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Ask HN: Would an HN comment length minimum improve quality?

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Re: Ask HN: Would an HN comment length minimum improve quality?

#13
I used to participate in a forum with a ten character minimum. For a time, I was one of the mods. I and other people figured out how to make a shorter reply and add invisible filler to get around it. Since most of the people doing it were moderators, some folks thought it was a mod privilege (to use fewer characters -- they didn't realize the hack). Other members would just add visible filler, like the phrase "10 char".

It seems pretty dumb to me.

Re: Ask HN: Would an HN comment length minimum improve quality?

#15
post #9

No. Banning the single word comment "This." or any close variation thereof would improve quality, though.

Haha. In my HN profile I have had an open call for a valuable comment that starts with "This." for a little while now. To date nobody has brought a useful comment to my attention, but that is most likely due to how many people check out my hn profile...

Re: Ask HN: Would an HN comment length minimum improve quality?

#16
post #15
post #9

No. Banning the single word comment "This." or any close variation thereof would improve quality, though.

Haha. In my HN profile I have had an open call for a valuable comment that starts with "This." for a little while now. To date nobody has brought a useful comment to my attention, but that is most likely due to how many people check out my hn profile...

I remember reading this when I read your profile when trying to figure out who you are :)
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