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Don't ask to ask, just ask

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head><script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=7YQSqjSh" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("https://dontasktoask.com/","20241127124452","https://web.archive.org/","web","https://web-static.archive.org/_static/", "1732711492"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=p7PEIJWi" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" /> <!-- End Wayback Rewrite JS Include --> <title>Don't ask to ask, just ask</title> <meta property="og:title" content="Don't ask to ask, just ask"/> <meta property="og:type" content="website"/> <meta property="og:url" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20241127124452/https://dontasktoask.com/"/> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_US"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20241127124452im_/https://dontasktoask.com/favicon.png"/> <link rel="icon" href="/web/20241127124452im_/https://dontasktoask.com/favicon.png" type="image/png"/> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/web/20241127124452cs_/https://dontasktoask.com/style.css"> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20241127124452cs_/https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Open+Sans"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, shrink-to-fit=no"> </head> <body> <main> <h1>Don't ask to ask, just ask</h1> <p> Every now and then, in online chat rooms I hang around in, someone pops in and says something in the lines of, </p> <blockquote> <span class="name">Foobar123:</span> <p class="message"> Any Java experts around? </p> </blockquote> <p> This is bad form, for several reasons. What the person is <em>actually</em> asking here is, </p> <blockquote> <span class="name">Foobar123:</span> <p class="message"> Any Java experts around who are willing to commit into looking into my problem, whatever that may turn out to be, even if it's not actually related to Java or if someone who doesn't know anything about Java could actually answer my question? </p> </blockquote> <p> There are plenty of reasons why people who DO have the knowledge would not admit to it. By asking, you're asking for more than what you think you're asking. </p> <p> You're asking people to take responsibility. You're questioning people's confidence in their abilities. You're also unnecessarily walling other people out. I often answer questions related to languages or libraries I have never used, because the answers are (in a programmer kind of way) common sense. </p> <p> Alternatively, it can be seen as.. </p> <blockquote> <span class="name">Foobar123:</span> <p class="message"> I have a question about Java but I'm too lazy to actually formalize it in words unless there's someone on the channel who might be able to answer it </p> </blockquote> <p> ..which is just lazy. If you're not willing to do the work to solve your problem, why should we? </p> <p> The solution is not to ask to ask, but just to ask. Someone who is idling on the channel and only every now and then glances what's going on is unlikely to answer to your "asking to ask" question, but your actual problem description may pique their interest and get them to answer. </p> <p> So, to summarize, don't ask <em>"Any Java experts around?"</em>, but rather ask <em>"How do I do [problem] with Java and [other relevant info]?"</em> </p> <p> Other similar problems: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20241127124452/https://xyproblem.info/">The XY Problem</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20241127124452/https://nohello.net/">No Hello</a>. Further reading: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20241127124452/https://stackoverflow.com/help/how-to-ask">How do I ask a good question?</a>, or if you have more time: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20241127124452/http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html">How To Ask Questions The Smart Way</a>. </p> </main> <footer> Content mostly stolen from <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20241127124452/https://iki.fi/sol/dontask.html">iki.fi/sol/dontask.html</a> - <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20241127124452/https://github.com/maunium/dontasktoask.com">Source on GitHub</a> </footer> </body> </html> <!-- FILE ARCHIVED ON 12:44:52 Nov 27, 2024 AND RETRIEVED FROM THE INTERNET ARCHIVE ON 22:24:26 Feb 27, 2025. JAVASCRIPT APPENDED BY WAYBACK MACHINE, COPYRIGHT INTERNET ARCHIVE. ALL OTHER CONTENT MAY ALSO BE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT (17 U.S.C. 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