[thomastjeffery]

Questions are silos.

StackOverflow users are constantly complaining about duplicate questions. The real problem is that the onus for better question asking is placed on the asker, who is only really motivated and prepared to express their confusion.

The whole reason most questions are asked is because the asker isn't familiar enough with the problem domain to find the answer. That also means they aren't familiar enough with the problem domain to find a duplicate/related question.

It's much easier for question answerers to find duplicate and related discussion. Instead of antagonizing the asker by closing their post as "pointless discussion that has already happened", answerers should be continuing discussion with the asker.

Every StackOverflow question (duplicate or not) provides two opportunities:

1. Answering the question.

2. Finding what information to better advertise so that confusion can be avoided in there future.

[Jorengarenar]

> That also means they aren't familiar enough with the problem domain to find a duplicate/related question.

It would be a valid point if only the answer wasn't so often the first result after pasting the title of their post into search engine.

[thomastjeffery]

Often times this is when the asker is failing to articulate a similar question.

Even in those cases, it's still just as easy to merge/reference the other question as it is to antagonize the asker.

The point is that it's advantageous for everyone involved to help an asker ask a question instead of berating them for their inadequacy. After all, inadequacy is a key attribute of people with questions.