Tip #22 - How to ask a question about Rails

Wed Jun 04 19:24:14 -0700 2008

This tip actually applies to every open source project out there… it is, how do you ask a question that will get you the maximum chance of a good answer?

The most successful thing I have found, is to make sure you convey that you have looked for the answer intelligently, and also attempted to resolve the problem in question to the best of your ability.

You should also show the code snippet in question, or if it is something you are bugged on, the basic steps you took to debug the problem.

If you do this, and then ask, you will be more likely to get an answer.

Including that you attempted to find the answer on google with what search is also a good idea, as you will be less likely to get “Google ‘Your problem’” as the answer.

Here is an interesting write up by people who have been helping other people for a long time, it is one of those things that I recommend a lot of people to read, and so I’ll link it here as well.

blogLater

Mikel

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