Dear Jason,
    I would be nice if what you have written above were true--and it sometimes
is. However, speaking from personal experience, not everyone acts as you would.
Just a few days ago, I was called "lazy" by a regular on this NG simply because I
screwed up and asked for one of the experts here to clarify a weights & measures
question. (Mostly, I'm amazed by the awesome insight into my personality this person
was able to divine on the basis of one simple question!)
    Rest assured, if this pharmacist--at least I think he is a pharmacist--had asked
me to give him a technical explanation in microscopic detail of the complete layout
of a television broadcast facility (my area of expertise) I would have happily done
so rather than snottily tell him to look it up on the web.
    This does illustrate an interesting point: The anonymity afforded by the internet
allows people so inclined to treat others in a manner they wouldn't have the guts
to do face to face.
    I am eagerly awaiting some up-and-coming mental health professional to investigate
and elucidate this phenomenon.

Hank