I'm one of the top-rated users on StackOverflow. While I feel like my answers are high quality, I also feel like I didn't work very hard to get there. There ar

I'm one of the top-rated users on StackOverflow. While I feel like my answers are high quality, I also feel like I didn't work very hard to get there. There are days where I never log onto StackOverflow but nevertheless earn 100+ points per day. For example, a few weeks back I answered an obscure question about an unusual expression in the Linux kernel. Someone posted it on HN and it blew up. I continue to earn "interest" on that original answer, even though I've contributed nothing of substance to it since then. (IMO, it should become harder for people to earn reputation from answers they've already given over time.) Ultimately, I view the reputation count as something of a quasi-meaningless metric that's nevertheless a good resume booster. I like answering questions and helping people, and that's the main reason I use SO.