Don’t Post Passive-Aggressive Webpages

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Don’t post passive-aggressive webpages


let’s talk They Link.

What are we talking about?

You might have seen them. like link dontasktoask.com, giybf.com, lmgtfy.comor similar sites, are often left in response to a question in online communities, especially technical or coding forums.

Intention The motivation behind these sites may be to encourage better questions, promote self-reliance, or manage repetitive questions. however, Work The method of posting links often comes in very different forms.

Vibe Check: What it feels like to get that link

let’s be honest. Receiving one of these links rarely feels like constructive feedback. More often, it feels like this:

  • Rejecter: This closes down the conversation instead of directing it.
  • passive aggressive: It avoids direct communication in favor of canned, often sarcastic, responses delivered via URL.
  • Embarrassing: As one person said:

    “To me it gives the impression that ‘this question is so stupid and people have asked it so many times, someone made a website just for idiots like you.'”

  • Unusable: It does not provide “higher insight”. This is just a statement, not tailored assistance.
  • lazy (irony): While presented as a strong effort by the questioner, posting links is often minimal effort Assistant’s response, compared to offering actual, brief guidance.
  • Counter-productive: This can create a hostile or unpleasant environment (“stack overflow syndrome”), discouraging newcomers or those who are already struggling.

“This is just to enforce/justify the rule!”

Some argue that these links efficiently enforce community norms about asking questions. Although establishing good practices is valuable, using passive-aggressive links is arguably one of least effective Ways to teach or apply them in a compassionate way.

  • It lacks context: the link does not know the specific situation or the background of the questioner.
  • This creates resentment: People learn better when they feel respected, not rejected.
  • Direct communication is more clear: a simple, polite sentence is often more effective and less ambiguous.

How to do In fact Help (without snarky URLs)

Instead of accessing that bookmark, consider these methods:

  1. Direct and Kind Guidance:

    • “Hey, it’s usually best to ask your question directly! How are you?”
    • “Can you please share the full issue you are facing? This helps us help you faster.”
    • “To give you the best answer, can you tell us what you have already tried?”
  2. Explain the ‘why’ (briefly and politely):

    • “Asking directly helps because many people can see it and reach out to help!”
    • “Providing details in advance saves time and gets you answers faster.”
  3. Gentle hints towards discovery (if appropriate):

    • “Have you tried finding [specific error message or term]There are often quick solutions available online.” (Avoid LMGTFY links!)
  4. Cite rules/guidelines (if applicable and necessary):

    • If your community has guidelines, politely check out the specific helpful section Together A welcoming tone.
  5. Just be nice:

    • Remember the goal is usually cooperation and assistance. As someone mentioned, “This isn’t stackoverflow, be nice to people.” Put a kind phrase in your mental (or real) bookmark!

Let’s create better conversations

It may be possible to leave a link to a passive-aggressive webpage. feel Kind of a shortcut for dealing with certain types of questions, but it often hurts the tone of the conversation and the sense of community.

Choose direct communication. Choose kindness. Choose to actually help or guide, even if it takes a few extra seconds to type.

In short: Don’t post passive-aggressive webpages.



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