Where can I get away from them

The internet is great - everyone has access

The internet is terrible - everyone has access

When I first started using online systems (some time before the arrival of the internet - but I'm not saying how long) people I met online always seemed so knowledgeable and helpful. As I progressed through my studies, and the internet became available I was getting at least as much out of newsgroups and mailing lists as I put in. But gradually the balance shifted - increasingly I saw people asking dumber and dumber questions. For a brief period Stack Overflow seemed to be the new hope, before it became as bad as anywhere else (although the rating system bolstering my ego still tends to outweigh my disappointment at the quality of the questions nevermind the "answers".

While I'd like to think I know what I'm talking about in the forums I participate in regularly, I don't think I'm any sort uber-guru (yeuch - what a horrible term) but primarily I go there to learn - and I'm not learning anymore.

Of course the same questions come up again and again:

• How do I make this pattern fit this problem?
• Do my Class Assignment for me
• The people I pay for support won't answer the phone any more so I'm posting my question here
• It's broken, I don't know why, but I expect you to fix it

Am I just getting too cynical in my old age? Maybe I'll take up nuclear physics as a hobby so I can go back to being a newbie and asking stupid questions on the internet myself.

C.