http://www.perlmonks.org?node_id=244312


in reply to Easy Language for Questions and Meaningful Titles

As a newly enrolled monk, I can testify that spending some effort in reducing the title and text of a question can seriously refine the way you actually look at the problem in hand (and even solve it). By now the majority of 'newbie' questions will almost certainly have been asked, answered, commented on and consigned to the annals of history.

A good troll through the history and an amount of RTFMing should always be done before any post, but keywords in the title will help to cut down the number of posts to check out for the info in the first place. Clean and concise posts are far easier to read and follow - for all concerned, not just the poor souls trying to answer it.

As a side issue/rant, the sample code posted in a number of questions I've looked at recently has been very large. Generally it's the whole chunk of code that someone is obviously having problems with. If the offending code is stripped down to show just the 'faulty' components in a small sample program, the problem will often show itself up. We've all had the Ahhh moment when showing someone else why our code isn't working, do people want this publicly on the web?.

The problems associated with the posting of questions is really due to the ease of use. The success and effort of those monks willing to dive straight in a lend a hand (very commendable), is at the mercy of people who won't put some effort in to solve their own problems.

 

(My god, by the sound of this I think I'm turning into my dad!).