I agree with your statement of fact, but not your conclusion :)
Those kinds of people are pretty much just a different interface into a knowledge base. Once you get past the off-putting nature of their responses, I've found that IRC has a higher proportion of correct answers to complex problems.
I was using the context of "living in IRC" versus just going in to ask a question.
People who sit in the same channel all day watching moderators and regulars abuse and mock people that ask questions, just makes me not want to be there.
Unfortunately every large channel on libera operates this way and they get REALLY pissed off if it's ever brought up.
Those kinds of people are pretty much just a different interface into a knowledge base. Once you get past the off-putting nature of their responses, I've found that IRC has a higher proportion of correct answers to complex problems.