There is nothing wrong in needing SO. I totally agree with the article that the initial source of documentation should not be SO though. Want to learn somethin

There is nothing wrong in needing SO. I totally agree with the article that the initial source of documentation should not be SO though. Want to learn something? Yeah, then SO is not the starting place. Grab the tool, read the docs, browse the forums, engage with the community. But sometimes there is no forums, or they are almost dead. Sometimes you want to know how other people are using that tool. Sometimes you don't find the answer to your question in the tool's forums and sometimes you got into trouble and can't figure out the issue by yourself. Even sometimes you've come up with a wonderful solution and that solution might actually be a mess but you haven't found out yet. SO is an awesome and thrilling community that can help in all the above situations. So, in my opinion there is nothing wrong in using it to validate what you are doing or to find a solution to that annoying issue you are having or to simply help others. But yes, not really the starting point for learning something in my opinion. I don't think that is its intent either.