Why I don't reply to requests for free advice... [THREAD]

I get asked for free advice a lot. Seriously, a lot. Although I do a certain amount of work for free each year, I tend not to carry out free work except through a recognised pro bono scheme such as Advocate or ELAAS.

It's never as simple as answering your quick question; it's answering your quick question, along with the quick questions from anything up to 15 other people who email, tweet or message me with their own quick questions every single day.

Each of you has a real problem which needs understanding, thinking about, replying, and then making sure I've got a careful note of the conversation and advice given in case two years later you contact me and say the advice was wrong.

The question might well be quick. But if the answer was either quick or straightforward, you'd have found it on Google.