

Ask HN: Where do you go for hacking help? - vaksel

When you hit a snag when writing your code, and you need help, where do you go? Do you hit up one of your contacts who is just better at it than you? Crack open a book? Hit the forums? Or do you just fire up Google?
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spydez
When I hit a wall, I usually do something like this:

    
    
        1. Google
        2. Stare at ceiling.
        3. Do something unrelated, like read HN, while my subconscious ruminates.
        4. Try again.
    

I like to figure it out without bugging other people, unless it's something
stupid and I know a guy who knows the answer.

~~~
dawie
I do find that If I do bug people and verbalize the problem (same as in a
forum) it helps me to find a solution.

------
dawie
Google and these days StackOverflow (<http://stackoverflow.com/>)

~~~
markbao
I'm really surprised with the quality and amount of responses that I receive
from StackOverflow questions. Really impressive service!

In addition to that, I sometimes try IRC (Freenode) as well.

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epi0Bauqu
I'm thinking of starting (with mdakin) a help instance akin to the MIT help
instance. It would be a live chat system that has a UI designed to not let you
use focus. No idle chatter, just crowd sourced Q/A.

The intention is to have a core group of hackers essentially leave it on all
the time and answer when available. When it works, it is much faster and often
more useful than forums/Google.

If interested in beta-testing before full release, please email. We obviously
need a core group of interested parties.

Some more info on it:

[http://www.ics.uci.edu/~jpd/classes/ics105s03/readings/acker...](http://www.ics.uci.edu/~jpd/classes/ics105s03/readings/ackerman-
zephyr-chi96.pdf)

~~~
gsiener
PS as a side note, I think an issue with this format that I see on irc is
similar to telling a crowd of people "someone, call 911." No one is really
compelled to answer if they think someone else will...

~~~
sokoloff
zephyr -i help

at MIT had almost exactly the opposite problem: people were charged
up/competing to be the first one to provide the correct answer. It worked
shockingly well, as a consumer and it was fun to kill some time as a supplier
of answers. (My time at MIT all pre-dates the interwebs, so I can't directly
compare/contrast it to a world with Google as an option.)

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lacker
Google is the #1 resource if your question is the sort that can be summarized
in a few words. Like if you want information about a particular function in a
particular library, or to read how to integrate two different systems. Google
is also the way to go if you have an error message and you can quote it to
find people talking about the exact error message.

For some problems, though, it's harder to search for an answer. For example, a
question of good javascript style for a particular thing you are trying to do.
For this sort of thing I ask friends of mine.

There's also generally mailing lists and forums that are appropriate for your
specific topic. Stack Overflow too if your question doesn't fit nicely into a
topic. The problem with these is that you generally don't get an immediate
answer, and you might not get an answer at all, so you have to kind of ask
your question, then keep trying on your own anyways, or do something else for
a while. So this is definitely not as good as the instant methods. You also
are more likely to get bad advice if it's not from someone you trust.

I never use books to solve specific programming problems. Much too slow. Maybe
if they were searchable.

------
aditya
IRC. irc.freenode.net (use <http://mibbit.com> if you don't have an irc client
:)

------
hachiya
irc.freenode.net #perl #ruby-lang #c #python

These are just a few of the populated and extremely helpful channels
available.

~~~
KevBurnsJr
#slicehost #symfony #propel and of course #startups

------
CaptainMorgan
Google goes without saying...

As Tichy alluded to, I make heavy use of IRC in what I have learned to be are
some polite and efficient channels. It takes a while to see which channels are
going to help you and which are just going to waste your time, although the
latter is easier to spot.

Sometimes I find forums to be too slow and good only for search purposes - in
IRC, if I have a problem with Linux, Windows, or a programming language that
can't be easily found in a timely search session, then there are an abundance
of folks willing to help out in real-time. A lot of folks knock IRC for the
shit that tends to float around, but I just keep my client open all the time
and then go to it when I need to ask a question. It's kind of like my own
support team that I haven't paid for in terms of currency. If you've served
your time over the years, such as helping others out, then your service will
be answered in kind when you have a problem - it's almost like a respect has
been built upon, folks remember you; some channels have karma points to
increase the reputation of active helpers.

Some of the best professional working relationships I've built have come from
IRC, which these days I talk to and consult via direct IM, say with Pidgin
instead of clogging the channels.

If you decide to use IRC, I have the same handle there too. :) Hope to see you
there!

Mailing lists that are specific to the larger issue, such as a list for a
framework, in my experience have shown to be more helpful than forums... your
results may vary.

------
twoism
Depending on the language, usually... Google (of course). Then apidock.com
(for ruby / rails) pretty much the best doc site for either in my opinion.

For Rails I have found that just browsing the source/comments on github is the
best source for figuring out really tricky issues. I stay logged in to IRC but
most of the time never feel like bothering anyone. I kind of enjoy figuring
things out for myself, even if it's a trivial problem I still get satisfaction
from solving things on my own.

------
thomasmallen
Either documentation or the mailing list (if not in the docs). Forums if the
problem isn't specific to the project.

------
Tichy
Not that I have used it much, but my impression was lately that such things
have moved to IRC (rather than usenet)?

~~~
alex_c
Just wondering, does your nickname originate from Stanislaw Lem by any chance?

~~~
Tichy
Yes it does ;-) "Star Diaries" was my favorite book as a kid.

------
dcminter
(1.) Google. (2.) Speak to friends and colleagues. (3.) More Google. (4.) Then
I crack open the source code (if available). (5.) Then I hit the bookshelf,
including Safari Online. (6.) If I still haven't got it, I'll ask in a forum,
but at that point it's a toss up whether I'll get an answer or not.

------
dulbelajardul
If google / forum / irc channel cannot help you or maybe disconnected from
internet, there are a lot of way to problem solving
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_solving>

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nickfox
After I've exhausted all the usual suspects (google, newsgroups, etc.), I'll
take a nap. I now do it on purpose and it's amazing how often I wake up with
the answer in my head.

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tdavis
Google then Freenode, pretty much exclusively.

Edit: Also, friends smarter in whatever area it may be, if any are handy.

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macco
After Google I search the forum that I can relate to the forum and if I have
no clue I post in that forums.

------
KevBurnsJr
<http://letmegooglethatforyou.com>

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Shamiq
Typical order:

    
    
      1. Google
      2. Whiteboard
      3. Flatmates

------
known
<http://groups.google.com/>

------
Jem
If Google proves unfruitful, I have a guy I pester.

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DanielBMarkham
Google does it

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viggity
stackoverflow.com

