If PerlMonks has become a place where AM exists but
won't be treated well because AM is AM, then it has
become time for me to find friendlier stomping grounds.
Welcoming and accepting AM for me is the difference
between having this place have a welcome mat and a sign
saying, "Open, join in" or having a closed door and a
sign saying, "Private meeting in progress."
As for give and take, what ever happened to being generous?
Do you really think that I ask myself, "What is this
person going to be able to do for me?" before I answer a
question? Of course I don't. If the question is easy for
me to answer, and I have energy, I answer it because
answering is fun. Now if that person comes back with 50
detailed questions showing no desire to start trying to
learn, then I will get irritated. Likewise a person who
has a complex project (eg write this software for me) is
not going to impress. But if it is easy to answer, then
I am optimistic. And if it works sometimes but not
others, well it works out well often enough to keep me
happy.
So I have to disagree with the attitude that, "Well that
idiot just had it coming. *shrug*" And I disagree
because my gut response on seeing the question was not
negative, and had I seen it before it got reaped, it would
have been one I wouldn't have minded answering.