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“You didn’t actually want to do X, here’s how to do Y instead” may indeed be helpful for the beginner who initially asked the question, but it’s very unhelpful
by School-Cotton 3y ago
“You didn’t actually want to do X, here’s how to do Y instead” may indeed be helpful for the beginner who initially asked the question, but it’s very unhelpful for me who finds the page years later actually wanting to do X.
- waterproof 3y agoI disagree- on SO you’ll usually get some literal answers as well as the more high-level, question-the-premise ones. Why not both?
- School-Cotton 3y agoBecause in many cases people don't bother giving the real answer once a comment already has an answer, especially a highly upvoted one. I'm fine with indirect, "question-the-premise" comments, but they should be posted as comments, not answers, because they are in fact not answers.
- _gabe_ 3y ago> “You didn’t actually want to do X, here’s how to do Y instead” may indeed be helpful for the beginner who initially asked the question Stack Overflow isn't a site for beginners, it's for "professionals". At least, that's what all the Stack Overflow defenders tell me every time I criticize the snarkiness, rudeness and patronizing manner of many answers/comments you receive on Stack Overflow.