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Drone4four
September 17th, 2017, 02:36 AM
I'm new to posting to StackOverflow. I have only 1 reputation point and it says I can only post more than 2 hyper links once I have 10 reputation points or more. I get that it's prolly a measure taken to prevent spam bots. When I just specify the URLs, the parser automatically wraps it as hyper. I'm trying to just make my URL to parse as plain text. On irc, I asked: how do I achieve that? I furthermore asked: how do I specify that my 5 URLs post as plain text? Someone replied with:


go answer some questions usefully and gain rep

The problem I have with that is that I'm a poor newbie who isn't knowledgeable enough to answer any questions. The vast majority of questions asked I can't answer. I would think that users like myself would better be able to gain rep by asking helpful questions first.

I’ve been wrapped up and involved in creating a post asking questions about Python and now I can't post it to StackOverflow. I just posted it here on the Ubuntu Forums (https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2371635&p=13687613#post13687613) instead. In this post I refer to links to code samples hosted on GitHub and on pastebins. I also refer to a guide that I have found elsewhere on the web using Google. Struggling with Python, mashing my keyboard the way I do my controller when I play Street Fighter. Oh well. I just took my Python questions to the Ubuntu forums for now.

Someone on FreeNode in #stackoverflow suggested that I shouldn't use pastebins and that my code shouldn’t be included in my StackOverflow question because pastebins can expire and disappear. Point taken: If the code is too long to just be included in the question, it's likely too long for people to bother looking at it in a pastebin anyway, which is why the code should be shortened. A question should be relatively self contained. This is helpful advice. So given my heavy use of use pastebins and my lack of a reduced testcase, my post wouldn't have been very well suited for StackOverflow anyways. I get it.

My question: How could I approach my Python-related questions, like the ones I asked in my Ubuntu forum post linked to above, to better refine and tailor it to be a good post on StackOverflow? It’s already been suggested that I avoid using pastebins and make my questions more self-contained. But is there any other advice any of you might be able to provide to help me adapt my question to be better suited to StackOverflow?

After spending a considerable amount of time sifting through questions elsewhere on StackOverflow and Stack Exchange (like Ask Ubuntu, Super User, Unix & Linux), I’ve realized that the only questions I might have even a remote possibility of answering are the ones asked by members who don’t have the ability to upvote my answers. And all the people who do have the ability to up vote my potential answer to their questions, they are way beyond my level of expertise. It’s like StackOverflow is deliberately trying to keep newbies out.

I use StackOverflow's search feature to filter for newbie questions and questions without answers. This filter turns up some questions that I might actually have a shot at answering, but these results are all marked as [duplicate] or [closed]. Ugh.

The official StackOverflow Help (https://stackoverflow.com/help) section clarifies some of the rules, the posting policies, how reputation and moderation works, among other topics. But it’s not helping me gain my first 10 points.

tl;dr: Despite my level of frustration, I realize how useful StackOverflow can be and want to know how to better get my first few points on StackOverflow by answering newbie questions effectively.

vasa1
September 17th, 2017, 03:28 AM
I looked at the question you posted: Playing with Python and Tkinter inside Spyder IDE (https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2371635). I can see why SO would regard it as too broad. I suggest that, until you become part of the SO borg (aka inner circle), you limit the scope of each question to exactly one narrow issue and avoid things like "I’ve encountered a few issues" and anything that could be remotely regarded as being unnecessary to helping the SO people help answer you.

All the best :)

mastablasta
September 19th, 2017, 07:30 AM
same that applies here. separate the questions (issues), keep it short and simple.

HermanAB
September 24th, 2017, 07:40 AM
When you encounter a problem, try to model the problem with a small example program of only a few lines. In most cases, you will end up resolving the issue yourself.

Once in a blue moon, you will still require help - those are the things you can post on a help forum.