How to ask questions smarter (and solve problems yourself)

One thing that just popped in my head. As a programmer I like playing word games, or basically, play with languages. English is fascinating, particularly if compared with a strict language like Dutch or German. There are so many ways to obfuscate things in English sentences, or say things to get your message through.

But back to the topic: a lot of people ask me questions that start with ‘How do I do [this and this or so and so]’. I can’t stand those questions, because the person who asks these kind of questions implicitly implies that he/she thinks that he/she is not capable of solving the problem. Trust me, everyone is capable in doing some extensive brain work. Some people need more time than others, but on the overall, our problem solving ability is fascinating: I mean, someone taught you how to do those shoelaces (a pretty complex problem), right?

So: Think about it again and refine your question into ‘What do I need to know to solve this particular problem’. How you get to know this, I’m willing to show. But, how you do it (and how to get there) is your call.

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