My favourite reference is Eric S Raymond's "How To Ask Smart Questions".��

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

Now actually its a friendlier community here that the ones referred to in that reference, but it provides some good philosophies to adhere to.

Reporting back success as well a failure is really good practice, since it is gratifying to know it was worth the time to provide advice, and also the next person wanting to do same thing will find this in their web search.

Where the histories start getting long, trim them to just the parts you are referring to. ��

I vary whether I respond to separate posts or as a single post.�� Using separate posts you should trim history more. ��"Perhaps" I use separate posts in the middle of discussion and a single compiled post as a final summary - but really there is a lot of latitude here.

and btw, I think you're ahead of the game asking as you did.

cheers -ben

On Sat, Jan 17, 2015 at 3:10 PM, stepharo <stepharo@free.fr> wrote:

When you have a technical questions or request for information just do not think.
�� - look on google
�� - if not found ask

Report problems with precision without thinking too much. Feedback is always important.
��
Then if you know the answer to a question (of somebody else) or found it (because this is a challenge to answer questions and a really good way to learn) do not hesitate to post

Stef

Le 17/1/15 00:48, Laura Risani a ��crit��:

Hi all,

I really appreciate the dedication and effort someone generously put into answering a question. i want neither to waste such a lovely people's time by saying irrelevant things nor to sound harsh or dry to them.��

It doesn't��kind of��feel right saying nothing when someone gives me a rather lengthly answer, unless it was the tacit agreement.

So i'm facing questions whether or not to make a post, because i'm not sure which are the right/usual manners for this particular mail-list form of communication.

My questions boils down to : how/when to provide feedback?

If for example i ask a question and receive answers from three people.

Should i always answer back��

...commenting whether if it worked or not?��

...only if it didn't solve my problem or if i had something useful for solving it to add? (like Stack Overflow)

Should i answer back in a separate post to each of them or in a single post to all?

Are one-line smalltalk comments alright here or should i avoid them?

Any other advice on manners is also welcome. A written manifest would be nice :)

Best,

Laura