Wisdom of inquiry-to those who don't ask questions

The wisdom of asking questions -- to those who don't ask questions
Although this article is about hacker, I think it applies here. This article has benefited me a lot. It is worth reading. If you think it is good, let's push it together ~~~
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In the hacker world, how can you answer a technical question? This depends on the difficulty of digging out the answer, and also on the method of your question. This guide aims to help you improve your questioning skills and obtain the answers you want most.
　　
First, you must understand that hackers only prefer arduous tasks or good questions that can stimulate their thinking.
If not, what should we do? We would be grateful if you had any good questions that we had to chew over and over again. A good question is motivation, courtesy, which can improve our understanding, and often exposes problems we have never realized or thought about before. For hackers, "Ask well !" It is a heartfelt praise.
　　
Despite the bad reputation of hackers who despise simple problems and are unfriendly, sometimes it seems that we are hostile to new users and to people with poor knowledge, but this is not the case.
　　
We don't want to hide our contempt for such people-they don't want to think, or they don't want to do what they should do before asking. This kind of person will only kill time-they only want to ask, never pay, and waste our time without reason, and we could have used time on people who are more interesting or worth answering.
We call this artificial "loser" (for historical reasons, we sometimes make it "lusers ").
To a large extent, we are volunteers who take time out of busy life to answer questions and are often overwhelmed by questions. Therefore, we relentlessly filter out some topics, especially those who look like losers, so that we can use time to answer the winner's questions more efficiently.
　　
If you think that our arrogant attitude will upset you and make you feel wronged, you may wish to put yourself in a bid. We didn't ask you to give in to us-in fact, most of us do not like fair trade, as long as you make a small effort to meet the minimum requirements, we will welcome you to join our culture. However, it is meaningless to help those who are unwilling to help themselves. If you cannot accept this "discrimination", we suggest you spend some money to sign a technical support agreement with a commercial company. Don't ask hackers for help.
　　
If you decide to turn to us for help, you certainly do not want to be regarded as a loser or be a member of the loser. The best way to get an effective answer right away is to ask questions like the winner-Be smart, confident, and have a solution to the problem, but occasionally need some help on specific issues.
　　
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Before asking questions
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Before asking technical questions via email, newsgroup, or chat room, check whether you have done the following:
1. Read the manual and try to find the answer by yourself.
2. Find the answer in the FAQ (a well-maintained FAQ can be all-encompassing :).
3. search online (Google is recommended for personal use ~~~).
4. Ask your friends here.
　　
When you ask a question, first you need to explain what you did before that. This will help you build your image: you are not a beggar who is willing to waste others' time. If the questioner learns from the answer, we are more willing to answer his questions.
　　
Think carefully and prepare your questions. You can only get a hasty answer or no answer to your questions. The more you try to solve the problem before asking for help, the more substantial the help you get.
　　
Be careful not to ask the wrong question. If your problem is based on incorrect assumptions, common hackers (J. randomhacker) is often used to answer you with meaningless literal explanations, thinking "stupid questions... ", I hope you will learn from the answer (not the answer you want.
　　
Never think that you are qualified to get the answer. You are not qualified. After all, you have not paid for such a service. You need to "earn" your own answers by asking a question with connotation, fun, and creative thinking-a question with potential contribution to the Community experience, instead of passively asking for knowledge from others-earning the answer.
　　
On the other hand, it is a good start to show what you are willing to do in the process of finding the answer.
"Who can give me some tips ?" "What is missing in my example ?" And "Where should I check ?" It is easier to get a response than "post the exact process. Because you seem to have the ability and determination to complete it as long as someone directs in the right direction.
　　
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Question
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Exercise caution when selecting forums
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Select the case where you want to ask questions. If, as described below, you are likely to be ignored or considered a failure:
1. Post your problem on the forum where Feng Ma Niu is not compatible
2. Post very basic questions on forums discussing advanced skills; and vice versa
3. Cross-posting in too many different newsgroups
　　
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The words are correct, the syntax is correct, and the spelling is correct.
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From our experience, we found that careless writers are usually careless thinkers (I dare to make a ticket ).
It is not worthwhile to answer questions from careless people. We would rather spend time elsewhere.
　　
Correct spelling, punctuation, and case are important.
More generally, if your questions are written as semi-illiterate, you are likely to be ignored.
　　
If you are asking questions in a non-native forum, you can make minor spelling and grammar mistakes-but never
Careless thinking (yes, we can figure out the differences between the two)
　　
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Titles with rich meanings and accurate descriptions
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In the email list or newsgroup, subject titles of less than 50 words are the prime time to capture the attention of senior experts. Don't use the chatbots to help you (not to mention "Help !!!!!" In this way, this opportunity will be wasted. Don't try to impress us with your level of pain,
Do not use spaces to replace the Problem description, even a brief description.
　　
Stupid question:
Help! My laptop cannot be displayed normally!
　　
Smart question:
Xfree86 4.1 mouse and cursor deformation, fooware mv1005 display chip.
　　
If you ask a question in the reply, remember to modify the content title to indicate that there is a problem in it. A problem that looks like "re: Test" or "re: new bug" can hardly attract enough attention. In addition, you can use and delete the content in the previous article to provide new readers with clues.
　　
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Precise description, large amount of information
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1. Carefully and clearly describe the symptoms.
2. Provide the environment where the problem occurs (machine configuration, operating system, application, and anything else ).
3. Explain how you studied and understood this question before asking questions.
4. Explain the steps you have taken to solve the problem before asking a question.
5. List recent hardware and software changes that may affect the performance.
　　
Try to imagine how a hacker will ask you and give him an answer in advance when asking a question.
　　
Simon Tatham wrote an excellent short article titled how to effectively report bugs. We strongly recommend that you also read it.
　　
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Not many words
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You need to provide accurate and effective information. This does not require you to simply extract a ton of error code or a full dump of data to your question. If you have a large and complex test condition, try to crop it as small as possible.
　　
This can be used at least three points. First, it shows that you have made efforts to simplify your questions, which increases your chances of answering questions. Second, simplifying your questions increases your chances of getting useful answers. Third, when refining your bug report, you may be able to locate the problem or correct it yourself.
　　
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Only talk about symptoms, not conjecture
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It is of no help to tell hackers how they think the problem is caused. (If your inference is so effective, are you still asking for help ?), Therefore, be sure that you have told them the symptoms of the problem, and do not add your own understanding and inferences. Let the hackers diagnose the problem.
　　
Stupid question:
I encountered the sig11 error again and again during kernel compilation. I suspect that a certain flying line is built online on the main board. How should I check the best situation?
　　
Smart question:
I made a self-made K6/233 system with the motherboard being a FIC-PA2007 (via Apollo VP2.), 256 MB Corsair pcw.sdram, which frequently produces sig11 errors during kernel compilation, this problem occurs 20 minutes after the instance is started.
It never happened in the last 20 minutes. It is useless to restart, but it can work for another 20 minutes after being shut down for one night. All the memory has been changed, and it does not work. The typical compilation record of the relevant part is as follows ....
　　
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List symptoms in chronological order
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The most helpful clue for identifying a problem is often a series of operations before the problem occurs. Therefore, your instructions should include the operation steps and computer reactions until the problem occurs.
　　
If your description is too long (more than four paragraphs), it will be helpful to briefly explain the problem at the beginning, and then explain it in chronological order. In this way, hackers will know what to look for in your instructions.
　　
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Understand what you want to ask
　　
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A time-consuming black hole is almost endless. The people who give you the most useful answers are also the busiest (they are busy because they have to finish most of their work in person ). Such people do not catch a cold black hole in an uncontrolled Period of time. Therefore, they may say they have a bad cold in asking questions without any limitations.
　　
If you specify what the respondent needs to do (provide suggestions, send a piece of code, check your patch or something else), you are most likely to get a useful answer. This sets an upper limit on time and energy, so that respondents can concentrate on helping you.
　　
To understand the world in which experts live, think of professional skills as ample resources, and the response time is a poor resource. The less time it takes to solve your problem, the more you can get answers from busy experts.
　　
Therefore, it is helpful to optimize the problem structure and minimize the time required by experts to solve it-which is usually different from simplifying the problem. Therefore, ask "I want to better understand X,
　　
Can you give me a prompt ?" Generally, it is better than asking "can you explain X ?" Better. If your code cannot work, it is more wise to ask someone else to modify it for you.
　　
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Do not ask questions that should be solved by yourself
　　
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Hackers are always good at distinguishing which problems should be solved by yourself, because most of us
　　
I used to solve such problems myself. Similarly, you have to solve these problems and you will learn from them.
　　
You can ask for a prompt, but don't ask for a complete solution.
　　
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Remove meaningless questions
　　
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Do not end the question with meaningless words. For example, "Can someone help me ?" Or "do you have an answer ?".
　　
First, if you do not describe the problem properly, it is even more fascinating. Second, because this question is superfluous, hackers will get bored with you-and usually use logical and correct answers to express their contempt, for example: "Yes, someone can help you "or" no, no answer ".
　　
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Humble has no harm, and it often helps a lot.
　　
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Polite, use "please" and "thank you first ". Let everyone know that you are grateful for taking the time to help them.
　　
However, if you have many problems that cannot be solved, courtesy will increase your chances of getting useful answers.
　　
(We have noticed that the only serious defect feedback we have received from senior hackers since the release of this Guide is to acknowledge this in advance. Some hackers think that the implication of "thank you first" is that they will not thank anyone any more. Our suggestion is: Thank you all .)
　　
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After the problem is solved, add a brief description
　　
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After the problem is solved, I will send a description to all those who have helped you to let them know how the problem was solved, and I would like to express my gratitude to them again. If the problem has aroused widespread attention in the news group or email list, you should add a supplementary description here.
　　
The additional instructions do not need to be long or in-depth. A simple sentence is "hello, it turns out that the network cable has a problem! Thank you, Bill. In fact, unless the conclusion is really technical, it is better to have a brief and lovely summary than a long academic paper. Explain how the problem is solved, but it is not necessary to repeat the process of solving the problem.
　　
In addition to courtesy and feedback, this supplement helps others search for complete solutions that have helped you in the email list, newsgroups, and forums, which may also be useful to them.
　　
Last (at least ?), This supplement can help all people who provide help to feel satisfied.
　　
If you are not a veteran or hacker, trust us. This feeling is very important for mentors or experts who ask for help. Long delays in handling problems can lead to frustration; hackers are eager to see the problem solved. Good people have good news to satisfy their desires. You will taste the sweetness of posting new questions next time.
　　
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Still do not understand
　　
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If you do not quite understand the answer, do not ask the other party to explain it immediately. You can understand the problem as you used to solve it yourself (using manuals, FAQs, networks, and experts around you. If you really need an explanation, remember to show what you have learned.
　　
For example, if I answer you: "It seems that zentry is blocked; you should first clear
Except it .", Then:
　　
What is zentry ?"
　　
The clever question should be like this: "Oh ~~~ I have read the help, but only-Z and-P are supported.
Zentry is mentioned in the parameter and there is no clear explanation yet: <you mean
Which one? Or what do I miss ?"
　　
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Think twice and then ask
　　
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The following are some typical stupid questions and what hackers think when they refuse to answer:
　　
Q: Where can I find the X program?
　　
Problem: My program/configuration/SQL statement is useless
　　
Q: I have a problem with windows. Can you help me?
　　
Q: I have a problem installing Linux (or X). Can you help me?
　　
Q: How can I crack the root account/steal op privileges/read emails from others?
　　
Q: Where can I find the X program?
　　
A: Where I found it, dumb-the one on the search engine. Oh, my God!
　　
Will anyone use Google?
　　
Q: My programs (configuration and SQL statement) are useless.
　　
A: This is not a problem. I am not interested in finding out your real problem.
　　
I asked you 20 questions to find out-I have more interesting things to do.
　　
When I see such problems, there are usually three types of responses:
　　
1. What else do you want to add?
　　
2. It's really bad. I hope you can fix it.
　　
3. What does this have to do with me?
　　
Q: I have a problem with windows. Can you help me?
　　
A: Yes. Discard the soft spam and change to Linux.
　　
Q: I have a problem installing Linux (or X). Can you help me?
　　
A: No. I can only find problems on your computer.
　　
Go to your local Linux User Group for Instructions (you can find a list of user groups here ).
　　
Q: How can I crack the root account/steal op privileges/read emails from others?
　　
A: If you want to do this, it means you are a mean person. If you want to find a hacker to help you, it means you are an idiot!
　　
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Good and bad
　　
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Finally, I will give some examples to illustrate how to intelligently ask questions. The two questions of the same question are put together. One is stupid, and the other is wise.
　　
Stupid question: Where can I find information about foonly flurbamatic?
　　
This question is nothing more than an answer like stfw.
　　
Clever question: I used Google to search for "foonly flurbamatic 2600",
　　
No useful results found. Who knows where to find information to program such a device?
　　
This problem has passed stfw, and it seems that he is in trouble.
　　
Stupid problem: the source code I found from the foo project cannot be compiled. Why is it so bad?
　　
He thinks it's everyone else's fault. This arrogant guy.
　　
Smart problem: Foo project code cannot be compiled in nulix 6.2. I have read the FAQ but have not mentioned any issues related to nulix. This is a record of my compilation process. What is wrong with me?
　　
He explained the environment, read the FAQ, pointed out the error, and did not blame others for the problem. This guy deserves attention.
　　
Silly question: My motherboard is faulty. Who will help me?
　　
The answer to this kind of question is usually: "Okay. Do you need to pat your back and change your diapers ?" And then press the delete key.
　　
Clever question: I tried X, Y, and Z on the s2464 motherboard, but it didn't work. I tried A, B, and C again. Note the strange phenomenon when I try C. Apparently, the side band is shrunk during transmission, but the result is unexpected. What are the common causes of Side Band leakage on a multi-processor motherboard?
　　
Who has a good idea? What test should I do next to find out the problem?
　　
This guy is worth answering from another perspective. He showed his ability to solve the problem, instead of waiting for the answer.
　　
In the last question, pay attention to the subtle and important differences between "Tell me the answer" and "Give me inspiration and point out what diagnosis I should do.
　　
In fact, the last question comes from a real question on the Linux kernel email list on April 9, August 2001. Eric is the person who asked the question. On the Tyan s2464 motherboard, I observed this undefinable locking phenomenon. The list members provided important information to solve the problem.
　　
Through my questions, I gave you something worth your attention. I made people easy to participate and attracted. I show that I have the same capabilities as them and invite them to discuss with me. I told them what detours I had taken to avoid wasting their time. This is a kind of respect for the value of others' time.
　　
Later, when I expressed my gratitude to everyone and appreciated the excellent operation of the program (the discussion in the mail list-the Translator's note), a Linux kernel email list (lkml) Member said, the problem is solved not because I am a "celebrity" in this list, but because I used the correct method to ask a question.
　　
From a certain point of view, our hackers are people with a wealth of knowledge but a lack of human touch. I believe he is right. If I ask questions like a beggar, no matter who I am, some people will be annoyed or ignored by them. He suggested that I write this down and give some guidance to the person who wrote this guide.
　　
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What should I do if I cannot find the answer?
　　
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If you still cannot get the answer, do not think we cannot help you. Sometimes you don't know the answer to your question. No response does not mean you are ignored, although it is undeniable that this difference is difficult to distinguish.
　　
In general, it is a bad idea to simply repeat the problem. This is regarded as meaningless noise.
　　
Noisy.
　　
You can get help from other channels, which are generally more suitable for beginners.
　　
There are many online and local user groups that are composed of enthusiastic software enthusiasts, even if they may have never personally written any software. Usually people form such groups to help each other and help new users.
　　
In addition, you can seek help from many business companies, whether large or small (RedHat and linuxcare are two of the most common examples ). Don't pay for help
Frustrated! After all, if the cylinder seal of your car engine breaks down-this is entirely possible-you have to deliver it to the garage and pay for it. Even if the software does not cost you a penny, you cannot force that the technical support is always free.
　　
For popular software, such as Linux, each developer has at least tens of thousands of users.
　　
It is impossible for one person to handle calls from tens of thousands of users. You know, even if you want to pay for help, compared to buying similar software, what you pay is also insignificant (usually the technical support cost for closed source code software is much higher than that for open source code software, and the content is not that rich ).
　　
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Thank you for seeing the people here.

 

Wisdom of inquiry-to those who don't ask questions