Asking Smart Questions: Why Clarity Matters in Software Engineering

10 Sep 2025

Introduction

In software engineering, being able to ask technical questions is one of the most important skills you can have. Eric Raymond’s essay “How to Ask Questions the Smart Way” explains how asking questions clearly and specifically will make the difference between getting help and being ignored.
To test this theory, I compared one real smart question and one “not smart” question from Stack Overflow to see how they affected the quality of responses. After comparing the differences, it’s clear why communication skills are essential for software engineers.

Smart Question Example

Question:
Issue with running C/C++ with code runner on vscode

Summary:
A developer was having trouble running C and C++ files using Code Runner in Visual Studio Code. They consistently got this error:
cc1.exe: fatal error: *.C: Invalid argument
They shared their settings.json configuration, explained that their compiler works, and stated that this problem had persisted for months. They used code blocks, formatted their text clearly, and respectfully asked for help.

Why it’s Smart:

Clear, descriptive title that states the problem
Detailed explanation of what they tried and what error they received
Shared relevant environment details (settings.json code)
Well-formatted and easy to read
Polite tone showing respect for others’ time

Responses:
The community gave several detailed, respectful answers:

One user explained how wildcards (*.c) don’t expand in Windows PowerShell.
Another showed how to fix the issue using $fileName, and another suggested using MSYS2/MinGW or bash -c.
Comments also gave constructive advice on improving the question title.

This shows that asking clearly and showing effort encourages others to give high-quality answers.

Not Smart Question Example

Question (made-up):
Title: Help plz!!! C++ not working 😭😭😭

I’m trying to do my project for school in C++ but it keeps giving me an error and won’t compile.
Can someone tell me what’s wrong and fix it for me???
It worked on my friend’s computer but not mine.
Urgent — need answer fast!!!!

Why it’s Not Smart:

Vague and missing key info (no code, no error message, no environment details)
Shows no research or troubleshooting effort
Uses a demanding tone (“fix it for me” and “urgent”)
Poor grammar and formatting, uses emojis and all capital letters
Doesn’t state the actual goal or problem

Responses (hypothetical):

Comments asking for more details (“What’s the error message?”)
A dismissive “Works on my machine 🤷” answer (downvoted)
A vague “Try reinstalling C++” answer with no explanation (downvoted)

This shows how vague questions often waste people’s time and get ignored or mocked.

Reflection

Comparing these two examples displayed how important the quality of the question is. The smart question got fast, helpful, technical answers because it was specific and respectful. The “not smart” question got frustration, confusion, and no real help because it gave no useful information and sounded demanding.

As a future software engineer, the way I ask a question can determine whether I get an answer at all. Before asking for help, I must first assist others in understanding my problem by showing what I tried, what failed, and what I need.

Conclusion

Asking smart questions isn’t just about solving your own problem — it also shows professionalism and respect for other developers’ time. Following Raymond’s principles leads to better answers, stronger collaboration, and a better reputation in technical communities.

Used ChatGPT for grammar and to generate a “not smart” question