Ask HN: (Yet Another) HN Comment Quality Going Down?

#1

Post by smakz » Wed, Mar 17, 2010, 7:08 AM UTC

I know I know, another thread about comment quality - seems like we have these on a quarterly basis.

But it really does seem bad lately. A lot of up votes for reddit-style one liner zingers. Thoughtful discussion hard to navigate. I find myself losing interest a little bit in the comments section lately, but the submissions at least seem all on target.

I'm wondering does anyone else notice a similar slip in comment quality lately? Is this inevitable? Is there a desire amongst the community to turn it around? Is it just me?

Re: Ask HN: (Yet Another) HN Comment Quality Going Down?

#2

Post by ableal » Wed, Mar 17, 2010, 10:33 AM UTC

Two suggestions: make votes cost (e.g. 1/10 point); put a threshold also on upvoting (e.g. 10 or 20 points).

Eroding over time (e.g. 1 pt/day) probably would also be beneficial.

Re: Ask HN: (Yet Another) HN Comment Quality Going Down?

#3

Post by jacquesm » Wed, Mar 17, 2010, 1:36 PM UTC

edw519 already noted once that it is cyclic, and that the cycles have their 'lows' when YC has their application round, we're in the midst of that.

Re: Ask HN: (Yet Another) HN Comment Quality Going Down?

#4

Post by csomar » Wed, Mar 17, 2010, 1:53 PM UTC

ableal wrote: post #2

Two suggestions: make votes cost (e.g. 1/10 point); put a threshold also on upvoting (e.g. 10 or 20 points). Eroding over time (e.g. 1 pt/day) probably would also be beneficial.

I think threshold are useless in HN, since submission Karma and Comment Karma are mixed. Send two good stories that you steal from Reddit or track a popular blog and you'll get 100+ points quickly.

Re: Ask HN: (Yet Another) HN Comment Quality Going Down?

#5

Post by benwalther » Wed, Mar 17, 2010, 2:02 PM UTC

It's my fault and people like me.

Reddit's quality has been dipping significantly lately (there's been 3-5 front page self posts on "are you smart but too lazy to do anything with it?") and so people like me are subscribing to HN again to get that 'old reddit' feel.

Keep the focus on immediate actionable steps rather than armchair pontificating and you'll drive off the non-constructive layabouts.

Re: Ask HN: (Yet Another) HN Comment Quality Going Down?

#6

Post by adrianwaj » Wed, Mar 17, 2010, 3:59 PM UTC

It'd be fairly straightforward for a browser plugin to hide according to a threshold (+ some rules). eg 1 point comments have to be more than 1 hour old to hit the threshold.