> "I'm interested in writing a x86_64 Linux driver for my 15 year old photo printer." [...] is a very clear statement. The problem is, everyone who knows a thi

> "I'm interested in writing a x86_64 Linux driver for my 15 year old photo printer." [...] is a very clear statement. The problem is, everyone who knows a thing about "Printer drivers" shivers when they read that statement, in part because it mentions Linux or x86_64, which kind of implies some level of confusion. Also, it doesn't mention whether he's doing it for the sake of an old printer (which then makes the question the wrong thing to ask -- rather you should ask "I want to make my printer work with x86_64 Linux" -- which likely has a much simpler answer) or the sake of how to learn to write Linux printer drivers (which makes the question bizarre -- there are no Linux printer drivers per se). > Iterating how difficult the project is doesn't move the needle forward and in fact, does the opposite and is not at all helpful to the OP. Don't project your inadequacies This is really the wrong take here. If someone asks "I want to learn to pave roads for 4-wheel bikes" you don't answer with "OK, tarmac is made with crushed stone, tar, ...". You answer with "WTF are you doing this for?". Because it's highly likely that the questioner is having some type of confusion, rather than explicitly wanting to make such a strange request. As Eric S. Raymond put long ago: > Often, people who need technical help have a high-level goal in mind and get stuck on what they think is one particular path towards the goal. They come for help with the step, but don't realize that the path is wrong. It can take substantial effort to get past this. By not addressing the user's exact question, and considering the user's final goal, you may be moving the needle much forward than if you just blindly answer it like some people have done here.