<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Possible Duplicates:</strong><br>
  <a href="http://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/10092/why-do-you-help-in-stackoverflow">Why do you help in stackoverflow? </a><br>
  <a href="http://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/18888/why-do-you-post-to-stack-overflow">Why do you post to stack overflow?</a>  </p>
</blockquote>

<p>Is answering questions on SO good for you? Why do people do it?</p>

<ul>
<li>to feel smart?</li>
<li>to build up karma, so that when they ask questions, they feel like they have earned it?</li>
<li>to pass the time during <code>make</code> or <code>sudo make install</code>?</li>
<li>to learn new things?</li>
</ul>