RE: How to get an answer to your question.

["Brian Topping" <topping () digidemic com>]

http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

I found this to be really worth reading, even after years in the industry.
it's easy to forget all of the stuff that makes for an interesting question!!

:b

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Erek Adams [mailto:erek () snort org]
> Sent: Saturday, January 11, 2003 10:45 AM
> To: Pig-A-Holics Anonymous
> Subject: [Snort-users] How to get an answer to your question.
>
>
>
> Many times on this list (and other lists as well), I see people ask a
> question which generates _no_ responses.  Then in a few days, 
> you see a
> very terse email from the original poster with "Since I got 
> no responses,
> I'm asking again...".  Folks, it's not hard to get a 
> response--It's hard
> to get a useful question!
>
> Here are a few pointers on "How to ask your question and get a useful
> response" for folks on this list (and others).  Don't be 
> scared to post!
> Just try to help _us_ help _you_!
>
> 1)   What OS and version?  Patches?  Service Packs?
> 2)   What version of Snort?  Build number?
> 3)   Built from tarball or a pre-packaged binary?
> 4)   Where did you get the source or binary from?  Main site?  Mirror?
> 5)   Don't crosspost.
> 6)   Cut and paste error messages.  Don't send the entire 
> Snort startup
> output, just send the error message and the 10-15 lines above it.
> 7)   Did you search the message archives [0] for your error
> message, or something similar?
> 8)   Did you read README, INSTALL, and BUGS inside the tarballs /docs
> directory?
> 9)   Did you read the man page?
> 10)  Did you read the Online users manual [1]?
> 11)  Did you look at the _ENTIRE_ FAQ [2]?
> 12)  Did you try Google?
> 13)  Did you write an accurate description of the problem?  
> "When starting
> Snort under a chroot jail, it fails upon opening of the rules file."
> 14)  Do you realize no one is getting paid for this?  Your 
> boss might be
> yelling at you, but we're (snort-users folks) doing this out of the
> goodness of our hearts so don't yell at us.
>
> (For some more things 'not to do' have a look at the 
> Snort-Users drinking
> game [3].  It's not mandatory, but it does give you an idea 
> of some of the
> 'not so good' things that are seen on the list.)
>
>
> Above all:  Check the docs, archives and FAQ first.  You 
> might be able to
> answer your own question right then!  No waiting overnight or over the
> weekend...  :)
>
> Cheers!
>
> -----
> Erek Adams
>
>    "When things get weird, the weird turn pro."   H.S. Thompson
>
>
> [0]   http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=snort-users&r=1&w=2
> [1]   http://www.snort.org/docs/writing_rules/
> [2]   http://www.snort.org/docs/faq.html  and in /docs (from the
> source tarball)
> [3]   http://www.theadamsfamily.net/~erek/snort/drinking_game.txt
>
>
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