Ask HN: Down-voted comments • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Down-voted comments

#11

Post by petercooper » Sat, Jul 17, 2010, 4:46 PM UTC

Jake541 wrote: post #5

mikecane wrote: post #3

I don't worry about my comments getting down-voted. It has happened and I figure, Eh, screw you for not getting it. Just ignore it and move on.

The problem with ignoring it is that HN turns into Reddit. It's good to stay mindful of why we're here.

People say that as if Reddit is bad or undesireable. IME, Reddit's discussions are usually pretty good, as long as you're in a sub-Reddit that lends itself to good discussions (e.g. "programming") and not "wtf" or "pics" or something where stupidity is guaranteed and desired.

Re: Ask HN: Down-voted comments

#12

Post by anatoly » Sat, Jul 17, 2010, 4:46 PM UTC

Jake541 wrote: post #5

mikecane wrote: post #3

I don't worry about my comments getting down-voted. It has happened and I figure, Eh, screw you for not getting it. Just ignore it and move on.

The problem with ignoring it is that HN turns into Reddit. It's good to stay mindful of why we're here.

"Why are you here, soldier?" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHY8NKj3RKs

Re: Ask HN: Down-voted comments

#13

Post by ihodes » Sat, Jul 17, 2010, 4:53 PM UTC

Ardit20 wrote: post #7

I think perhaps the place has become too big and certain common assumptions or implied conventions, etc, are not as widely understood or known any longer. Thus, people down-vote for whatever reason they wish. Perhaps PG should write down some guidelines in regards to comments. Also, why can we not down-vote stories?

http://ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html -< your guide, from PG himself.

Re: Ask HN: Down-voted comments

#14

Post by mikecane » Sat, Jul 17, 2010, 4:55 PM UTC

Jake541 wrote: post #5

mikecane wrote: post #3

I don't worry about my comments getting down-voted. It has happened and I figure, Eh, screw you for not getting it. Just ignore it and move on.

The problem with ignoring it is that HN turns into Reddit. It's good to stay mindful of why we're here.

No, the problem with replying to a downvote is that it's no-win. If I state something I know should be -- and is -- obvious based on my own experience and knowledge yet it gets a downvote, how does arguing with an anonymous idiot accomplish anything for me or entice people to keep reading that thread? Better to move on.

Re: Ask HN: Down-voted comments

#15

Post by csallen » Sat, Jul 17, 2010, 4:56 PM UTC

While I'd say it's a rare occurrence, I've definitely noticed an increasing trend of comments being downvoted by people who simply disagree. It happens in some threads more than others... Just try voicing a contrarian opinion in a thread about privacy, for example. It also happens more often in non-startup-related and non-programming-related threads.

I think a solution, if one were to be implemented, would be requiring people to specify why they are downvoting a comment. Or better yet, to choose from a list, as long as it doesn't include "I disagree" as an option. At best, it would prevent irrational downvotes. At worst, it would at least allow people to see why they're being downvoted and learn from it.

Re: Ask HN: Down-voted comments

#16

Post by carbocation » Sat, Jul 17, 2010, 5:04 PM UTC

csallen wrote: post #15

While I'd say it's a rare occurrence, I've definitely noticed an increasing trend of comments being downvoted by people who simply disagree. It happens in some threads more than others... Just try voicing a contrarian opinion in a thread about privacy, for example. It also happens more often in non-startup-related and non-programming-related threads. I think a solution, if one were to be implemented, would be requiri…

I don't know if pg still feels this way since this post is from 881 days ago, but at one point he said the following:

"I think it's ok to use the up and down arrows to express agreement. Obviously the uparrows aren't only for applauding politeness, so it seems reasonable that the downarrows aren't only for booing rudeness." [1]

Of course, the community could decide that, at this point, downvoting for disagreement no longer makes sense. I'm pretty agnostic on the issue.

[1] http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=117171

Re: Ask HN: Down-voted comments

#17

Post by Keyframe » Sat, Jul 17, 2010, 5:04 PM UTC

Eternal September, I don't see any other explanation. Maybe a link to http://ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html should be displayed more prominently.

Also, there are a lot of off-topic submissions that serve no purpose at all. Flagging them helps, but not always. I understand majority of folks here are web oriented crowd. Fine. But do we need a submission every time Apple lets a fart out, or antenna issue PR war - what does that have to do with 'Hacker News'.

Re: Ask HN: Down-voted comments

#18

Post by tman » Sat, Jul 17, 2010, 5:04 PM UTC

There's a little bit of that on HN. Not more than other places. HN is certainly not "Digg."

On the other hand, if you attack the big SWPL shibboleths (human neurological uniformity, homosexuality as mirror-heterosexuality), you tend to get stomped on. I've known hard-core Marxists who are less fanatic about believing what they're supposed to believe about this sort of thing.

I generally assume it's because the worldview of the average HNer is not even a little bit informed by biology. Just look at the uncomprehending awe that your average hacker holds the for the term "neural network" or "genetic algorithm."

Re: Ask HN: Down-voted comments

#19

Post by ugh » Sat, Jul 17, 2010, 5:05 PM UTC

I wouldn’t worry about single downvotes. You will bounce back soon enough.

This place is big enough for there to be some crazies who downvote irrationally. No big deal.

Re: Ask HN: Down-voted comments

#20

Post by jsz0 » Sat, Jul 17, 2010, 5:14 PM UTC

I down vote comments that are rude/disrespectful or attempt to derail good conversation by stating opinions as absolute facts. It's very easy to structure your comments in a way that gives people room to respectfully disagree. That's the art of having a good discussion.