Folks should also keep in mind that it’s very natural to hit-upon the first apparent approach to a problem, and the first apparent way of implementing that approach ... and to ask a very detailed question about why that approach isn’t working ... when in fact what you’ve got is: “what do you get when you cross a white rabbit with a red herring?” (Also known as the “XY Problem.”) Be sure to make it clear what it is that you are ultimately trying to accomplish, so that it is possible to more quickly determine if your general approach is likely to be a good one.
PerlMonks is generally a good place to ask “thought questions” as well as very-detail-specific ones. There are a lot of well-seasoned “old hands” here who are generally amiable to be early sounding-boards, for the point when you are first faced with a (not-homework ...) problem and are unsure how to proceed with it in-general.
