The main value I get from stack overflow is easy to find answers to easy questions. I find it easier to find documentation of how to do X on stack overflow than I do in the manuals for most of the tools I use.
Here is the workflow:
1. Google 'question string'
2. Click first stack overflow link
3. Skip to the first answer without reading the question.
This, incredibly, works for about 80% of the things I need to look up day to day. I often find that I either need a simple example, or just need my memory jogged. In my opinion the entire internet is better because of the existence of this one site.
I agree with all of the author's points, but I think stack overflow is worthwhile despite these problems. And trust me, I've gotten my own snarky, low effort, infuriating, heavily upvoted, answers from Jon Skeet.
Here is the workflow:
1. Google 'question string'
2. Click first stack overflow link
3. Skip to the first answer without reading the question.
This, incredibly, works for about 80% of the things I need to look up day to day. I often find that I either need a simple example, or just need my memory jogged. In my opinion the entire internet is better because of the existence of this one site.
I agree with all of the author's points, but I think stack overflow is worthwhile despite these problems. And trust me, I've gotten my own snarky, low effort, infuriating, heavily upvoted, answers from Jon Skeet.