I spend a lot of time browsing the various distro forums and it is funny I find a couple of themes that are carried out in each and every forum.

First are the trolls, the ever present lifeform that just posts to see how mad and how many people will reply to their insults of that distro. Now with these folks it has always been the practice of ignoring them and letting a moderator handle these folks in a fast yet firm method.

Second comes the frustrated new user, trying a distro or even Linux for the first time. The usual post is one that always refers to the fact that in windows it was do able however there was not a option in linux. Now on most forums this person is calmly talked off the ledge of returning to windows and given options that will perform that task with as much ease at windows is not better and faster. The people in the forums most times are fast to respond to this type of post and will in varied degrees offer a answer or a link to said problem. So distros are not as friendly and they are the ones with the RTFM answers. Those folks are the same people that a year ago had the same question and don’t remember just how bad they felt when they got that answer.

Third is a part of the second they are the experienced users that take the time to answer questions, from the basic ones to the most advanced. And they do so without a complaint. Why? They love linux they remember how it was when they started, and they are attempting to make it easier on the new users. And they do so without sitting and waiting for a slap on the back or a award for the the best helper, they do it with pride. These are the people that after a while burn out due to the fact they are the only ones answering questions they almost have to be online 24/7 and all this without a thanks or a mention.

Fourth comes the lurker the ones that may have been using a distro for a month or even a year and they sit and watch and read. They are the ones that don’t want to look silly by answering a question that they them selves had. Or for what ever reason they are shy or don’t want to get in the way. These are the people that if they just look for the questins they have had answered could answer it and take a little load off of the guru and is getting burnt out answering the same question 42 times in a row.

Fifth and this is the important one, is you the new user. before you ask a question stop and form a question that is to the point and as close to exact as you can make it, by this I mean don’t start out with a post with this suxs or not working. Try and start out with my sound is not adjustable it is either full on or full off nothing between. And then give the information needed to answer that problem, what version of the distro are you using, what is the sound card you are using a couple of additions that make answering your questions a lot easier and a lot faster. However if you want really fast do a search for the same question and yes it takes a minute to type it out and read the results, but without fail your problem has already be answered by another person and poof you are up and running. If a search doesn’t help then post it in the correct area of the forum. A video question in the compiz area is just going to get a moderator moving it and others missing it because the video gurus are watching that area not others.

Okay that is the entire basics of forums and maybe you will not be scared to ask or answer a question now. Remember the only dumb question is the one that is never asked. Have fun and enjoy.