Re: XY Problem

[xdg]

Some related problems:

• YX Problem: You explain that you want to do X and instead of an answer you're asked "Why would you want to do X?"

• XZ Problem: You ask how to get X to work and you're told to do Z instead.

• XYZABC Problem: You ask how to do X and after suggesting or getting an answer Y, you get four more alternatives for doing the same thing and no way to choose between them.

• XYZPDQ Problem: You ask how to do X and after suggesting or getting an answer Y, you get four alternatives that would be more efficient regardless of whether that is important to you or not.

Humor aside, as Not_a_Number said, ++ for giving us an easy way to point someone to their XY Problem.