diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'doc/khelpcenter/faq/questions.docbook')
-rw-r--r-- | doc/khelpcenter/faq/questions.docbook | 137 |
1 files changed, 137 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/doc/khelpcenter/faq/questions.docbook b/doc/khelpcenter/faq/questions.docbook new file mode 100644 index 000000000..b24bfa320 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/khelpcenter/faq/questions.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,137 @@ + +<chapter id="questions"> + +<title>Asking Questions</title> + +<para>To get an appropriate answer to questions requires asking a clear +question in a manner that motivates people to help. Writing questions that +appear to be rude, lazy, or uses bad or unclear language likely will result +in your question being ignored.</para> + +<qandaset> +<qandaentry> + +<question><para>What do I do before I ask?</para></question> + +<answer><para>Read the documentation and &FAQ; for the application. There is +a wealth of &tde; documentation availible both in the help center and +online. A lot of time and effort has gone into this documentation, and +often the answer to your question is there. The general &tde; userguide +can be found by typing <userinput><command>help:/khelpcenter/userguide</command></userinput> +into the &konqueror; address bar or <userinput><command> +khelpcenter help:/khelpcenter/userguide with the minicli</command></userinput>.</para> + +<para>Search the web: Usually searching for a specific error message or +searching mailing list archives will find a solution.</para> + +<para>Try it and see! Look through all the application options, read the +What's this? and tooltips for the ones you're not sure about. If you're +really unsure about an option save your data and then try. As long as you +use common sense you are unlikely to break anything by experimenting.</para> + +<para>Don't be lazy. If you show the people who you are asking +that you are able to troubleshoot and research in a logical manner, you're +showing them you're a reasonable person who is worth their time to +help. It's your problem and not theirs so the legwork is yours to do. Save +your helpers as much time as you can.</para> </answer> +</qandaentry> + +<qandaentry> +<question><para>Where do I ask?</para></question> + +<answer><para>Usually the best place to ask a question is on the +<acronym>IRC</acronym> channels and mailing lists devoted to user +questions. Don't post simple questions about using &tde; to the devel +channels and mailing lists, these are for technical discussions. Some good +places are chat.freenode.net, channel: #trinity-desktop, and the &tde; <ulink +url="http://www.trinitydesktop.org/mailinglist.php">mailing +lists</ulink>. +</para> +</answer> +</qandaentry> + +<qandaentry> +<question><para>How do I ask?</para></question> + +<answer><para>Try to word your questions in a manner that gives the most +information possible and is polite and courteous. Don't ask to ask, just +ask!</para> + +<para>Q: &tde; sucks, it's slow</para> + +<para>Is not a question that is likely to get you a useful answer. It does +not give any useful information about troubleshooting the problem, and it +starts out attacking the software in a way that isn't productive.</para> + +<para>Q: Since updating &tde; on Slackware &Linux; using sources, I have +noticed it's being really slow — sometimes +applications take up to 20 seconds to launch. I am using the same user +configuration as I had with the previous version. I have tried as a new +user. I can't find anything about this on the mailing lists or by a web +search. Could anyone point me to some information that could help?</para> + +<para>This question is polite, contains information to help people +troubleshoot the problem and shows your helpers what avenues you have +already tried.</para> + +<para>Don't presume automatically that the problem is the fault of +&tde;. Otherwise you likely will annoy people.</para> + +<para>Use clear language with correct spelling. Watch out for any +ambiguities and make sure you think about what you say before you write +it. If you are asked for clarification, give it as best you can. &tde; is a +project where many of the users and developers are not native english +speakers and if you don't use correct english, misunderstandings might +ensue. Be patient. Use the language appropriate to the channel or mailing list you are +in — if you don't, people who might have been able to help you might +ignore your message because it is not in a language they understand.</para> + +<para>Include all information that could be relevant, even when you're not +sure. Have you updated other software or hardware on your system, +particularly system libraries or a new kernel? These things could affect how +&tde; performs. Even when you cannot see a connecting cause, someone else might.</para> + +<para>Don't paraphrase error messages. Paste in the exact error, and if it's +more than a line or two don't paste them directly into an +<acronym>IRC</acronym> channel. Use an online paste service. If you +must type the messages by hand, be sure you are accurate. When you provide +faulty information, your helpers cannot help you as easily.</para> + +<para>Follow through on your solution! Tell people when the solution worked, or when you have +solved the problem yourself. This helps everybody involved know when +solutions work and helps other users who might be searching for a similar +solution to the problem.</para> +</answer> +</qandaentry> + +<qandaentry> +<question><para>What do I do when told to look elsewhere?</para></question> + +<answer><para>Possibly you have not followed the above +advice. You've not done your research, and the solution probably is one the +helper knows very well to be easy to find. When provided a web link to an +<acronym>FAQ</acronym> or documentation don't say, <quote>No, I don't +want to have to read this I want you to just tell me</quote>. That response +is considered bad manners. People who don't provide effort to learn often +find others have little incentive to help.</para> +</answer> +</qandaentry> +</qandaset> + +<para>Use common courtesy. &tde; users and developers volunteer their time +out of an already very busy schedule, and like to +know that you are appreciating they are helping you for free. Be +polite, say please and thank you, be constructive, and try to be pleasant and +friendly.</para> + +<para> Does this seem like a lot of trouble to ask a question? If you want +to be able to feel that people owe you an answer or support, then you're +quite welcome to pay for commercial support from companies that support +&tde; on &UNIX; platforms. If you don't want to pay money, then pay the +people who do this for free with your politeness and appreciation. :-)</para> + +<para>If you think the answer to your question should be included in the +&tde; &FAQ; please feel free to submit any patches or suggestions to the +&tde; &FAQ; Maintainer, at <email>[email protected]</email></para> + +</chapter> |