Advice for those seeking salary increases

Not much advice here. What he does have here isn't very helpful. In my experience, sometimes I've asked for a ~10% raise and almost laughed out of the room, usually this is the case. Your starting salary sets it for the rest of your career there. Other times, I've had companies respond and renegotiated my salary.

I think it would be to find another job that pays better if you're underpaid, and find out if you are asking around (recommend not at your same place of work, you'll possibly end up angry if you find you're dramatically underpaid), Glassdoor, asking recruiters etc.

If I'm not underpaid, I don't sweat it too much. Once you get to where you think you should be, probably not a great idea to keep knocking on the door each year asking for raises. Topping out is real unless you're going to become the boss (start your own business). For a sane maximum, look at places like Google and their salaries. Few will pay those ranges, but if you think you're going to go above you're probably kidding yourself, that's your cap. And you need to consider the market you're in. The OP is wrong, market-rate does matter, it affects the range possible. You can do the same job in Des Moines, Iowa for $80K that would be a $140K job in San Francisco. If you're in India it's going to be market rate there.

To break all the rules you need to own your own business, or pickup some truly esoteric or difficult to perform skills.

The fact is a quiet baby gets no suck. If you are going to ask for a rise you've got to be prepared for it. First search for similar jobs in different companies. Try to learn the salary. When you've figured out an average price write down the pros and cons of changing the job. Because sometimes a little percentage of rise won't worth changing the job for career. If there is not much difference but a small amount of rise will change your living standards then go to your boss and talk like this: I need a rise, my cost of living is increased bec of child, home etc... and I am really happy working here. I think this is why i am productive, bla bla bla.. But currently i can't afford living. I think I've proven myself. On the other hand I'vent been searching for another job tho. Instead I prefered asking for a rise. I think it would really motivate me so that I can provide more."

I thought the advice was spot on. Ask for what you want; at the same time it may not happen for reasons you may or may not know. Then if you are still not happy go to market. You may find higher pay is higher stress. Otherwise, be liked, big companies have churn so do small companies, so opportunities will present themselves. Be nice and play the long game. Add more value. Most likely what you are doing in a year won't be what you are doing now (especially in software).

The people that get pay more usually know they are needed and they use it as leverage. Everyone else, be more needed ;)

so tl;dr: be liked, don't be afraid to ask for raise?

I thought there would be more advices....