Removing greetings and thanks is commonly done on SO, this wasn't a single user deciding that. This custom is a bit weird if you first encounter it, the main id

Removing greetings and thanks is commonly done on SO, this wasn't a single user deciding that. This custom is a bit weird if you first encounter it, the main idea is that the questions should be put into a format that is most useful to later visitors and to maximize the signal to noise. The comparison back then was to finding your problem in a forum via a search engine and then having to go through the entire thread to see if there are any answers. Editing other people's questions to remove parts that are not necessary can seem hostile, but that is not the intent behind this rule.