Guide · Open source
How to use How-To-Ask-Questions-The-Smart-Way: a guide to asking better questions
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
How-To-Ask-Questions-The-Smart-Way is a free, MIT-licensed Traditional Chinese translation of Eric S. Raymond's essay on asking technical questions. It is a reading guide, not software, so there is nothing to install. After reading it, you will know what to search and check before asking, where to post, and how to write a clear title and question that experienced people are willing to answer.
How To Ask Questions The Smart Wayryanhanwu/How-To-Ask-Questions-The-Smart-Way · ★ 36.1k · MIT Install options & downloads Quick start
- 1Open the repository. Go to the ryanhanwu/How-To-Ask-Questions-The-Smart-Way page on GitHub. There is nothing to install.
- 2Read the introduction. Start with the 简介 section to see the tone and the expectations the authors set for askers.
- 3Search before you ask. Follow the 在提問之前 checklist and record what you tried, including the exact error text you searched for.
- 4Pick the right forum. Use the 慎選提問的論壇 section to choose a site, mailing list or forum that matches your topic.
- 5Write a clear title. Use the goal -- difference pattern from 使用有意義且描述明確的標題 to name the problem.
- 6Post your question. Describe symptoms, the order they occurred and your environment, and say what you have already tried.
What this guide is and what it is not
The repository is a Traditional Chinese translation of 'How To Ask Questions The Smart Way' by Eric S. Raymond, with Rick Moen credited as co-copyright holder of the English original. The README says the translation is based on version 3.10 of the original and on a 2010 translation by Gasolin.
The guide does not provide support for any project. The README asks anyone who links to it from a project's help page to say so clearly near the link.
- Type: text guide, read online
- Language: Traditional Chinese; the README links a Simplified Chinese version separately
- Licence: MIT
Do your homework before you ask
The guide lists steps to take before posting: search the forum archives, search the web, read the manual and FAQ, try things yourself, ask knowledgeable friends, and, if you program, read the source code.
When you do ask, say what you have already tried. The guide notes that saying what you learned along the way is even better.
- Search the old posts of the forum you plan to use
- Search the web, including Google for the exact error message
- Read the manual and the FAQ
- Test or check the problem yourself
- Ask someone experienced you know
- Read the source code if you are a programmer
Choose the right place to ask
The guide recommends searching for the project's website first, then its FAQ, mailing lists and bug-reporting links. For Linux distribution problems, it suggests asking the distribution's forum or mailing list before the upstream project, since upstream developers may just reply 'use our version'.
For general computer questions it points to Super User, for programming questions to Stack Overflow, and for server and sysadmin questions to Server Fault, all on the Stack Exchange network. It advises searching before posting there and using tags.
- Off-topic or overly basic posts in advanced forums are likely to be ignored
- Cross-posting the same question to many groups annoys people
- Prefer public forums and mailing lists, since answers there help more people
- Use a project's user list rather than its developer list unless you are sure your problem is special
Write a title and question that get answers
The guide suggests a titling style of 'goal -- difference': name what is affected, then describe how it differs from the expected behaviour. It shows a vague title, a better one and a best one as examples of this progression.
Make the question easy to reply to. Describe symptoms rather than guesses, list them in the order they happened, and describe the goal rather than the process you tried. Avoid urgent words like 'urgent' in titles.
- Keep the title to about 50 characters or less
- Describe symptoms, not your guesses about the cause
- List symptoms in the order they occurred
- Give the exact software version, hardware and context
- Use clear, grammatical language and standard formatting for code
Read the answers you get
The guide explains that 'RTFM' and 'STFW' often mean you have missed the obvious answer, and it offers advice on what to do if you still do not understand a reply. It also covers how to handle rude responses.
The guide also lists behaviour that makes you look like a 'loser' to experienced people, questions that are not worth asking, and what to do if no one answers, including how to ask again politely.
- Check whether the answer points to documentation you have not read
- Ask a follow-up that shows what you already tried
- Thank people who help and post a short note when the problem is solved
What people use it for
- A newcomer to an open-source project learning how to post a first question on its mailing list
- A Chinese-speaking user who wants to read the original essay's advice in Traditional Chinese
- A teacher sharing a reference with students before they join a technical community
- A user who was answered with 'RTFM' and wants to understand what the reply meant and how to respond
Frequently asked questions
How do I install How-To-Ask-Questions-The-Smart-Way?
You do not install it. It is a text guide that you read online in the GitHub repository. The README lists no install commands and no prerequisites.
Is How-To-Ask-Questions-The-Smart-Way free and what is its licence?
Yes, the repository is listed under the MIT licence. The English original is copyrighted by Eric S. Raymond and Rick Moen, as stated in the README.
Is there a Simplified Chinese version?
Yes. The README links a Simplified Chinese version, README-zh_CN.md, from the main page.
Will the authors answer my technical question?
No. The guide states that it does not provide support for any project. It teaches you how to get help from people who know your specific problem, and the authors say that is usually not them.
What are alternatives to this guide?
The README-related comparisons are the original English How To Ask Questions The Smart Way, Stack Overflow's How to Ask guide and The Art of Asking Questions.
Where should I ask technical questions after reading the guide?
The guide suggests searching first, then using the project's FAQ and forums, and for general or programming questions the Stack Exchange sites Super User, Server Fault or Stack Overflow, as relevant to your problem.
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Our verdict
This guide is worth reading if you are new to open-source communities, want the essay in Traditional Chinese, or need a reference to share with students. If you need software to install or direct technical support from the authors, pick a project's own documentation, forum or a commercial support contract instead.
Install options & downloads