> There was also a general lack of compassion on the part of many, many users.

Well put. This is what I've experienced with most of the stackoverflow communities. It WAS definitely better previously.

But I'm experiencing some trouble asking questions in certain tags where moderators are easily closing down or downvoting the question. Even I saw the person who answered my question replied in the thread that he/she doesn't understand why is it getting downvoted. People just don't stay on point. Neither do they refrain from their cocksure way of replying.

What the author says about the scope of the question is not there with answers or comments.