I decided to go with this acronym because I think that it matches both the essay’s approach to asking a smart question and Eric Steven Raymond’s affection for calling people names. The idea is to get to the point and respect the process. Don’t waste time on dramatic pleas or lazy generalizations. Ask specific questions with as much relevant information as possible, including the expected behavior as well as the actual behavior. Show that you have sincerely tried to solve your problem and exhausted every option available at your current skill level. And appreciate the fact that someone/anyone is willing to take the time to help, for the sake of helping.
The example that I found on Stack Overflow is what I would call a Lazy Question. The user writes, “I’m stuck on an assignment question. How do I make my code work?” and attaches a segment of code. While they do label the code as JavaScript, they don’t tell you the result they’re expecting or what they’re currently getting. They don’t show that any effort has been made to solve the problem other than posting the question. I can see how someone would look at this question and decide to ignore it.
You can view this example here.
The example I found for a smart question gets straight to the point: “Java Lambda method reference not working”. They include the original code, explain how they tried to fix it, and show the resulting error message. They label all the relevant information and end with an anticipatory “thank you”. They keep it simple, make their point clearly, and are polite as well. I can see how someone would look at this question and want to help, feeling that their input will be appreciated.
You can view this example here.
In conclusion, I think the essay How to Ask Questions the Smart Way is insightful and informative. While the writing style is a bit more aggressive than I’d prefer, I cannot disagree with their logic. No one is entitled to an answer, so the way you phrase your question can make all the difference. Please note that I tried to apply the acronym to this essay as well, because I didn’t want to be a “Luser” (that one’s for Eric Steven Raymond).