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webhat | 10 years ago

Thanks for the list.

I asked on purpose again for a couple of reasons: most of the answers were over 1 year old, most focus on why people shouldn't ask and not why they do ask or why they do sign.

discuss

order

ColinWright|10 years ago

Personal opinion, and it's very likely you know all this. I'm sorry in advance if it seems patronising, but here are my thoughts as they occurred. Even though some are invalid or unjustified, I thought there would be value in seeing them "up front" like this.

There would have been value in saying so in your question. I can imagine that most people would go - been there, done that - and just moved on.

From what you say you have done your homework and looked at the previous answers, but there would have been real value in collating the answers, presenting them, and then explaining why you feel the question is worth asking again. What do you feel has changed? Why are those answers no longer relevant, or complete?

Just asking the question with no reference to previous answers makes it feel like you haven't done any checking or research.

The document has its short-coming, and it's for a different context, but let me quote from "How to Ask Questions the Smart Way"[0]:

    Before asking a technical question by e-mail,
    or in a newsgroup, or on a website chat board,
    do the following:

        Try to find an answer by searching the
        archives of the forum or mailing list
        you plan to post to.

        Try to find an answer by searching the Web.

        Try to find an answer by reading the manual.

        Try to find an answer by reading a FAQ.

        Try to find an answer by inspection or
        experimentation.

        Try to find an answer by asking a skilled
        friend.

        If you're a programmer, try to find an
        answer by reading the source code.

    When you ask your question, display the fact that
    you have done these things first; this will help
    establish that you're not being a lazy sponge and
    wasting people's time.  Better yet, display what
    you have learned from doing these things. We like
    answering questions for people who have demonstrated
    they can learn from the answers.
A lot of that is not relevant in this case, but enough of it is that it's worth knowing.

[0] http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

webhat|10 years ago

To paraphrase ESR: thank you for this grandmotherly kindness. :)