[erydo]

This is true on a micro, per-interaction scale. On a macro scale, it can be more beneficial in the long run for people's egos to be hurt when they're wrong. For someone like Torvalds, the macro scale of interaction matters a lot.

You're basically supporting the "everyone's a winner" mindset. Sure, on a micro scale, tell the kid they were a winner for participating, guide them, and for that particular interaction everyone comes out ahead. On the macro scale, it's better to feel the sting of being wrong so you can learn from it.