[squid-users] Guide: How to ask a Squid question

A small guide on things you should think about when posting a Squid
question

1. Search squid.conf.default for the words asked on to see if there is
any relevant documentation explaining what you are after.

2. Search the Squid FAQ <http://www.squid-cache.org/Doc/FAQ/> to see if
there is an answer to your query.

3. Verify that the problem you are seeing is not fixed in the current
STABLE version or with a patch on the "Known Bugs" page.

4. Also try searching the squid-users archives for similar questions
during the last month or two.

5. Compose your query with reasonable amount of information

  - A good problem description

  - The Squid version used if not the latest STABLE version

  - If there is anything relevant printed in the log files (mostly
cache.log)

  - What you have tried, such as the squid.conf directives used and
similar.

  - Anything else you think may be relevant

Try to keep this reasonably compact. Most good questions are in the
range of 1/2 - 1 page long. If to short then you most likely haven't
studied you problem enough and need to do some more reading, if too long
then you most likely are assuming the problem is bigger (in terms of
scope, not severity) than it really is and you need to spend some
additional time on trying to narrow down what the problem actually is.

6. Remember that it is a public forum, not a paid support channel. Avoid
thing like "URGENT!!" an similar expressions trying to command or beg
people to help you. If anything such expressions are likely to have the
opposite effect than intended making it take longer before you receive
an answer. This is especially dangerous in case there is a risk the
answer might be found using steps 1-4 above, as it then is likely to
make people pissed at you for not bothering with looking for an answer
before shouting at everyone to help you.

7. Before you send the question, repeat steps 1-4 one more time. It is
quite likely that by composing the query you have got new insights in
what you should be looking for.

Regards
Henrik Nordström
Received on Thu Apr 11 2002 - 14:07:32 MDT