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From: Apache Wiki <wikidiffs@apache.org>
To: Apache Wiki <wikidiffs@apache.org>
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:50:07 -0000
Message-ID: <20091213215007.27778.38953@eos.apache.org>
Subject: 
 =?utf-8?q?=5BCouchdb_Wiki=5D_Update_of_=22Getting_Help=22_by_RogerBinns?=

Dear Wiki user,

You have subscribed to a wiki page or wiki category on "Couchdb Wiki" for c=
hange notification.

The "Getting Help" page has been changed by RogerBinns.
The comment on this change is: Helpful hints on getting help.
http://wiki.apache.org/couchdb/Getting%20Help

--------------------------------------------------

New page:
Please follow these steps if you have questions, think you have found a bug=
 or have any other comments about CouchDB.

=3D=3D=3D Has it happened before or already been answered? =3D=3D=3D
 1. Search the mailing list.  Enter search terms in the green box at the bo=
ttom of http://news.gmane.org/gmane.comp.db.couchdb.user
 1. Search the bug tracking system at https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse=
/COUCHDB
 1. The [[http://wiki.apache.org/couchdb/|wiki]] also has many useful guide=
s and can also be searched (look in top right)

=3D=3D=3D Preparing your question =3D=3D=3D
In order for people to help you, please prepare your question.  Your goal i=
s for the people who can answer to understand what you are doing with Couch=
DB, what you see and what you expected to see.  You should also include pla=
tform information (eg Windows or Linux), version information (which version=
 of Couchdb), libraries and tools in use (eg are you talking directly to Co=
uchDB using curl or a library such as [[http://code.google.com/p/couchdb-py=
thon/|python-couchdb]]).  These two links are helpful guides:

 * [[http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html|How to ask smart questi=
ons]]
 * [[http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/bugs.html|How to report bu=
gs effectively]]

=3D=3D=3D Asking the question =3D=3D=3D
The best place to get help, ask questions and receive answers is the [[http=
://couchdb.apache.org/community/lists.html|CouchDB users mailing list]].  P=
lease post your question in only one place. (If you post it in multiple pla=
ces then answerers won't see each others responses, people will be discoura=
ged from answering suspecting they will be duplicating answers elsewhere, f=
ollowups are fragmented etc.)

Make sure you will be able to see answers before posting.  For example you =
may want to subscribe to the mailing list, or bookmark the [[http://thread.=
gmane.org/gmane.comp.db.couchdb.user/|GMane page]].  Ensure you keep checki=
ng back.  You should see answers or there may be more questions asking for =
further information in order to provide a better answer.  It is appreciated=
 if you respond in a timely manner.

Once the issue or question is resolved it may be appropriate to post a foll=
owup summary.  Imagine that someone else in the future had the same thought=
s as you so make the post easy to find via searches and for them to underst=
and the resolution.  For example it may have been a bug in your code so you=
 can say how to test for it or prevent it in the future, or it may be a bug=
 in CouchDB in which case point to the ticket, or a wiki page may have been=
 updated or created.