Do you know why you're here?
If you have been pointed to this page, it is not because someone is mad at you, but rather because someone is concerned that you may be (or are becoming) an elitist, Nazi asshole.
Answering questions is great. The best thing about the internet is the ability for those who seek answers to find those who have answers! I know what it's like to become an expert in something in which we were once beginners. All experts started out as beginners. So, I get the satisfaction that comes when you can use your expertise to help those who may be struggling. It makes the world a better place.
I also know what it's like to hear the same questions being asked over and over. It gets annoying. And, sometimes we get burned out on rehashing the same answers over and over. It's perfectly acceptable to want to take a break from regurgitating information, and you may feel the urge to be a smart-ass so that people will get a clue.
So What's the Big Deal?
Well see, there comes a time when, thinking you know everything and thinking you're too good to give someone a straight answer without being a complete asshole becomes a problem. If someone is asking a question on an internet forum, it's most likely because they've exhausted all their resources. They're frustrated, they're probably on a deadline, they have someone breathing down their necks... the last thing they need is some jackass on the other side of the country/world lashing out at them over stupid, trivial shit. Most people have better things to do than peruse the rule book at [insert the place you were redirected from] to learn all the little bullshit nuances about making posts or asking/answering questions. They just want to get in, find an answer and get out without a whole bunch of unnecessary, bullshit hassle from your dumb ass.
How Can You Help Make the World a Better Place:
The first tip should be fairly obvious: Just answer the damn question without all the fucking attitude. Not being a dick is a great way to help others. Even if you're not actually answering their question - simply not being an asshole is a huge help!
It's also good to understand why a person might be asking a question that you don't like:
Cross Posting:
Perhaps you're seeing a question that person already asked on a similar forum. Why would someone do that? Well, it's entirely possible the person posted a question in one place, and because they're under the INSANE impression that not everyone looks at every fucking forum on the internet ALL THE GOD DAMN TIME... perhaps they would like to expand to a broader audience. What should you do in this situation? Well, answer their question! Why? Well, consider this scenario:
Let's say Bob posts a question on ForumA and ForumB. Smart-Ass Bill notices this and, rather than answer the question on ForumB, he posts a smart-ass stock answer about cross posting, with a link to the question on ForumA. The question gets answered on ForumA, and now Bob has an answer. Great, right? Well, let's say ForumA gets shut down for whatever reason. Now, the only answer on ForumB has a dead link to an answer that doesn't exist and a bunch of smart-ass bullshit about cross posting. So, when Dave comes along 5 years later looking for an answer, all he can find is a bunch of smart-ass bullshit left by Bill's dumb ass, because he was just too good to help Bob when it mattered. I see it ALL the time. Someone asks a question similar to a problem I'm having, and the accepted answer is a dead link to a page that doesn't exist anymore. Great, huh?
Duplicate Questions:
Let's say Bob posts a question. That question gets answered and everyone's happy. Now, let's say Dave comes along 8 years later and asks the same question. Smart-ass Bill notices the same question was already answered 8 years ago, posts a link to that question and gives Bob a telling off about not searching for answers before he posted. Why would Bob do this?
Well, there are several reasons this could happen. One, it's entirely possible that Bob saw the question Dave is referring to, but because his situation is slightly different, it poses the need for a new question. It might be reasonable for Dave to offer up a link to the old question (since it's on the same forum), but if Dave makes the assumption that Bob's situation is identical, then gives Bob a telling off because he re-posted a question, then Bob's situation isn't identical, Dave is now a dumb-ass and asshole.
It's also entirely possible that, since some forums get dozens of questions and comments every single day, it's totally unfeasible for someone to read through 10 fucking years of God damn posts looking for an answer to a particular issue just so that smart-ass Dave doesn't have to go out of his fucking way to help someone without being a fucking asshole about it.
LMGTFY Questions:
The worst... absolute worst asshole move you can make on an online forum is to give someone a LMGTFY link. If you're going to give someone a LMGTFY link, in 99.99% of all cases, you would do more good to just shut the fuck up.
Nobody... nobody... asks a question online without Googling it (or Binging it or Yahooing it) first. Why would they? Why would someone go through the time and effort to go to a forum, log in (or sign up and log in), lay out their entire life story to explain their particular scenario, ask a question and sit around waiting for an answer that might come when they could have just fucking Googled it? That makes no sense.
So, why would someone post a question on a forum that you can easily find in a quick Google search? Well, smart-ass, it might be because, since you're an expert and probably know the answer, you probably know what to search for. The person seeking the answer might not. Perhaps they don't know of a keyword that could help in the search. Whatever it may be, you can pretty much rest assured that anyone posting a question on a forum HAS googled it.
Vague Questions that You Don't Understand:
Someone posts a question, they didn't give enough detail, so you can't provide an answer. Why would someone do that?
Well, if someone doesn't know how to FIND an answer, they probably don't know (or realize) what is required to find it. Ergo, it makes perfect sense for someone to post a question that seems vague or incomplete... they just don't know what you might need to solve their problem! Have you ever taken your car to a mechanic and tried to describe a problem? You end up using vague terms like "shaking," or "squeeling," which are completely useless to an educated mechanic. Wouldn't it be rather frustrating if you had some kind of a car problem, you were trying to get help, and you're relying on a complete smart-ass who's being a dick?
In Closing:
A lot of this is basic, Kindergarten manners. Remember the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself. Also remember the age-old saying: There are no stupid questions. If people are asking a question, they're asking for a reason. And, if they're asking in an annoying way, it's for a reason. They're not trying to annoy you.
Thanks for reading!
Now's the time for me to disable comments so you assholes can't say anything back.
