paid app change anything?

Note: I know that linked example can be closed as "off-topic: bug report" and probably other undoubtedly valid reasons, but I believe it's worth to think about this one and draw the line somewhere.

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    Speaking of that question/software in particular - no, we can't support that IMO. The OP needs to go to the app developers for that. I'm not putting an answer in as I don't think it's possible to define the line you're referring to, I think each post has to be taken on its own value. To take your own examples, there are perfectly valid Git+Drupal and APC+Drupal questions that do belong here (even if most don't as you rightly say). I'd imagine the same holds true for some external apps in some contexts
    – Clive Mod
    Aug 21, 2013 at 9:50
  • @Clive things like "Implementing a functionality, or a layout seen in a site, for which only a screenshot or a site URL is provided" or "Support questions for specific modules that are not about bugs workarounds" could be placed on one or another side of the line all right. But if most voted answer will be "do as your heart tells you each time", well, it will be some kind of consensus. Not the one I would like, but anyway. To continue GIT and APC examples, current line seems to be on "does it happen inside Drupal module?".
    – Mołot
    Aug 21, 2013 at 9:56
  • Well it's not really do what your "heart" tells you, I would hope people approach voting on a completely un-emotional level (not sure if that's totally what you meant, ignore it if not :). I get why you're asking this, I think it's a good question, and I have my own opinion about what the outcome should be - but I think instigating a blanket policy is difficult (impossible?), and would potentially alienate some useful questions.
    – Clive Mod
    Aug 21, 2013 at 10:19
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    @Clive I meant heart as intuition, not emotion. Sorry for not being clear enough, I agree with un-emotional voting and I missed that I sounded opposite. Anyway, even if this will not end up with sharp conclusion, I hope to get some opinions (and votes on them to show community's support or lack of it).
    – Mołot
    Aug 21, 2013 at 10:22
  • Yeah I got what you meant, just being cheeky :P I'm interested to see what people think about this too
    – Clive Mod
    Aug 21, 2013 at 10:23
  • Well, git and apc aren't blanket off topic, even when it isn't directly via module support. Drupal specific git issues are welcome (eg, using drush + git, git deployment strategies for Drupal), as well as Drupal specific APC settings (eg, lowering apc cache usage in Drupal) would OK. Generic git and apc questions are what are off-topic.
    – mpdonadio Mod
    Aug 23, 2013 at 20:33
  • @MPD Drush is arguably a Drupal module, and Deploying Drupal with Git is closed, and not as too broad ;) Same with APC - lowering cache usage have to happen in core and modules. So my point of view about what seems to happen now stays about unchanged. Question is - what should be happening?
    – Mołot
    Aug 26, 2013 at 7:27

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Generally speaking, questions about tools used exclusively for Drupal should be on-topic for Drupal Answers; for example, Drush is surely not a module, but questions about Drush are on-topic. If I cannot expect people using Drupal to answer questions about Drush, I don't know where else I should ask questions about Drush; for sure, I cannot ask to people using WordPress, or C#.
On Stack Overflow, questions about tools are accepted if the tools are normally used from developers. As far as I recall, tools that allow to upload files on a site are not considered developer tools; in the same way, a tool that would allow me to manage a Drupal site from my iPad would probably not be considered a developer tool, since that is a tool that Drupal site managers could use (without being required to know anything about developing).

Clearly, there are questions that suit more a support channel, if one exists. Contrary to questions about modules, where it is evident when something should be reported on the appropriate channel, for tools that is not so evident.
For example, if a module throws a warming or a fatal error, that should be reported on the project issue queue, since a warning means the code is doing something wrong, and modules are supposed not to throw warnings. For a tool, if the question is not about the reason the tool is crashing, the user could think something was not correctly set; it is not possible for the user saying if that is a bug or a misconfigured tool, especially for users who started using that tool.

It could happen that a Drupal tool is well known to be used from enough users, or it could happen the tool is used from a niche; that should not make any difference for us. Eventually, the difference would be that in one case the user would not get an answer, and stop asking questions about that tool.

The fact the tool is open-source or close-source should not make any difference, since in most of the cases the answer is not editing the tool code.

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