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My buddy in Phoenix asked me how to get more people to answer his questions online and I didn't have a good answer.

Last week, he was trying to fix his sprinkler system and posted on a forum asking for help with a specific valve model. He got zero replies after two days. I looked at his post and it was just 'Help, my sprinkler is broken.' I told him he needed to say what he already tried, like if he checked the backflow preventer or the timer settings. He rewrote it with those details and got three helpful answers the same day. It made me think about how often I see vague questions that just sit there. What's the best way you've found to ask a question so people actually want to answer it? Is it all about the details?
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3 Comments
angelaw78
angelaw781mo ago
My friend had the same problem with a lawn mower forum last month. He posted a blurry picture of just the engine block and got crickets, but @roberts.leo is right, a clear shot of the carburetor got him three fixes in an hour. Isn't it wild how one detail changes everything?
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roberts.leo
Yeah, pictures help a ton too.
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sean854
sean8541mo ago
But what if the picture is wrong?
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