HN comments are underrated
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HN comments are underrated
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Re: HN comments are underrated
#2The first and second paragraphs seem to contradict each other.
Comments (and previously blogs, but not so much anymore) can have more insight than news articles because they're based on first hand experience. Journalists don't have that, and the organization they work for often has problematic incentives which they push onto the writer.
HN comments are indeed very terse, to the point of being unfriendly. It bothered me at first but now I'm used to the style and sort of like it.
Re: HN comments are underrated
#3HN comments are full of naive political opinion, groupthink, and a tendency to blind optimism on all things technology or new. Often older ways have merit too.
It's also probably the only place left on the net where, from comments, I'll find out rapidly, and bluntly with citations, when I'm wrong (and, yes I'm often wrong on the Internet!), usually learn something new on the topic, and sometimes talk with the guy who invented it. My ADHD brain loves the depth that side topics can get explored and being surrounded by people far cleverer than me.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
Re: HN comments are underrated
#4HN comments are full of naive political opinion, groupthink, and a tendency to blind optimism on all things technology or new. Often older ways have merit too. It's also probably the only place left on the net where, from comments, I'll find out rapidly, and bluntly with citations, when I'm wrong (and, yes I'm often wrong on the Internet!), usually learn something new on the topic, and sometimes talk with the guy who…
> blind optimism on all things technology or new. Often older ways have merit too.
I've seen plenty of "if it ain't broke don't fix it" in the comments and complaints about engineers always trying to use the newest technology.
Re: HN comments are underrated
#5HN comments are full of naive political opinion, groupthink, and a tendency to blind optimism on all things technology or new. Often older ways have merit too. It's also probably the only place left on the net where, from comments, I'll find out rapidly, and bluntly with citations, when I'm wrong (and, yes I'm often wrong on the Internet!), usually learn something new on the topic, and sometimes talk with the guy who…
> blind optimism on all things technology or new. Often older ways have merit too. I've seen plenty of "if it ain't broke don't fix it" in the comments and complaints about engineers always trying to use the newest technology.
Yes, using any tool or language that came out after the commenter started programming is "hipster".
And you see a lot of xkcd 927 and "I can't help thinking effort would have been better spent on an existing project" when someone writes any program of any type where other examples exist.
Re: HN comments are underrated
#6Especially mine.
The wealth of technical knowledge available here is incredible, there's nothing else like it. Thanks guys!
Re: HN comments are underrated
#7I follow many people on twitter who dislike HN. Reason for this is opinions here are alsmost entirely from white males with money.
Re: HN comments are underrated
#8HN comments need a vertical bar on the left side to indicate indent level. i find it hard to skim conversations in narrow screens.
Re: HN comments are underrated
#9The first and second paragraphs seem to contradict each other. Comments (and previously blogs, but not so much anymore) can have more insight than news articles because they're based on first hand experience. Journalists don't have that, and the organization they work for often has problematic incentives which they push onto the writer. HN comments are indeed very terse, to the point of being unfriendly. It bothered…
I'm guessing the author tried to convey a stereotype about the comments in the first paragraph. Then tried to debunk that stereotype in the rest of the post.
There definitely could of been a sentence or two to help transition between the two as it felt odd to me as well.
Re: HN comments are underrated
#10I prefer cynicism over unthoughtful, inconsequential comments that floods several discussion forums that I have come across. "Nice article", "Great write-up" and the next thing you know, you have created a place where people are only interested in submitting their articles and getting it upvoted rather than make meaningful contributions.
People want to make good contributions here and that's something that differentiates HN from other news aggregators.