On: Just give the man the fish (i.e. just answer the question)

[taeric]

At complete face value, I think I agree. At large, we used to have the phrase, "answer, then educate" in meetings. If someone asks a question, lead with the answer. But, crucially, be ready to expand with more.

It can be frustrating when you keep seeing what seem like low effort questions. At the same time, consider the frustration on the other side when you ask a question and then got a long answer that didn't exactly answer. Further, consider that frustration in reading a question online is something you bring to the situation. You can always not respond.

[mjd → taeric]

The part of the whole phenonmnon that most puzzles me is how much trouble people sometimes have with “you can always not respond”.

“He's wasting my time!” No, you're _choosing_ to waste your time; make better choices.

“But I can't help myself!” That's your problen, it's not the other guy's fault.

I've even seen people say literally that they were being forced to answer newbie questions.

(Edit: for example, see the comment in this thread that characterizes question-asking as “harassment”. Annoying, perhaps. Harassment? Spare me.)