After reading \"How to ask questions the smart way\" I decided to write this quick guide to asking for help in support forums. Whether one like <a href=\"http://www.webmaster-talk.com/\">Webmaster-Talk</a> or one like <a href=\"http://www.techelpforums.com/\">TecHelpForums</a> this guide should help you get the most out of experts. Note, I am active at both in their main support sections.
The first rule is RTFM and JFGI. RTFM is Read The Fucking Manual, and JFGI is Just Fucking Google It. Please do so. If what you find confuses you just keep searching until you have your answer.
Rule two. Ask in the right area. Most have a catch-all that you can use if you can\'t decide. Ask only once also.
Third rule, don\'t ask for help with your homework, we know it when we see it. We can help you learn how to do it, but we won\'t do it.
Next is four; Learn English. I is capitalized. There, their, and they\'re are different words, learn their uses. Neither goes with nor, and either goes with or. Neither and either (and both) refer to only two. To, too, and two are separate words. Sentences start with capitals and end with a single period, exclamation point, or question mark. Lists have commas. At least follow those basic rules, we can tell the difference between those who are being lazy/dumb and those who don\'t speak English as their first language. We can tell also when you use a translator. The latter two we don\'t mind, and will often write in such a manner as to help you understand.
Don\'t format is rule five. Use code and quote tags as needed. For those that have them use other tags (such as PHP and HTML). Don\'t use colors/bold/italics etc until you know when to use the properly. At this point unless you\'re nodding along to this you don\'t know when to use them.
Next is six with don\'t be weird. Don\'t grovel, don\'t thank in advance, just post the details, attach anything longer than two pages, use specific titles. Don\'t think your case is any more urgent than any others. If it\'s urgent, we\'ll know. List the object before the problem (IE7 on XP SP3) before (throws error when started, doesn\'t run).
Rule 7. Keep searching for your solution while having patience.
8. Don\'t PM people about it.
How to receive answers.
Geeks tend to be briefer and more to the point than normal people, don\'t complain when we don\'t waste time.
If we ask you to do something, unless you have a good (expert level) reason to not do it, just try it. If asked to run a check for malware just do it, if it comes up positive it could solve the problem, if it\'s negative it\'s ruled out the most common cause of problems. We are experts after all.
If you don\'t receive an answer there are five possibilities if you followed these rules as to why you didn\'t receive an answer when others have. If you didn\'t follow these rules then you might also have just been ignored due to us being so busy (at least for the time being). The first is we were posting a followup or helping someone we know. We only have so much time, so maybe we didn\'t have enough time to help you on top of those we are currently helping. The second is deference, if there is another person who is more of an expert the others may be waiting to let them answer your question, congrats, the person who is respected by the other experts enough to bow out of the way is going to help you. The third is lack of knowledge, maybe no one knows the answer and no one wants to mislead you. The fourth is that they missed it. It happens, if this happens to you wait about a week then post what you have tried while waiting. The fifth is research. If they need time to research your answer for you they won\'t always answer, sometimes they\'ll claim it so that others won\'t waste time researching what they are though.
I hope this helps you.
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