Get most StackOverflow rep by avoiding difficult questions

Posted by normalocity on Monday October 28, 2013 @03:28PM
from the self-post dept.

I really shouldn't be surprised...programmers are lazy, they say.

If you look at my top-voted answers, they all seem like things where someone either doesn't understand a basic concept, doesn't read available documentation, or hits an error message and drops it directly into Google without considering the issue on their own. It's an interesting phenomenon, and I wonder if it's a observation for other users. I have really simple questions that still get me 1-2 upvotes a month for years after the answer was provided.

If the answer also happens to be for a popular language/framework/n00b problem, then all the better.

Ex: http://stackoverflow.com/users/249543/jefflunt

If this is common, then it would seem a reasonable strategy to just look for easy questions and answer them quickly - if the only reason you're on SO is to play the reputation game, that is.

This supports my general view that, if you want a decent chance at running a business that will have a large client base, simply take a problem that is very common, but not very difficult (maybe trivial) to solve for an experienced person, and sell an automated solution to the masses.

( 6 comments | 6 points | on HN )

Re:Get most StackOverflow rep by avoiding difficult questions by criswell on Monday October 28, 2013 @07:49PM (#6630688)

The more effort I put into an answer on StackOverflow the less I get back. This question for example drives me crazy (http://stackoverflow.com/questions/18885347/is-there-an-imag...): I have no idea why it was upvoted 6 times in 48 views and no clue why my answer was upvoted 9 times. I wonder if there's like some network of people who upvote thing to give people a lot of reputation points?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Get most StackOverflow rep by avoiding difficult questions by wikwocket on Tuesday October 29, 2013 @12:56AM (#6632110)

I do not understand the rhyme or reason behind why people vote some answers but not others, but I always upvote questions I have also had, and answers that solve my problem. It's possible the post you link hits some magic combination of commonly-searched-for terms used by some of the zillions of programmers each day, many of whom have SO accounts.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Get most StackOverflow rep by avoiding difficult questions by michaelstewart on Monday October 28, 2013 @06:35PM (#6630324)

Interesting. The downside of solving trivial problems is that the barrier to entry for your competitors will also be trivial.

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Re:Get most StackOverflow rep by avoiding difficult questions by anywherenotes on Tuesday October 29, 2013 @09:00AM (#6633695)

Most people face simple issues. And when they look for answers, they find stackoverflow and upvote the answer.

When a really tough question comes up, it probably effects only a few people, so only few people will upvote. I'm assuming 'tough problem' comes up only because something new and unusual is being attempted.

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Re:Get most StackOverflow rep by avoiding difficult questions by jlengrand on Tuesday October 29, 2013 @03:45AM (#6632513)

Add to that the fact that If you already have a lot of rep, and answers the same exact thing as other people, OP will tend to validate you instead of the first guy thats posts :).

It happened to me in several occasions. And this is one of the reasons I tend to avoid answering questions now.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Get most StackOverflow rep by avoiding difficult questions by helpermethod on Tuesday October 29, 2013 @03:47AM (#6632517)

Same here. Got 9k rep by mostly answering basic Java questions.

[ Parent | on HN ]