The saddest thing of all (I think there's some XKCD referencing this) is when you have a technical problem like this and you find some post from a year or two years ago exactly describing the problem. And there's no reply.
Empathy isn't the word. It's feeling like you're trapped on a deserted island in a vast empty sea - suddenly realizing that there's another S.O.B. who's been right next to you the whole time and also knowing that neither of you has the faintest idea how to get off the island.
I swore that this one was about the finding only person who had the same issue but who then had posted 'fixed it' soon after. That's even worse, it's like being stuck on the island and watching the S.O.B. walk on water into the distance.
Empathy isn't the word. It's feeling like you're trapped on a deserted island in a vast empty sea - suddenly realizing that there's another S.O.B. who's been right next to you the whole time and also knowing that neither of you has the faintest idea how to get off the island.