Stack Overflow Addiction
Until recently I have been, for lack of a better work, selfish in my use of Stack Overflow. I asked many questions, but but gave few answers. I was a good citizen in that I at least searched for answers before I posted a new question. If i did post an answer, It was usually in response to my own questions.
For the past few weeks, my routine has been quite the opposite. I answer as many questions as time allows. To better keep up on the latest questions, I keep a RSS feed of Stack Overflow tags “iPhone” and “iPhone SDK” in Safari’s bookmark bar.
I was reluctant to answer questions because of my (perceived) lack of knowledge. I have since discovered that I am able to help much more often than I thought. It feels good to contribute to the community that has helped me so much.
Even better, answering questions helps me more than asking them. Thinking through the problems of others allows me evaluate my skill set and identify any non-obvious holes in my knowledge.
I highly encourage everyone to get involved in the community. Even if you’re a beginner, you will find you know more than you think. It will only help you improve your problem solving skills and make a few friends in the process.
Tags: iPhone, stackoverflow
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May 31st, 2009 at 11:34 pm
“I was reluctant to answer questions because of my (perceived) lack of knowledge.”
That’s pretty much the stage at which I am now. It’s that whole “don’t want to answer wrong and look stupid in front of the class” instinct. I need to get over it an become a better member of the community.
June 1st, 2009 at 4:05 am
@john It was difficult for me at first, but now it is pretty routine. The hard part is just getting in there and just doing it (as with most things in life).
I started on mostly easy questions, which probably helped. Now, I usually look for interesting questions that maybe I can “figure out”.