Yep. SO wants to be a wiki, but in Q&A format. Its rules are designed not primarily to be a Q&A site, but rather a searchable knowledge base. But the interface

Yep. SO wants to be a wiki, but in Q&A format. Its rules are designed not primarily to be a Q&A site, but rather a searchable knowledge base. But the interface is largely designed around making it look like a Q&A site, and this conflicting purpose causes a lot of the negative interactions (IMO).