If being a duplicate is why it is being closed, a search must have been done. Could not a link to the other offerings be given instead? Failing that, saying it is because of duplication?
That's not the reason. All the posts listed above were actually created later ('09, '10) than the one from the main thread ('08). It's just a question that doesn't match the SO guidelines. It's not really bad, but it could be phrased better. Still - locked is probably better than closed here.
