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How did it happen that Stack Overflow became a place for opportunists?

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I'm interested in the history and evolution of the Stack Overflow community to make some expectations on the future of it.

I've used Stack Overflow a lot, for years, hundredfold googling for specific programming questions landed here over my career.

After I had switched from 'read-only' to 'contributor' mode, I could not get rid of the feeling that Stack Overflow (being the primary landing of the Stack Exchange network) is overwhelmed by thousands of opportunists, on two sides:

  • Some are looking for quick and easy solutions to obvious problems, too lazy to Google it, let alone to read the manual;
  • Lots on the other side take it as a challenge to write some answer, in pursuit of reputation points.

Both are looking for fast and easy profit: an ad hoc solution for a momentary problem, and self-esteem, correspondingly.

Thereafter some really challenging and useful questions and answers are sunk within the flood of repetitive newbies posts.

I can and I do understand the reasons why it happens; the world evolving, and my shifting in the direction of an old fart.

Was it like this a few (3-5-7) years ago? (I doubt it.) When and why did things become the way they are now. Is it just the world and Internet evolving, or something else?

Have Stack Exchange administrators advanced somehow to prevent or support this over the years? Are the old-timers aware of some actions made by Stack Exchange Inc. to prevent or develop the issues mentioned (like changing permission reputation points limits, simplifying registration, denying community enforcement of question restrictions, et cetera);

What are reasonable and realistic options to handle it or live with it? How did these mentioned issues affect the community, and what are their perspectives?

While few interesting links worth reading on the subject were suggested, my question is more of retrospective and time-aware kind. Not about how to fix or resolve it, being a realist. I'm not a total dummy, so please do not post any obvious and trivial notes.


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