It's a bit of a Stackoverflow trope, so much so that it shows up in these "parody questions" that surface from time to time. In some cases the people answering

It's a bit of a Stackoverflow trope, so much so that it shows up in these "parody questions" that surface from time to time. In some cases the people answering have the experience and breadth of knowledge to understand the "real" question being asked, even if the OP doesn't quite have it yet. Other cases, it seems like arrogance and showboating, and doesn't contribute much where a simple direct answer would be best. The one that gets me is seeing an answered question, with a bajillion upvotes, locked by mods as "off topic" or "not useful" or whatever. Clearly a relevant question with a useful answer, as evidenced by the many comments and kudos. Ugh.