> **Possible Duplicates:**  
> [Why do you help in stackoverflow? ](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/10092/why-do-you-help-in-stackoverflow)  
> [Why do you post to stack overflow?](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/18888/why-do-you-post-to-stack-overflow)  


Is answering questions on SO good for you? Why do people do it?

 - to feel smart?
 - to build up karma, so that when they ask questions, they feel like they have earned it?
 - to pass the time during `make` or `sudo make install`?
 - to learn new things?