Question: Reference these search results:

* ["without plugin"](https://wordpress.stackexchange.com/search?q=%22without%20plugin%22) (27 results)
* ["without a plugin"](https://wordpress.stackexchange.com/search?q=%22without%20a%20plugin%22) (84 results)
* ["without using a plugin"](https://wordpress.stackexchange.com/search?q=%22without%20using%20a%20plugin%22) (27 results)

While admitting up-front that this isn't a huge problem, it *is* a bit of a pet peeve. Users asking for solutions "without a Plugin" introduce an arbitrary and unnecessary constraint to potential solutions. Also, such a request belies a fundamental lack of understanding about what a Plugin *is*, how the [WordPress Plugin API](http://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/) works, and how, at the filter/action hook level, a Theme is fundamentally interchangeable with a Plugin.

Would it be worthwhile to add something to our FAQ about not asking for solutions "without a plugin"? 

(Bear in mind: I'm also the one who previously suggested that we discourage answers that consisted of nothing more than a mere Plugin recommendation. The end goal here is *building a body of knowledge and reference code/material*.)

Related:

* [Most Useful Answers: List Plugins, or Describe Methods?](https://wordpress.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/1041/most-useful-answers-list-plugins-or-describe-methods)
* [Plugin recommendation questions are off topic, but what about plugin recommendations as answers answers?](https://wordpress.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/1250/plugin-recommendation-questions-are-off-topic-but-what-about-plugin-recommendat)

Answer: 
I don’t see what we can do in these cases: Closing a question which is okay in all other aspects would be too drastic, and editing it out would change the meaning too much.

My recommendation: Answer the question, ignore the “without a plugin” part. Our answers are **never** written just for the asker (that would be “too localized”), they are for all readers. A positive example is better than prohibition.
Let's compare these requests:

* Without a plugin please!
* I would like answer, explaining internal code mechanics of this.
* I had seen plugin accomplishing this, but have trouble following its code and would like it explained.
* and so on...

The problem is - they are essentially same in what they ask for *technically*. They only differ in *motivation* for the request. It is complicated thing to make a rule to discern requests that differ by motivation but not actual form.

Yes, it is tad annoying. However neither major issue or trivial to address.