# It's not clear that the "don't allow uncategorized topics" limitation applies only to staff members

**URL:** <https://meta.discourse.org/t/its-not-clear-that-the-dont-allow-uncategorized-topics-limitation-applies-only-to-staff-members/57498>\
**Category:** Feature\
**Created:** [2017年二月16日 19:40 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/its-not-clear-that-the-dont-allow-uncategorized-topics-limitation-applies-only-to-staff-members/57498 "2017-02-16T19:40:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![kuba-orlik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/kuba-orlik/32/318490_2.png) [@kuba-orlik](https://meta.discourse.org/u/kuba-orlik)\
**Post date:** [2017年二月16日 19:40 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/its-not-clear-that-the-dont-allow-uncategorized-topics-limitation-applies-only-to-staff-members/57498/1 "2017-02-16T19:40:26Z")

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I think the explanation next to the “allow uncategorized topics” should be a little more descriptive, explaining that staff are immune to this limitation.

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**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/codinghorror/32/110067_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)\
**Post date:** [2017年二月16日 22:02 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/its-not-clear-that-the-dont-allow-uncategorized-topics-limitation-applies-only-to-staff-members/57498/2 "2017-02-16T22:02:35Z")

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Staff are immune to tons of limitations so I don’t feel this needs to be specially explained. Try replying to a closed topic for example.. so all close messages should say

> This topic is closed. Except for staff!

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**Author:** ![kuba-orlik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/kuba-orlik/32/318490_2.png) [@kuba-orlik](https://meta.discourse.org/u/kuba-orlik)\
**Post date:** [2017年二月17日 14:26 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/its-not-clear-that-the-dont-allow-uncategorized-topics-limitation-applies-only-to-staff-members/57498/3 "2017-02-17T14:26:08Z")

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I think a just-in-time warning for staff members when they’re creating an uncategorized thread would be sufficient and unobstructive.

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**Author:** ![Falco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/falco/32/179432_2.png) [@Falco](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Falco)\
**Post date:** [2017年二月17日 14:43 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/its-not-clear-that-the-dont-allow-uncategorized-topics-limitation-applies-only-to-staff-members/57498/4 "2017-02-17T14:43:43Z")

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So let’s merge into this:

> [@Warn staff when action will override site restriction](https://meta.discourse.org/t/warn-staff-when-action-will-override-site-restriction/57521):
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> From time to time on Meta there are reports of new site staff being surprised by their ability to override site settings without warning. For example, staff can reply to closed topics, staff can post to #Uncategorized even if it is disabled in site settings, staff can more posts to a topic that the user cannot see, etc. ([An example](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-allows-to-create-uncategorized-topics-even-when-allow-uncategorized-topics-is-unchecked/57454), [another example](https://meta.discourse.org/t/admin-mods-can-post-to-uncategorized-with-allow-uncategorized-topics-disabled/26469)). I’d like to propose a [just-in-time](https://blog.codinghorror.com/the-just-in-time-theory/) warning that appears when staff are about to do this. Something like: Here is a (non-exhaustive) l…

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**Author:** ![Falco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/falco/32/179432_2.png) [@Falco](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Falco)\
**Post date:** [2017年二月17日 14:43 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/its-not-clear-that-the-dont-allow-uncategorized-topics-limitation-applies-only-to-staff-members/57498/5 "2017-02-17T14:43:47Z")

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