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Ask HN: Why Do You Downvote?

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Ask HN: Why Do You Downvote?

#1
I have been curious about how other people parse their way through HN. I think new accounts can't even downvote. It is common to see people ask about the downvotes even though the second last rule on the guideline [0] says not to question it.

I try to not downvote to disagree. I downvote misinformation, statements that are egressive towards a person and not the point they are making, responses that say "This.".

[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Re: Ask HN: Why Do You Downvote?

#4
I view downvotes as an incomplete feature. If you disagree with some content -- because it is misinformation, or useless, or maybe you just disagree with the argument -- you should be able to explain what's wrong with it. I would much rather have a system where a downvote required a reason, so instead of a downvote it would be more like a comment which can also -1 / 0 / +1 the karma of the parent.

Re: Ask HN: Why Do You Downvote?

#5
I concur with all the points you already mentioned and will add "stray too far off-topic into bikeshedding".

It only takes a handful of comments to go from meaningful discussions about the article to talking about vim vs. emacs etc.

Re: Ask HN: Why Do You Downvote?

#6
I downvote comments that I think are bad. Comments that are useless, unhelpful, non-constructive, etc.

For example, a few from the ruby post that was on the front page recently:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23990533

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23995632

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23991570

Re: Ask HN: Why Do You Downvote?

#8
post #4

I view downvotes as an incomplete feature. If you disagree with some content -- because it is misinformation, or useless, or maybe you just disagree with the argument -- you should be able to explain what's wrong with it. I would much rather have a system where a downvote required a reason, so instead of a downvote it would be more like a comment which can also -1 / 0 / +1 the karma of the parent.

That post that blew up about Apple keeping their 30% cut after a refund was 100% made up. It was, sorry to say, "fake news". But my comment got downvoted. You idiots here on HN would rather read "news" that agrees with your already held opinions, that is why the downvote button is here, so idiots don't have to think too much.

Re: Ask HN: Why Do You Downvote?

#9
A lot of times I decide not to contribute because I am afraid of being downvoted into the abysss, usually all it takes, is one reply to interpret my own comment wrongly or assuming things I don't specificy. Then the HN readers will read my comment and the disagreeing reply. At this point, I get downvoted (or upvoted) based on the interpretation of my comment by the reply.

So if I don't spend 20minutes making sure my reply is perfect, I will get downvoted.

Let's see if I get downvoted here too, as I wrote this on the go without checking all my facts.

Re: Ask HN: Why Do You Downvote?

#10
post #4

I view downvotes as an incomplete feature. If you disagree with some content -- because it is misinformation, or useless, or maybe you just disagree with the argument -- you should be able to explain what's wrong with it. I would much rather have a system where a downvote required a reason, so instead of a downvote it would be more like a comment which can also -1 / 0 / +1 the karma of the parent.

That post that blew up about Apple keeping their 30% cut after a refund was 100% made up. It was, sorry to say, "fake news". But my comment got downvoted. You idiots here on HN would rather read "news" that agrees with your already held opinions, that is why the downvote button is here, so idiots don't have to think too much.

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