Angello Portillo
ICS 314
Professor Dan Port
24 January 2024
During this week we dived into the meaning of “Smart Questions”. It was at first a question within itself, “what is a smart question”, it got me to think about whether or not any question put out there in the world is either bad or not. Although it somewhat can be a binary thing to categorize whether a question is terrible or not, “How To Ask Questions The Smart Way”, by Eric Steven Raymond, provides us with the lens of how a “hacker” will see a question that is thrown at them. These “hackers” are considered the seniors of the computer programming world, they hold the most knowledge and are the ones that will answer questions that are shown in places like stackoverflow.com. In this Essay written by Eric, important information I’ve taken when reading is, what we should do before asking a question, how we should ask questions, and how to respond to answers.
Before asking a question, it is crucial to exhaust personal resources, including consulting manuals, conducting thorough Google searches, or seeking assistance from knowledgeable peers. If the question pertains to coding or similar technical matters, presenting it in a public forum ensures visibility and aids others facing similar problems.
When creating a question, employing meaningful subject headers and precision gives the “hacker” comprehension. Avoiding all-caps and focusing on directness helps convey the issue effectively. Additionally, refraining from hasty conclusions, such as prematurely attributing issues to bugs, demonstrates thoroughness and respect for the problem-solving process.
Regarding responses to questions, it is the best decision to not take rude, and unfriendly replies personally. It is known to understand that the urgency for clarity and brevity may sometimes result in blunt responses. Expressing gratitude to those who offer assistance, either preemptively or post-resolution, fosters a positive and collaborative atmosphere within the community. Additionally, notifying contributors when a solution has been found ensures closure and acknowledges their efforts.
Knowing that in mind I have come across two cases of questions found in the “StackOverFlow” that result in one being a horrible question to ask, and another being the smart question to ask. And in dissecting these questions that are asked by members of the community we can see what benefits are received through a “Smart Question” and what is resulted from a horrible question.
The first question that I would like to shine light towards is one that is considered a bad question. This user has asked “Import a C library without git”, and in his question he has provided 3 images that contain his code, as well as one thing he has tried. I would also like to point out that in his subject header compared to the description he wrote, the discretion contains more questions than the subject header. This is providing the community with an undesirable problem to look at because of how unclear the question is. Having a question such as “Import a C library without git”, can already tell the “hacker” that he hasn’t fully used all of his resources to figure out the answer. This bad question has resulted in a discussion with no comments for 7 years, and just about 5 upvotes. It leads the user to waste useless time on asking this question, and probably not giving them a direction on where to find the answer.
The last question that is considered to be a “Smart Question” , the user asked “SwiftUI warning: Attempting - [UIContextMenuInteraction dismissMenu], when not in an active state”. In his question he has provided a description of the steps he has done to figure out this problem and how this problem arose while he was working on his project. Very concise and easy to read, he provides the image of his code, as well as the error that appears. This question has created an easy time for “hackers”to quickly understand what is going on and to provide an answer right away. In this question, he has received an answer and 70 upvotes showing that his question is worth looking at, or helpful to those who come across this similar problem. This results in the community benefiting from this, due to engaging the “hacker”and providing solutions to the public.
In wrapping up, our journey into the realm of “Smart Questions” highlights how clear, precise, and appreciative communication plays a vital role in problem-solving within the programming community. By comparing a poorly asked question with a well-crafted one on platforms like StackOverflow, we see how the way we ask questions affects how they’re received and answered. Following Eric Steven Raymond’s advice and learning from real examples, we can create a culture of helpfulness and understanding in any discussions whether it be in technology or in something unrelated. By understanding the impact of our questions and responses, we not only improve our own learning experiences but also contribute to a more supportive community for everyone.