kevin_williams•1mo agoProlific Poster

TIL my friend's simple rule for asking questions changed how I post here

I was talking to my buddy Jake in Seattle last weekend, and he said he always tries to ask one specific, answerable question in any online forum, instead of a broad 'what do you think?' He pointed out that vague questions get vague answers. It hit different because I realized I was doing that here sometimes, making it harder for people to help. What's the most specific, useful question you've ever asked in this community?

4 comments

4 Comments

rivera.shane1mo ago

That bit about vague questions getting vague answers is so true. I used to post stuff like "what's the best way to learn coding?" and get a million different replies. After hearing a similar tip, I started asking "what's the first project I should build after learning basic Python syntax?" The answers were way better. People linked specific tutorials and gave clear steps. It makes a huge difference.

riverb131mo ago

Wait you used to ask the "best way to learn coding" thing? @rivera.shane that's wild because I see that exact question every single day. It's crazy how just adding a tiny bit of detail like you did changes everything. People actually know what to tell you.

jones.kim1mo ago

Seriously, the worst is when you ask a vague question and get a list of ten different languages to learn. Like, thanks, now I'm more lost. I started saying "I want to make a simple website that shows local weather, where do I start?" and suddenly the advice was all about specific APIs and HTML/CSS setup. Night and day difference.

ray_burns8d ago

This hits home for me. I did the same thing when I was trying to learn woodworking a few years ago. I'd ask "what tools do I need to start building furniture?" and people would list everything from a full table saw setup to hand planes. It was useless. But then I asked "I want to build a simple pine bookshelf with just a circular saw and a drill, what kind of wood should I use?" and a retired carpenter spent fifteen minutes typing out a detailed reply with exact cuts and wood types. The specificity forces people to actually focus on what you need instead of just guessing. Your coding example is exactly right and it applies to any skill really.