[sf-lug] how to ask questions the ... (was: debian vs ubuntu question)

[Michael Paoli]

> From: "Rick Moen" <rick at linuxmafia.com>
> Subject: Re: [sf-lug] debian vs ubuntu question
> Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2019 03:42:48 -0800

> The price of not doing that is that you answer theoretical questions and
> (in effect) fail to give good advice because the _real_ issue wasn't
> addressed.  And I long ago got tired of those wastes of time.

Well, probably mostly so ... give or take, ... there are advantages and
disadvantages to both.  Likely the weaker "argument", but to those
counter-points:
o may answer a different/broader question, which may be of interest to
   some/others (possibly even more so - but not so likely)
o feedback loop - especially where person(s) have repeatedly been informed
   of how to better / more properly ask the questions, rather than repeatedly
   hand-hold / coddle, and lead them through to try and tease much of the
   relevant bits/context out of them, instead, reply specifically and
   exactly to exactly what they asked.  That may help nudge them into
   asking better questions to start with - rather than being an excessively
   nearly-interactive tease each relevant bit out of them.  Others may also
   learn from that (notably how to (better) ask - and not, and practical
   implications thereof).  So, as to whether that works out better /
   more efficient on the longer run, quite debatable, but it very well
   could work better longer-term.  And maybe I also answer what's asked
   to entertain myself :-) ... so ... "waste"? ... also debatable.