[groby_b]

The main question, if you really were to judge something like quality, is why older devs answer more questions.

Is it your assumption that they are just more invested in educating others, or is it e.g. because they have a broader range of experience and can answer more/more difficult questions.

As it is, this data set is merely an interesting conversation starter. I hope somebody takes it and does some research on it, because it sure could be interesting

[5teev]

It's probably the former. Older people--developers included--can enter a phase of "generativity" wherein they seek to give something back to the world in which they've prospered by helping following generations.

See "Generativity vs. Stagnation" in this list of Erickon's Psychosocial Stages of Development:

http://www.psychpage.com/learning/library/person/erikson.htm...

[reinhardt]

The cynic view: they may have more time on their hands to was^C^C^Cspend on StackOverflow.

[groby_b]

Even if I subscribed to the cynical viewpoint - how come they do have that time? The snooty old dev in me counters the cynic with "Because we get stuff done" ;)

So, still, lots of room for a more detailed look.

Edit: The reply is of course tongue-in-check. The second reply to the GP seems to provide a better explanation.