The Art of Smart Questions

Questions, Questions, Questions

As human beings, we are naturally curious and inquisitive creatures. From a young age, we ask questions to satisfy our curiosity and to gain a better understanding of the world around us. The ability to ask smart questions is an indispensable asset for software engineers, fostering effective communication, problem-solving, and collaboration within the developer community. By analyzing the characteristics of these questions, their adherence to smart question precepts, and the subsequent responses, we can gain valuable insights into the role of inquiry in the software engineering realm.

What’s a smart question?

Smart questions are characterized by clarity, specificity, context, and a genuine effort to understand the problem. They showcase the asker’s research and demonstrate respect for the time and expertise of those who might respond. In the realm of software engineering, where collaboration is key, asking smart questions becomes crucial for efficient problem-solving and knowledge sharing.

The “Smart” Question:

Consider the following smart question posted on Stack Overflow:

Q: What is the difference between "let" and "var"? 

ECMAScript 6 introduced the let statement.

I've heard that it's described as a local variable, but I'm still not quite sure how it behaves differently than the var keyword.

What are the differences? When should let be used instead of var?

Link to Question: What is the difference between “let” and “var”?

The provided question exemplifies the qualities of a smart inquiry in several ways. Firstly, its clarity and specificity shine through as it directly addresses the specific topic of the differences between “let” and “var” in ECMAScript 6. Secondly, the inclusion of context by acknowledging the introduction of the “let” statement in ECMAScript 6 reveals a level of awareness about the relevant version of the language. Thirdly, the question delves beyond a mere definition, demonstrating an intention to gain a nuanced understanding of the distinctions between the two keywords. Moreover, the asker’s acknowledgment of having heard about “let” as a local variable and the admission of not fully grasping the differences indicate a personal effort to comprehend the concept independently. Lastly, the forward-looking nature of the question, seeking guidance on when “let” should be preferred over “var,” showcases an interest in practical application and best practices. Overall, this question encapsulates the key attributes of a smart question – clarity, context, depth, personal effort, and a focus on practical implications.

A: Scoping rules
The main difference is scoping rules. Variables declared by var keyword are scoped to the immediate function body (hence the function scope) while let variables are scoped to the immediate enclosing block denoted by { } (hence the block scope).

function run() {
  var foo = "Foo";
  let bar = "Bar";

  console.log(foo, bar); // Foo Bar

  {
    var moo = "Mooo"
    let baz = "Bazz";
    console.log(moo, baz); // Mooo Bazz
  }

  console.log(moo); // Mooo
  console.log(baz); // ReferenceError
}

run();

Link to Top Answer: Top Answer

This user has received a total of thirty-eight different answers to their original question. The people who have answered the original questions were able to fully understand what was being asked and answer in a clear and concise manner. A lot of the answers were able to clarify what the difference was and even gave different examples of how “let” and “var” could be separately used in code.

The “Not so Smart” Questions

Not-so-smart questions are characterized by their lack of clarity, specificity, and context. These inquiries often fall short in providing sufficient details or background information, making it challenging for others to understand the issue at hand. Vague or ambiguous questions, without clear indications of the problem or attempts at resolution, can hinder the ability of potential helpers to provide accurate and helpful responses. Additionally, questions that demonstrate minimal effort in prior research or troubleshooting may be perceived as not-so-smart, as they may overlook readily available resources. Such inquiries may lead to frustration for both the asker and those attempting to assist, highlighting the importance of crafting questions that are clear, concise, and demonstrate a proactive approach to problem-solving. An example of this could be the following user’s question.

Q: Python Guess the Word Game

Describing the game if you know what means word guessing dont bother to read
Hey! I know I opened a question about that earlier but again Im stuck in another situation. I making a game that there is a list full of words and computer choses a random word in it. And program asking to person guess a letter. If it is in letter it should write the letter in exact order in that word. Lets say our word is word.
If user input is "w", program will print "w___" and again
if user says "o" program will print "wo__" like that.

What is the issue?
I did achieve to print if user input in that word and in which order in that word but when user guess again when he got right in first letter my print variable refreshing and prints just last guessed letter.

Let me explain
My word again "word" and user guess "w" letter first.
So program will print "w___" But when user guess again and lets say he/she guessed "o" this time. Program prints just "_.o__" but not w.

What I want to do

Program should keep the last data as "w___" and add "o" letter to second place.
Program should have an if statment and two variables. First is guess_count and other is error_count.
If player guessed right increase guess_count by one and
if guess_count == 5 # word's total letter number: print("Win"), break the loop

If player guessed wrong increase error_count by one and
if error_count == 3 # if player type 3 wrong letter: print("Lose"), break the loop

My code

Create a loop

    run = True
    while run:
Create a namelist and chose a random name

   name_list = ["sound"]
   pick_word = random.choice(name_list)
Create a while loop again # whole code is under this

while True:

Get user input

user_input = input("Guess a letter: ")

Creating if statment if for if input len > 1 get error

Whole if true code in there
if len(user_input) == 1:
*Create a variable that gets user input in order of word as number.
(I cant say that sentence in english)

index = pick_word.index(user_input)

Replace the order number to user input

word_tracker[index] = user_input

Create a string to print it

word = "".join(word_tracker)

Print it

print(word)

Increase guess_count

count += 1

If guess_count is 5 break the loop

if count == 5:

If guess not in word

  except ValueError:
      print("You couldnt guess the letters.")
      guessing += 1
      if guessing == 3:
          print("Peh")
          exit()
If guessed letter not 1 character

else:
   print("You allowed to type just one letter")
`
I hope I wont get ban haha

Link to Question: Python Guess the Word Game

While the question provides detailed information about the game and the issue faced, it falls short of being a completely smart question due to its length and complexity. A smart question ideally contains clear, concise details that allow others to understand and address the problem efficiently. To enhance the question’s smartness, the user could:

1. Clarity and Brevity: Trim unnecessary details and focus on the core issue. Clearly state the problem without delving into extensive code snippets or unrelated information.

2. Specificity: Clearly articulate the problem you’re facing. Instead of discussing the entire game structure, narrow down to the specific challenge, such as the issue with the variable refreshing when the user guesses a new letter.

3. Context: Provide relevant context about the programming language being used and any specific error messages received. This assists those who may want to help you with a more accurate solution.

4. Format: Use proper formatting to make the question more readable. Break down the code into smaller, digestible portions, and use indentation consistently.

5. Question at the End: End the question with a concise, direct inquiry, asking for assistance or insights regarding the specific issue.

Insights

Analyzing these contrasting examples reveals that smart questions not only contribute to the efficiency of problem-solving but also impact the quality and willingness of responses. Smart questions attract more thoughtful and helpful answers, fostering a positive and collaborative environment within the developer community. Observing and understanding these questions underscores the importance of clear communication and thorough problem description. The smart question sets a positive tone for collaboration, encouraging others to engage constructively, while the not-so-smart question may deter potential helpers due to its lack of clarity and urgency.

Please note that I used ChatGPT to improve grammar and spelling in this document.