I joined after so many Google searches for Access information turned up here. I asked questions I could not find answers for and started reading through the questions that sounded interesting. Doing this I regularly found things I hadn't been aware about.
Then I answered some of the simple ones partly out of wanting to contribute something back, partly so the question would get a quick answer and partly to save the gurus from the trivial questions.
Sometimes I took on more than I really knew. Invariably if I said something less than ideal one of the more experienced members would pick it up and explain best practice which was great for me as well as the memebr who asked the question.
As my own work progressed I found myself being one of the more knowledgeable members in some specialised areas that I had researched intensely for my own needs. By contributing on these subjects I found I could gain further experience with the feedback I got from those who used my suggestions. That would then prompt me to research even more.
I will always look at any questions that involve Active Directory searches, implementing digital signatures or WMI interactions.
There is also an aspect of honing my ability so that I can answer things of the top of my head. It helps keep me fluent in the syntax on things I would otherwise only use very occasionally and either forget exist or have to read up on every time I used them.
So for me it really is as much learning as helping as well as staying sharp on the bigger picture.
I will still shoot a quick answer back on simple things sometimes but now I am more inclined to leave them to the other new members who are going through the same enthusiastic learning phase I did.
And can see why the advanced members appear from nowhere as required to add their expert knowledge. After monitoring the new contributors for a bit I get to know who will be handling particular questions entirely competently and don't even bother to look at what they suggest.
And even now I still learn new techniques from time to time.