How to Ask for Help

"Computers are like Old Testament gods; lots of rules, and no mercy."
— Joseph Campbell

Before you ask someone for help, be sure that you have done the following:

• If there's an error message: read it closely. Though sometimes unclear, all contain information that can help you to understand what's happening.
• Think about the task you're trying to perform, and as many of the behind-the-scenes steps involved as you can. Consider how the error fits into that stack. Which part of the system is throwing the error: your script, another command, the language, the file system, the network?
• If the error message isn't immediately helpful, search for it using a search engine.
• Read the documentation and/or man page. Perhaps what you think you're doing is not actually what the command is doing.

If you have considered the above, and both your insight and search engine skills are failing you, then it's likely time to ask someone else for help.

When asking someone for help, be sure to provide them with the following information:

• clearly describe what you're trying to do
• provide the error message (if any)
• explain what you've already done to fix/understand this problem

A good rule is that the amount of effort you put into understanding/solving a problem is the maximum effort that the other person will invest. To apply this rule to a common situation: if your description is that "it doesn't work", you should fully expect no response — as their response-effort precisely matches the effort you've invested into explaining your problem.

When you find a solution to your problem, make sure that you are engaged with it — and understand it. The goal is not to just fix the immediate issue, but rather to build a body of knowledge and develop the broader skill of troubleshooting. Computers should be tools which empower you — rather than something inflicted upon you.