Getting Answers: an alternative to "Asking Questions the Smart Way." | Hacker News Reader

Getting Answers: an alternative to "Asking Questions the Smart Way."

mikeash.com

I've found that quite often, if all else has failed, posting up something that's incredibly stupid and obviously wrong is a good way to get answers. Is this a form of trolling? Yes. Does it work? Absolutely. People in general cannot resist the urge to correct someone.

Using "benefit to oneself" as the only metric for the value of your actions is one of the defining features of sociopathy. Yes, this works, but it's partly what makes so many forums on the 'net such unpleasant places to be.

It works, yes, but is it moral, ethical, constructive, useful, or add value? Does thinking like this make you a better person?

It does add value -- a thread is valuable if there's a question of fact, and there are accurate answers to the question.

It may be manipulative to pose a "question" in the form of willful ignorance, but some might just call that "creative." Social engineering for the greater good of the net?

Wait, did you just imply that I'm psychotic because I've pointed out trolling forums can be an effective way to get questions answered when all other tactics have failed? Is this really happening?

I make no accusations. I state facts that may be relevant. You (and others) can decide what they imply.

And "psychotic" is not the same as "sociopathic", "sociopathic" does not mean "anti-social", and just because one can choose to behave in a sociopathic manner does not make one a sociopath.

Having said all that, I observe again that some places on the 'net are deeply unpleasant places to be, despite their possible value, because of "tactics" like these. Clever and effective, but often distasteful.

See, his assertion just worked!

"Karma police, arrest this man..."

Aahz's law:

"The best way to get information on Usenet is not to ask a question, but to post the wrong information."

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/usenet/culture-faq/

That's what I expected the article to say. "X blows because it's impossible to do Y" tends to get the fastest, most accurate answer.

Someone has been in #iphonedev...

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