Evil Stack Overflow Tips @eviloverflow

Have a question that's off topic on Stack Overflow? Relationship problems? Trouble at work? Stuck writing that novel? Ask it on Meta Stack Overflow! "Meta" is Greek for "anything goes."

The Programmers’ Credo: we do these things not because they are easy, but because we thought they were going to be easy

We live in the era of visual communication. What does this mean for your #stackoverflow question? First and foremost: post your code in images. - It makes your precious work safe from theft - JPG artefacts give your question a warm, artesanal feel - It's just so much cooler.

If users on #stackoverflow don't like your question because it is "off topic" or "low quality" they can just scroll on. No one is forcing them to look at it. You don't need to change way YOU ask questions to match THEIR expectations. Tell them to move on to Q's they can answer.

Embrace the spirit of the chameleon. Once you've received an answer to your question, and it's time to ask the next one, save server space by editing the previous one. That way you'll also benefit from any existing upvotes!

Always use the 5 most popular tags so as many people see your question as possible.

Starting to learn a programming language? Not sure where to find tutorials for it? #Stackoverflow should always be your first stop! After all, who's better suited to recommend tutorials than the experienced programmers that hang out there?

A #StackOverflow question is like homemade bread: when it's made, you need to leave it alone for a long while so it can rise. Don't worry your head about clarification requests: the experts will know what you mean even if it's not 100% clear. That's why they're experts, right?

Keep your #stackoverflow questions short as possible, omitting as many details as possible. People are volunteering their free time to answer. Don't waste it forcing them to read your code.

Have a complex question in some super obscure egghead tag like Haskell or R? Add a mainstream tag like "Javascript" or "Android" to drive traffic. Your question deserves to be *seen!*

Seeing a user with a really attractive avatar on SO? Make sure to let them know that you find them super hot. You never know what might happen. People ❤️ compliments! Moderators & the community encourages playful flirting, too. It helps contradict stereotypes about techies.

Have several problems you need help with on #stackoverflow? Be mindful of experts' time by putting them all into one question, so they can quickly read and solve them all at once. Be efficient! Make sure to use a generic title for the question to maximize expert interest.

Sometimes a problem is just that: a problem. And it's really urgent. Use alternative characters to evade Stack Overflow's oppressive word filter that blocks words like "problem"! No one should keep you from expressing YOUR truth.

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Don’t bore the experts with too many tedious details. Like in so many other areas of life, it is important to leave room for the imagination, the thrill of the unknown.