In here I've found some threads that students are asking questions (obviously about their homework) but they can't get help coz they are not allowed by the rules here. I don't know why the rules are like that.
Actually they are having a problem like we do and they are asking for help. Homework or tutorials or whatever it is, they need help, that's why they come to the forum and ask for it. What's wrong with that.
Maybe they are at home and their teachers or friends are not around and they ask for help in the forum and you should teach them, help them. I seriously think that students asking for help is nothing wrong. Reading the books, asking the teachers, asking the friends, posting the questions in the forum, it's all are the different ways to solve the problems and the right ways in the "problem based learning".
I think we should help them.

It all depends on how they ask the question. If they show their line of inquiry so far, and present clear evidence that they have worked on the problem, I see no problem in giving pedagogical aid, but certainly not answering the question outright.

I have no tolerance whatsoever for those who simply restate the homework problem, and ask for the answer.

Steve

If they're asking something regarding their homework, it's OK to me... but copying and pasting their whole assignment here and expecting others to do it for them is just plain lazy and I hope those that do that will actually fail in every exam that they take.

Ofcourse, copying the whole assignment and ask "how to write this program?" , is not acceptable.
But sometimes, they are writing a program, but some bugs in it and they cannot solve it. They don't know what is wrong with it and post their program and ask for help. Then it's acceptable I think.
We shouldn't follow the rules blindingly and should look at how they ask the questions and see if it's accepatable or not.

moeminhtun,

You bring up a good point. I do not have a problem with a student using LQ to learn (actually I encourage it). The rule is meant to apply to copy/paste homework questions or people who are clearly not trying to learn, but are just trying to get their homework done for them. Hope this clears things up.

--jeremy

There is a huge void between A- asking for a few pointers and tips for a problem and B- asking for a solution. I'd encourage anyone to ask for hints and tips, but then at the same time other members would do well to treat these kinds of posts with special attention, and to phrase their replies in form A even if the post was of type B: "I can't give you a full reply, but these commands should be useful to you..." yada yada yada....

And speaking of straight requests for help, this was posted today...
so, A or B... not really that hard is it!?