> People are there to voluntarily give help. They also get loads of really stupid questions and venting does help with keeping them providing help.
Ha, imagine hearing this about volunteers at a hospice. SO boards are infinitely less important, but volunteers shouldn't be losing their calm at the same people they're helping
If you must vent, vent privately to a friend. If you can't help but vent back to the person asking the question, then please stop answering questions, because you aren't helping.
If you're a seasoned veteran here to answer my stupid question and the cost of answering my stupid question is to condescend then PLEASE KEEP WALKING. I do not want your help.
I disagree with your assertion that the QA community would be worse off if these types of people stopped answering questions. If a person cannot provide a helpful response to a question without being condescending or rude, then I personally think the QA community would be better off if that person reduces the 'help' they are providing.
Very few people have knowledge that is so rare and difficult to obtain that others should endure discouragement (or plain unpleasantness) in order to receive the benefit of their help. And, in my experience, the people who do have that sort of specialized knowledge are often some of the most helpful.
People are there to voluntarily give help. They also get loads of really stupid questions and venting does help with keeping them providing help.
If your goal is to reduce help, then be my quest.