Yes! Close your eyes and flail your arms around and eventually you will hit something.
The way I use Stack Overflow makes me feel dirty. Usually it starts when I Google an error message because I'm using a new (to me) combination of language/framework/module/plugin. My mindbrain and fingers conspire to automatically select the Stack Overflow link even though it might be 3rd result and #1 and #2 might be from the official docs of whatever technology.
When I get to SO I read the answers first. That is often enough to shake something loose in my brain about my own problem. If that doesnt help I'll read the question to make sure I'm reading the right thread. I only comment or answer on rare occasion because it means that 1. I ended up on an inappropriate thread but actually know the answer and 2. it happens to be a fresh unanswered question. Seriously, I hope some of you are using SO the way they want it to be used and clicking on ADs or whatever. ;)
I used to answer questions in IRC channels just because I was already hanging out there, knew some people, and hey- I got answers from this group I might as well give back. But on SO I dont feel any attachment to a community, its just about Internet points. And for those who arent keeping score its just get-in-get-out. Maybe its just me.
The way I use Stack Overflow makes me feel dirty. Usually it starts when I Google an error message because I'm using a new (to me) combination of language/framework/module/plugin. My mindbrain and fingers conspire to automatically select the Stack Overflow link even though it might be 3rd result and #1 and #2 might be from the official docs of whatever technology.
When I get to SO I read the answers first. That is often enough to shake something loose in my brain about my own problem. If that doesnt help I'll read the question to make sure I'm reading the right thread. I only comment or answer on rare occasion because it means that 1. I ended up on an inappropriate thread but actually know the answer and 2. it happens to be a fresh unanswered question. Seriously, I hope some of you are using SO the way they want it to be used and clicking on ADs or whatever. ;)
I used to answer questions in IRC channels just because I was already hanging out there, knew some people, and hey- I got answers from this group I might as well give back. But on SO I dont feel any attachment to a community, its just about Internet points. And for those who arent keeping score its just get-in-get-out. Maybe its just me.