When someone new asks a fairly common question, we point them towards other nodes and/or the search functions. We often remind people asking questions to post their code.

We are asking them to help us help them and helping them get the most out of the site.

In this instance a question was asked and answered. rscott212 provided more detail that helped you help him. You provided additional information that (a) will help him get more out of the site, (b) has very rarely, if ever, been requested in a question node, and (c) would have been very difficult to research.

We help each other. It's what we do. I have yet to see another community that does it so well.

I actually thought a lot about this one driving home from work.

When dealing with others, we learn to adjust our responses as necessary. We learn each other's "quirks" and change our behavior as necessary. This process takes longer in an on-line forum because we do not have all of the cues that allow us to identify which quirks to compensate for.

The best we can do, whether asking or answering, is help.