Date: 03/01/06 (Computer Geeks)    Keywords: web, google

How To Ask Questions The Smart Way is a web site I find very informative and I thought I would share it with the group. Everyone should read this website from top to bottom before ever posting on any forum (technical or not), before dashing off a emails, or bothering someone by IM.

Here is example of the wonderful wisdom imparted by this website:

There is an ancient and hallowed tradition: if you get a reply that reads “RTFM”, the person who sent it thinks you should have Read The Fucking Manual. He or she is almost certainly right. Go read it.

RTFM has a younger relative. If you get a reply that reads “STFW”, the person who sent it thinks you should have Searched The Fucking Web. He or she is almost certainly right. Go search it. (The milder version of this is when you are told “Google is your friend!”)

In Web forums, you may also be told to search the forum archives. In fact, someone may even be so kind as to provide a pointer to the previous thread where this problem was solved. But do not rely on this consideration; do your archive-searching before asking.

Often, the person telling you to do a search has the manual or the web page with the information you need open, and is looking at it as he or she types. These replies mean that he thinks (a) the information you need is easy to find, and (b) you will learn more if you seek out the information than if you have it spoon-fed to you.

You shouldn't be offended by this; by hacker standards, your respondent is showing you a rough kind of respect simply by not ignoring you. You should instead be thankful for this grandmotherly kindness.

This website should be a primmer and required for anyone using the intarwebs! Don't Thank me, just RTFA!

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/computergeeks/887346.html