Yep, every time I visit the github issues page I immediately remove `is:open` when searching.
- Google and go to first SO answers (I totally gave up on asking for advice there, is an old discussion but with low karma forget to ask, it will get closed immediately so you have to be lucky that someone with good reputation made a similar question)
- HN search engine and go to the comments of some post related to what I need. It might take some more time but some of the comments have been gold to me
- Project mail list. I have found people willing to help there
- Finally my last discovery, as others, Github issues. And I am talking about searching and asking. I have lately been susprised how the main maintainer of a big project from one of the FAANG answered doubts, and to me personally helped me with a question such as "I don't know how to start with this", literally.
I guess there will be lots of different experiences here, but to me it would be something like stay away of SO and try to find more specific forums for your need.
Also, where would you find the Github page for Android's Room for example?
People don't often take the time to do detailed write-ups while investigating, but when they do... amazing. Fountains of knowledge hidden in closed issues.
Speaking of which - especially in the ops / systems side of things - if you're stuck on an issue, and you've got a gut feeling some repo will be a good source of truth for that issue, search for keywords in the open AND THE CLOSED issues of that repo. So. Much. Stuff.