I think more helpful people than unhelpful people come here. I remember a friend in grad school who had someone publish an algo he had discovered in the journal issue 1 before his publication, halfway across the world. I think it's kind of like an avalanche, there is some sense to being quiet until you know enough to have a reasonable estimate of the impact of your action. As a rule though, I'd rather see ideas traded here than behind DARPA firewalls.