Ya, you're prolly right that that I just haven't personally experienced much on the "opportunity to stroke their ego, or having no idea of good questions to ask

Ya, you're prolly right that that I just haven't personally experienced much on the "opportunity to stroke their ego, or having no idea of good questions to ask" side of the spectrum. I think if I did though, I'd mostly just laugh it off? It would make it clear that I didn't want to work some place, and it's not like good engineers lack for opportunities these days. Some people just seem to get UPSET about it though. I guess that's the real part I don't understand. Why the intensity? Not from you specifically, but from some folks.