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33 lines
1.1 KiB
Markdown
33 lines
1.1 KiB
Markdown
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---
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title: How to Ask Technical Questions
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date: 2023-08-26
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timeless: true
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draft: true
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description: There are no dumb questions - but there are smarter (and dumber) ways to ask them.
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---
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I spend a lot of my time and energy answering technical questions[^1]. How a question is asked plays a big factor in how effectively I'll be able to answer it. Years ago I came across Eric Steven Raymond's [How To Ask Questions The Smart Way](http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html) and it really resonated with me. I wish everyone would read it before asking for technical help but I recognize it's a pretty large doc at this point. So I thought I'd summarize some of the main points that I would like to emphasize.
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## Research Before You Ask
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## Clear and Specific Subject Line
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## Correct Spelling and Grammar
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## Be Precise
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## ...But Not Unnecessarily Verbose
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## Describe the Symptoms, Not Your Guesses
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## Describe the Goal, Not the Step
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## Be Explicit About Your Question
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## Be Courteous
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## Follow Up with Solution
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[^1]: Both professionally as well as "for fun" because I love scratching that troubleshooting itch.
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