I too have seen a big decline in this forum (compared to other forums) since I have been a member.

How did some (not all) of the professionals learn in the first place? Haven't you (the professional) EVER looked at some example source code and learned from it? Never once in your life? Everyone has to start somewhere.

I DO NOT agree with giving someone completed, working code. HOWEVER, I believe that code samples are a very good way to learn, especially common library functions. The forums are all about helping others. (not necessarily giving handouts)

Jumping on someone immediately when they ask for help is NOT HELPING, and can be very discouraging especially to a beginner or a student.

I have seen some very arrogant responses from (you know who you are). Most of the time the poster asking for help has spent days or maybe even weeks on something and as a last resort came here to ask for some help only to be rudely shut down by (you know who you are).

There is a polite way to say "I don't want to help" or maybe just say nothing at all?

Another response is "have you searched google?"
Usually the person would already have exhausted all of the possibilities before asking for help. So why jump on them? There is a POLITE way to say FU**-**F!

Sometimes posting a link for information can save the poster days of searching through thousands of pages to find something even close to what they are looking for.This will not HURT YOU to post a link with information. The internet is a big place and sometimes overwhelming to the younger inexperienced user.

Bottom LINE:
Everyone was a beginner at one thing or another in their lifetime. Just try an remember those days before you jump on someone. After all, most of the "gimme code" posters are young adults who don't have experience at life, much less complicated microcontroller programming.

I hope I don't get rudely bashed now that I voiced my opinion!