asking questions
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hi all - just saw this: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html^...about how to ask questions on forums. I don't mean to sound patronising posting this - just thought it was interesting. :) Cheers Steven
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hi all - just saw this: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html^...about how to ask questions on forums. I don't mean to sound patronising posting this - just thought it was interesting. :) Cheers Steven
Good article. Should be required reading before signup here.
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hi all - just saw this: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html^...about how to ask questions on forums. I don't mean to sound patronising posting this - just thought it was interesting. :) Cheers Steven
Excellent. I'm thinking it would look good in my signature. I have to admit the best exchanges I've had on the programming forums are ones where there is some correspondance back and forth, where I can see the original questioner coming to a greater understanding about how everything works. That is the most satisfying thing. The ones I hate (as this document says well are "merely passively demanding knowledge from others.") Once again, thanks for the link. :-D [EDIT] I'm still reading through the whole thing. Here is another that I must say is a major irritation: "We've found by experience that people who are careless and sloppy writers are usually also careless and sloppy at thinking and coding (often enough to bet on, anyway). Answering questions for careless and sloppy thinkers is not rewarding; we'd rather spend our time elsewhere. "More generally, if you write like a semi-literate boob you will very likely be ignored. Writing like a l33t script kiddie hax0r is the absolute kiss of death and guarantees you will receive nothing but stony silence (or, at best, a heaping helping of scorn and sarcasm) in return. I have to say that people who abbreviate "are" to "r" and "you" to "u" and "internationalisation" to "i18n" really turn me off. Although I do try to reply if I can, it makes the message a lot more difficult to read. The article goes on to say: "If you are asking questions in a forum that does not use your native language, you will get a limited amount of slack for spelling and grammar errors — but no extra slack at all for laziness (and yes, we can usually spot that difference)." [/EDIT]
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way!
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Excellent. I'm thinking it would look good in my signature. I have to admit the best exchanges I've had on the programming forums are ones where there is some correspondance back and forth, where I can see the original questioner coming to a greater understanding about how everything works. That is the most satisfying thing. The ones I hate (as this document says well are "merely passively demanding knowledge from others.") Once again, thanks for the link. :-D [EDIT] I'm still reading through the whole thing. Here is another that I must say is a major irritation: "We've found by experience that people who are careless and sloppy writers are usually also careless and sloppy at thinking and coding (often enough to bet on, anyway). Answering questions for careless and sloppy thinkers is not rewarding; we'd rather spend our time elsewhere. "More generally, if you write like a semi-literate boob you will very likely be ignored. Writing like a l33t script kiddie hax0r is the absolute kiss of death and guarantees you will receive nothing but stony silence (or, at best, a heaping helping of scorn and sarcasm) in return. I have to say that people who abbreviate "are" to "r" and "you" to "u" and "internationalisation" to "i18n" really turn me off. Although I do try to reply if I can, it makes the message a lot more difficult to read. The article goes on to say: "If you are asking questions in a forum that does not use your native language, you will get a limited amount of slack for spelling and grammar errors — but no extra slack at all for laziness (and yes, we can usually spot that difference)." [/EDIT]
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way!
Cool glad you found it as useful too :) But lets get this straight, Colin. Are you saying that... "Give me help now. Write content manging systems in n*x for HTML client wants pleese" ...wouldn't get your full attention? ;) at least - not if it was posted in the lounge
let the stormy clouds chase everyone from the place
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Excellent. I'm thinking it would look good in my signature. I have to admit the best exchanges I've had on the programming forums are ones where there is some correspondance back and forth, where I can see the original questioner coming to a greater understanding about how everything works. That is the most satisfying thing. The ones I hate (as this document says well are "merely passively demanding knowledge from others.") Once again, thanks for the link. :-D [EDIT] I'm still reading through the whole thing. Here is another that I must say is a major irritation: "We've found by experience that people who are careless and sloppy writers are usually also careless and sloppy at thinking and coding (often enough to bet on, anyway). Answering questions for careless and sloppy thinkers is not rewarding; we'd rather spend our time elsewhere. "More generally, if you write like a semi-literate boob you will very likely be ignored. Writing like a l33t script kiddie hax0r is the absolute kiss of death and guarantees you will receive nothing but stony silence (or, at best, a heaping helping of scorn and sarcasm) in return. I have to say that people who abbreviate "are" to "r" and "you" to "u" and "internationalisation" to "i18n" really turn me off. Although I do try to reply if I can, it makes the message a lot more difficult to read. The article goes on to say: "If you are asking questions in a forum that does not use your native language, you will get a limited amount of slack for spelling and grammar errors — but no extra slack at all for laziness (and yes, we can usually spot that difference)." [/EDIT]
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way!
I have to say that people who abbreviate "are" to "r" and "you" to "u" and "internationalisation" to "i18n" really turn me off. Although I do try to reply if I can, it makes the message a lot more difficult to read. Don't show that to lauren. :rolleyes:
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
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Cool glad you found it as useful too :) But lets get this straight, Colin. Are you saying that... "Give me help now. Write content manging systems in n*x for HTML client wants pleese" ...wouldn't get your full attention? ;) at least - not if it was posted in the lounge
let the stormy clouds chase everyone from the place
steven shingler wrote: Give me help now Making demands - Not a good start steven shingler wrote: Write content manging systems Incorrect verb form ("Write") - getting worse Possible typo ("manging") - probably overlooked steven shingler wrote: n*x Unsupported technology - And if found here, off-topic post steven shingler wrote: for HTML client wants Ambiguous - Is the client HTML, or is it to be in HTML for a client who wants it. steven shingler wrote: pleese Spelling - If the poster is native English speaker this would be a turn off. (I'll start a new post about my pet spelling peeve[^]). steven shingler wrote: wouldn't get your full attention? It might get my attention - but not my immediate attention. steven shingler wrote: posted in the lounge I'm more of a spectator in these things now. Think of me as standing on a balcony overlooking the streets of Pamplona on the 7th of July (festival of San Fermín and the start of the Bull Running). I just passively watch the uninitiated running through the streets while the angry bulls (the CP regulars) chace after them. A person running through these streets can get (seriously) hurt, but there have been remarkably few deaths.
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell Not getting the response you want from a question asked in an online forum: How to Ask Questions the Smart Way!
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steven shingler wrote: Give me help now Making demands - Not a good start steven shingler wrote: Write content manging systems Incorrect verb form ("Write") - getting worse Possible typo ("manging") - probably overlooked steven shingler wrote: n*x Unsupported technology - And if found here, off-topic post steven shingler wrote: for HTML client wants Ambiguous - Is the client HTML, or is it to be in HTML for a client who wants it. steven shingler wrote: pleese Spelling - If the poster is native English speaker this would be a turn off. (I'll start a new post about my pet spelling peeve[^]). steven shingler wrote: wouldn't get your full attention? It might get my attention - but not my immediate attention. steven shingler wrote: posted in the lounge I'm more of a spectator in these things now. Think of me as standing on a balcony overlooking the streets of Pamplona on the 7th of July (festival of San Fermín and the start of the Bull Running). I just passively watch the uninitiated running through the streets while the angry bulls (the CP regulars) chace after them. A person running through these streets can get (seriously) hurt, but there have been remarkably few deaths.
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell Not getting the response you want from a question asked in an online forum: How to Ask Questions the Smart Way!
:)
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Excellent. I'm thinking it would look good in my signature. I have to admit the best exchanges I've had on the programming forums are ones where there is some correspondance back and forth, where I can see the original questioner coming to a greater understanding about how everything works. That is the most satisfying thing. The ones I hate (as this document says well are "merely passively demanding knowledge from others.") Once again, thanks for the link. :-D [EDIT] I'm still reading through the whole thing. Here is another that I must say is a major irritation: "We've found by experience that people who are careless and sloppy writers are usually also careless and sloppy at thinking and coding (often enough to bet on, anyway). Answering questions for careless and sloppy thinkers is not rewarding; we'd rather spend our time elsewhere. "More generally, if you write like a semi-literate boob you will very likely be ignored. Writing like a l33t script kiddie hax0r is the absolute kiss of death and guarantees you will receive nothing but stony silence (or, at best, a heaping helping of scorn and sarcasm) in return. I have to say that people who abbreviate "are" to "r" and "you" to "u" and "internationalisation" to "i18n" really turn me off. Although I do try to reply if I can, it makes the message a lot more difficult to read. The article goes on to say: "If you are asking questions in a forum that does not use your native language, you will get a limited amount of slack for spelling and grammar errors — but no extra slack at all for laziness (and yes, we can usually spot that difference)." [/EDIT]
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way!
"I have to say that people who abbreviate "are" to "r" and "you" to "u" and "internationalisation" to "i18n" really turn me off. Although I do try to reply if I can, it makes the message a lot more difficult to read." I agree - they really turn me off too. I also make little time for anonymous posters. __________________________________________ a two cent stamp short of going postal.
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hi all - just saw this: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html^...about how to ask questions on forums. I don't mean to sound patronising posting this - just thought it was interesting. :) Cheers Steven
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steven shingler wrote: Give me help now Making demands - Not a good start steven shingler wrote: Write content manging systems Incorrect verb form ("Write") - getting worse Possible typo ("manging") - probably overlooked steven shingler wrote: n*x Unsupported technology - And if found here, off-topic post steven shingler wrote: for HTML client wants Ambiguous - Is the client HTML, or is it to be in HTML for a client who wants it. steven shingler wrote: pleese Spelling - If the poster is native English speaker this would be a turn off. (I'll start a new post about my pet spelling peeve[^]). steven shingler wrote: wouldn't get your full attention? It might get my attention - but not my immediate attention. steven shingler wrote: posted in the lounge I'm more of a spectator in these things now. Think of me as standing on a balcony overlooking the streets of Pamplona on the 7th of July (festival of San Fermín and the start of the Bull Running). I just passively watch the uninitiated running through the streets while the angry bulls (the CP regulars) chace after them. A person running through these streets can get (seriously) hurt, but there have been remarkably few deaths.
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell Not getting the response you want from a question asked in an online forum: How to Ask Questions the Smart Way!
Colin Angus Mackay wrote: there have been remarkably few deaths Unfortunately.
Software Zen:
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steven shingler wrote: Give me help now Making demands - Not a good start steven shingler wrote: Write content manging systems Incorrect verb form ("Write") - getting worse Possible typo ("manging") - probably overlooked steven shingler wrote: n*x Unsupported technology - And if found here, off-topic post steven shingler wrote: for HTML client wants Ambiguous - Is the client HTML, or is it to be in HTML for a client who wants it. steven shingler wrote: pleese Spelling - If the poster is native English speaker this would be a turn off. (I'll start a new post about my pet spelling peeve[^]). steven shingler wrote: wouldn't get your full attention? It might get my attention - but not my immediate attention. steven shingler wrote: posted in the lounge I'm more of a spectator in these things now. Think of me as standing on a balcony overlooking the streets of Pamplona on the 7th of July (festival of San Fermín and the start of the Bull Running). I just passively watch the uninitiated running through the streets while the angry bulls (the CP regulars) chace after them. A person running through these streets can get (seriously) hurt, but there have been remarkably few deaths.
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell Not getting the response you want from a question asked in an online forum: How to Ask Questions the Smart Way!
Colin Angus Mackay wrote: while the angry bulls (the CP regulars) chace after them Hmmm.... let me help you out here. In your minds eye picture a girl holding a frothy cold mug of beer (or ale if you prefer). Now see yourself saying "She has a great mug of beer". Now your attention focuses in on the word "has". Then the camera begins to back out allowing you the view of more letters. On the left you can now see the letter 'c' and to the right the letter 'e'. Now maybe that will help you remember how to spell the word CHASE!
-pete
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Excellent. I'm thinking it would look good in my signature. I have to admit the best exchanges I've had on the programming forums are ones where there is some correspondance back and forth, where I can see the original questioner coming to a greater understanding about how everything works. That is the most satisfying thing. The ones I hate (as this document says well are "merely passively demanding knowledge from others.") Once again, thanks for the link. :-D [EDIT] I'm still reading through the whole thing. Here is another that I must say is a major irritation: "We've found by experience that people who are careless and sloppy writers are usually also careless and sloppy at thinking and coding (often enough to bet on, anyway). Answering questions for careless and sloppy thinkers is not rewarding; we'd rather spend our time elsewhere. "More generally, if you write like a semi-literate boob you will very likely be ignored. Writing like a l33t script kiddie hax0r is the absolute kiss of death and guarantees you will receive nothing but stony silence (or, at best, a heaping helping of scorn and sarcasm) in return. I have to say that people who abbreviate "are" to "r" and "you" to "u" and "internationalisation" to "i18n" really turn me off. Although I do try to reply if I can, it makes the message a lot more difficult to read. The article goes on to say: "If you are asking questions in a forum that does not use your native language, you will get a limited amount of slack for spelling and grammar errors — but no extra slack at all for laziness (and yes, we can usually spot that difference)." [/EDIT]
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell Can't manage to P/Invoke that Win32 API in .NET? Why not do interop the wiki way!
Colin Angus Mackay wrote: if you write like a semi-literate BLEEP Hey... watch it... u r in the Lounge! Colin Angus Mackay wrote: I have to say that people who abbreviate "are" to "r" and "you" to "u" and "internationalisation" to "i18n" really turn me off. Although I do try to reply if I can, it makes the message a lot more difficult to read. U R A NULL :laugh: sometimes i just crack myself up :laugh: Just kidding I hate all that stuff at least as much as you do. It seems so consistently bad i spend most of my time in Lounge and SB.
"No matter where you go, there your are." - Buckaroo Banzai
-pete
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Colin Angus Mackay wrote: while the angry bulls (the CP regulars) chace after them Hmmm.... let me help you out here. In your minds eye picture a girl holding a frothy cold mug of beer (or ale if you prefer). Now see yourself saying "She has a great mug of beer". Now your attention focuses in on the word "has". Then the camera begins to back out allowing you the view of more letters. On the left you can now see the letter 'c' and to the right the letter 'e'. Now maybe that will help you remember how to spell the word CHASE!
-pete
palbano wrote: Now maybe that will help you remember how to spell the word CHASE! :-O :doh: :laugh: Thanks!
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell Not getting the response you want from a question asked in an online forum: How to Ask Questions the Smart Way!
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Colin Angus Mackay wrote: if you write like a semi-literate BLEEP Hey... watch it... u r in the Lounge! Colin Angus Mackay wrote: I have to say that people who abbreviate "are" to "r" and "you" to "u" and "internationalisation" to "i18n" really turn me off. Although I do try to reply if I can, it makes the message a lot more difficult to read. U R A NULL :laugh: sometimes i just crack myself up :laugh: Just kidding I hate all that stuff at least as much as you do. It seems so consistently bad i spend most of my time in Lounge and SB.
"No matter where you go, there your are." - Buckaroo Banzai
-pete
palbano wrote: Hey... watch it... u r in the Lounge! You know, if wouldn't have occurred to me that it would offend anyone, I would regard that as a very mild word - Kids say much worse things these days. Maybe it is the reverse of (WARNING THIS MAY OFFEND BRITISH READERS) the word "fanny" which in America is so mild a child of 4 would use it, while in the UK it is a derogatory term for the female genitalia. And before I get inundated with more complaints I've kept the description as clinical as possible and no more offensive than you would find in a medical or encyclopaedic reference book.
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell Not getting the response you want from a question asked in an online forum: How to Ask Questions the Smart Way!
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palbano wrote: Hey... watch it... u r in the Lounge! You know, if wouldn't have occurred to me that it would offend anyone, I would regard that as a very mild word - Kids say much worse things these days. Maybe it is the reverse of (WARNING THIS MAY OFFEND BRITISH READERS) the word "fanny" which in America is so mild a child of 4 would use it, while in the UK it is a derogatory term for the female genitalia. And before I get inundated with more complaints I've kept the description as clinical as possible and no more offensive than you would find in a medical or encyclopaedic reference book.
"If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -- Joseph E. O'Donnell Not getting the response you want from a question asked in an online forum: How to Ask Questions the Smart Way!