[berkes]

> So you end up having to write a defensive argument about your problem rather than just plainly asking your real question.

My experience is that it's not so much a defensive argument, but context. My example was poor in that it could be misread as a defensive argument, sorry about that.

I meant it to show how adding some context changes the question. Because, in programming, it is all about context. AKA that "It Depends" meme.