Re: Before You Post ...

[eibwen]

Eric S. Raymond's "How To Ask Questions The Smart Way" is a valuable resource for posters. Of particular interest:

• Explictly state the question
  (Make sure the question you post is the one you want answered)
   
• State the chronological order when applicable
  (If the problem occured after a sequence state that sequence)
   
• If you don't understand a reply, do some research, then ask
  (If nothing else you'll learn something and may even answer your own question)
   
• Follow up with a brief note on the solution
  (Be verbose enough to help others)
   

Lastly, I'd like to reiterate the importance of reducing a problem code to the "minimal test case." It has been my experience that even the most elusive errors become significantly more apparent once the unrelated code is removed. Moreover, questions pertaining to the "minimal test case" are often significantly more apt than those formulated while looking at the code as a whole.