"Hi, my name is so-and-so. I am a [brief description of you, e.g. "student at X university", "resident of...", "software engineer working at..."]. I found you via ... I read your paper on ... and I had a question:
or something like that.
Never say, "I wonder if you could spare some time to answer a question?" Just ask it. If they can spare the time they'll answer, and if they can't, asking if they can won't change that.
It’s a support channel, just ask.
More often than not, I feel like talking with those folks and explaining to them that they should just ask and not ask if they can ask it seems like they just don't recognize what they're doing. Thus, it's usually good to tell them they don't need to ask and to just ask now and in the future.
To the left is a door that leads to Comcast Support.
To the right is a door to a freenode channel guarded by a man yelling, "DON'T ASK TO ASK! JUST ASK!!!"
Which direction, gentle newbie?
Edit: intensification