People keep saying to ask broad questions here, but I compared that to asking something super specific about my broken garage door opener last week.

The broad 'ask anything' posts get maybe one or two vague replies. I posted the exact model number of my opener, the specific error code it was flashing, and that it happened after a power surge. Got three detailed fixes within an hour, and one was the exact solution. The difference was giving people concrete details to work with, not just 'something's broken, help.' Does anyone else find that hyper-specific questions actually get better answers in a general 'ask anything' space?

2 comments

2 Comments

quinn3772d ago

Yeah, that "handing people the tools" point from @kimlee is spot on. Do you think people are just lazy when they post vague questions, or do they genuinely not know what details are helpful? It feels like a basic internet skill to me.

kimlee2d ago

Exactly! It's like giving someone a map instead of just saying "I'm lost." When you list the model and the error code, you're basically handing people the tools to solve the puzzle. They can skip all the basic guesswork and get right to the good stuff. Why waste everyone's time with twenty questions when you can just say what's wrong? I see it all the time, vague posts just die because nobody knows where to even start.