That's exactly the point Tex, and well put...
The perfect example is a question "How do I boot from my SD card?"

There are about (at least) 3 complete How-to's; all different approaches and yet all functional ways to do this. So when I come across this question I have 3 choices:
1) Explain, all over again, all the steps involved in booting. (Sorry.. I don't have the time - or the patience)
2) Do the search the asker should have done first, find the post, copy the link, and give it to him (thus; throwing him the fish; I can only do this so many times before I get bored - and eventually annoyed.)
3) Tell the asker the answer is out there.. he just need to search for it. (easy for me; and provides him direction).

Thus.. many people choose option 3.. we keep our sanity - user at least knows his answer is lurking around here somewhere.. he/she just need find it.

Tablet Scene is built around options 1 or 2.. that's just not my scene . And I know I'm not the only one. I also know this is unfair for new guys - but at the same time... I (we) can't be fixing everyone else's problem, and our own, and still have anything productive for US get done.

And hell.. last I checked - the glass was damn near evaporated .