Ever since the Cataclysm fiasco, when WoW started losing subs, my realm has become emptier and emptier. I started playing in WotLK, and remember how nice the gaming experience was when the trade chat was bursting with people buying, selling, filling pugs, and even trolling. There used to be enough people for Mammoth trains in Dalaran, people making words and entire messages using Fish Feasts, and main cities bringing powerful PCs to their knees through the sheer number of character models present.
(I know there were many reasons for the WoW sub loss, and not just Cata).
Now, my server is emptier than ever, and this has caused a dramatic change in my attitude towards newbie players since the old days. Today, I treasure new players like a hungry dog treasures a juicy steak. If by any chance a non-experienced player needs help with something and I somehow find out, I do my best to help them out in any way I can. I am a treasure trove (or at least consider myself so) of valuable information on so many aspects of the game. Lore, Raiding, maximizing your character, Professions, Auction House money-making secrets, and all of these I give for free to a newbie player.
Just the other day someone asked me how was I able to craft so much gear with my Blacksmith and I was like "hey you're a new player right?", and he was. So I immediately started telling him everything he needed to know about gearing up and why crafting is by far the worst option. I offered him an invite to my level 25 bank guild if he needed leveling perks and free repairs while he got an active main guild. I even give newbies my battle tag just in case they wanna add me to ask me about anything at all. I see the newbies of today as the pros of tomorrow. Fresh blood coming in that may just as well bring their friends to the game so that every day WoW sucks a little less because of the availability of more players.
That is my view and treatment of new players. How do you treat newbies? What is your attitude toward them?