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Just an observation over many years - in years past, kids and adults who were interested in something "unusual" (like pet snakes) had to read up on them in reference books, or in magazines. Chances are, no one around knew anything about the subject for an in-person discussion.
When the internet came along, we kind of treated it the same way, and used forums, etc. as a great source of conversation but also as a reference, keeping archives of valuable information so that people could easily look something up for themselves. Perhaps because we were used to dealing with reference books and continued with that as a model of how to store information.
But I think we've come to the point that people today don't really have to think in those terms any more, since the internet can just instantly give you an answer to your question about your obscure interest at any time. You have a snake question? Just ask it. They "should" tell you the answer right away!
Perhaps this is why we meet resistance when we point out search features, sticky sections, and links to Amazon for the best corn snake books.
Completely different from growing up feeling alone in your interests with no one to ask, and a need to seek out library books and write snail mail letters for information.
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