1w ago

Don't reply "just Google it"

It is clear that the signal to noise ratio of the WWW is getting worse. It's much harder to find good content when using a good old search engine. And if it's good it is usually hosted on Reddit or Stackexchange.

So remember, even if it's easy too Google something (well, it isn't nowadays), we want to create a fediverse of good content that helps people (I hope). So, it's always better to write a real answer if you have the time and energy. Please help boost the SNR and reverse the AI fueled information degradation loop.

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271 comments

As a software engineer...
Don't just say "just Google it". Guide them to the documentation. Ask them about the detail of the question. If it's an bug, try asking them if they can reproduce the bug.
This reminded me of the time I'm looking for how to do certain things in a software. I found a reddit post asking about the same issue and this is the reply OP got:

Here is the link: https://old.reddit.com/r/i3wm/comments/mupjsf/how_to_showhide_i3status_bar_taskbar/
Imagine. You search the issue you have. Found the ONLY reddit thread that talks about this, and the ONLY thread that talks about the issue have NO USEFUL ANSWER and, worse, the only reply is TELLING YOU TO SEARCH IT YOURSELF. This got upvoted too 😭😭😭.
Luckily, I found the solution (tbh the solution was there in the docs, but the wording wasn't clear and it makes it hard to search) and I end up replying the OP the actual answer.
So, this is a PSA for the fediverse: be nice. It's free.
While we're still young, we have a chance to become a better forum.
Also possibly an unpopular opinion: you shouldn't downvote a question, even if it was asked multiple times. Guide them to the answer instead
- Wow that is infuriating.
- Has this same energy: https://xkcd.com/979/
  
  Even worse is when they edit their post to add "Never mind, figured it out."
  
  These people should be unable to reproduce. Just as soon as they edit the post, a shriek of agony can be heard for miles.
  I ran across an example of this recently, on fucking Github. removed it's your goddamn issue ticket, on a fucking dev site, and you returned to say you figured it out but can't be fucked to explain how? GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
  
  I’ve posted my solution to my own question a few times (the rare occasion when I’ve been unlucky enough to have an unsolved problem, and lucky enough to fix it).
  It’s extra work but every few years I get a note of thanks or up vote, even a decade or more later.
- Also Google results differ since like a decade. It may show for you in California, but its nowhere to be found for me in Iran
- Looks like you solved your problem by RTFM ;-)
  
  I've never seen this acronym, but I'm pretty sure it says reading the fucking manual
  
  Just google it.
  
  As funny as that is, I can't imagine Google would want to hide anything more than this piece of knowledge right here.
  
  https://just-fucking-google.vercel.app/?s=rtfm&e=finger
  
  https://media.tenor.com/Ar6Om-yQ9n8AAAAM/tenor.gif
  
  ftfy
  
  Thanks, G
  
  its a website that has man pages for stuff.
  
  But what about woman pages? smh so much for inclusion
  
  damm true.
- That insulting is satisfactory
- Something, something, recursion.
- Being nice isn't free. It takes energy and time. It's worth it though.

271 comments