and not everyone knows about the automated exit gates at the airport. I have been here for only two months and exited via a border crossing into Cambodia. No automated exit gates here. Maybe they are only at airports, like the OP implied (to use your word). And probably didn't know about the automated exit gates.
the Moderator provided no information and only asked a QUESTION (i.e. "Why...") and did not ANSWER the question (Yes, No).
My reply to the Moderator letting them know a proper actual ANSWER along the lines of 'When leaving the country where you WERE staying isn't important, just that you didn't overstay your visa' actually would have answered the OP's question more so than what they had offered - a question answering a question.
then you're part of the problem. If you consider any of these questions inane then you don't belong here. You don't belong here trying to help people. And that's the entire purpose of this forum, to help people who come here asking questions on things they don't know.
I totally agree. If as a moderator someone can't be respectful to the people that come here asking for help, then maybe they should be rethinking why they are here. 
the entire purpose of this forum is to help people. Help answer their questions. You simply could have said something like 'When leaving the country where you WERE staying isn't important, just that you didn't overstay your visa' or something at that point. Your response just came off as brazen and rude.