Below is a screenshot of what I see when I land on Stack Overflow. Bear in mind this is after I have to prove that I am a human.
So no wonder articles such as /stack-overflow-is-almost-dead/ are being written. It all comes down to user experience. Stack Overflow no longer has a good user experience. When I land on the page I want to see the answer to the question I clicked. But instead I have to legitimise myself, then click away a cookie banner, and another banner asking if I want to log in with Google. What an awful experience.
People say that AI sites such as ChatGPT are replacing stack overflow... No. Those sites just offer a nicer user experience. I type a question I get an answer. Stack overflow could work the same way. In fact it used to. But instead they now have an awful bloated UI and some weird social credit system on display.
Are you a Robot?
No, I' just want my question answered.
Are you sure you are not a Robot?
No! I jsut want to search something... and also I still don't want to sign in with google.
Future?
The Redmonk language rankings are now considering removing Stack Overflow from their ranking system, stating.
the arrival of AI has had a significant and accelerating impact on Stack Overflow, which comprises one half of the data used to both plot and rank languages twice a year... Still to be determined on our end is whether Stack Overflow should continue to be used.
While yes I agree that the use of agentic AI is accelerating Stack Overflow's demise. I do not agree with the sentiment that it is the cause. Poor user experience is the cause. Simply put Stack Overflow is not a nice site to use anymore. Therefore I don't use it. If Stack Overflow got rid of all the bloat and nonsense in their UI, then yes, I would use it again. But that's not going to happen. Because there will be a meeting of middle managers who will justify all the awful user experience descisions and simply blame the passing of time and emergence of AI on their own failings. Maybe they will add another pop up asking if you have a minute to tell them how they could improve? that sounds like a great idea.
Stack Overflow, killed Stack Overflow. Such is the way of tech. To start off useful and full of promise, only to be dragged down by middle management over time. Also google sucks now too, and that was my main gateway into Stack Overflow. But hey, I can't solve the world's problems, jsut complain about them.
Also can you tell I dislike middle management?