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A proposal for improving HN : it should cost a user Karma to post

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Re: A proposal for improving HN : it should cost a user Karma to post

#61

Post by danso »

shin_lao wrote: post #12

The downward spiral feeling comes from after reading HN for a while, you start to reread the same articles and same comments. It does not mean HN gets worse and worse, it means you extract less and less value.

I thought the negative perception was due to the effect of nostalgia for old times, but this is an even better explanation. Everything is exciting and more stimulating at first, that's how the brain works. Of course after a few years, that feeling of freshness is going to be lessened, even if the actual overall quality is better.

Re: A proposal for improving HN : it should cost a user Karma to post

#62

Post by sageikosa »

I often make comments specifically not intending them to be discussed. Some of those might be interpreted by some as sniping a discussion board, but I don't see this as a discussion board, but a comment board with replies.

And I take some pride in being able to condense my thoughts and get my point across without detracting.

Re: A proposal for improving HN : it should cost a user Karma to post

#63

Post by ed209 »

DanEdge wrote: post #26
ed209 wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do care about karma. I care because it's a measure of whether what I say is agreeable or disagreeable. It's not about fitting in or following the herd, but if I say something that loses me karma I want to understand why. Maybe I'll end up with the same opinion anyway or maybe it teaches me to think more before I talk. Mostly, karma helps me reflect on my opinions and question those opinions. The only thing I would…

The only thing I would do with HN is to _force people to comment when they downvote_ How do you prevent a: 'Downvoted for being moronic->No, you are' kind of thread?

You mean in a situation where a comment is out of order, abusive, or some other obviously bad comment?

I guess if comments were forced on downvotes, let's say "I downvoted you for being a moron" than instead of leaving your own version of "you're a moron" you could add your weight to the first downvote-comment.

So like downvoting with a comment, but kind of adding your weighting to someone elses downvote for the same reason.

Re: A proposal for improving HN : it should cost a user Karma to post

#64

Post by sausagefeet »

ilamont wrote: post #50
Jyaif wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

off-topic: I though it was called _Hacker_ News because it used to be a hacking oriented board. Apparently it has always been for entrepreneurs, so where does the name come from?

If you read Jessica Livingston's "Founders At Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days" published around the same Hacker News came into being, the connection will become clearer. The founders interviewed in the book were (mostly) hackers who created notable products and companies -- it's their stories of how they became entrepreneurs.

This usage of the term predates even that. http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html#what_is

Re: A proposal for improving HN : it should cost a user Karma to post

#65

Post by irishcoffee »

hackinthebochs wrote: post #47
brudgers wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The original definition of "hacker" before it entered the media.

But its the media's interpretation that made it popular and widespread, which is the only reason any of us care to "take it back". Seems rather ironic to me.

Only people who have some hipster-like affinity for the term I think.

"A rose by any other name..."

Re: A proposal for improving HN : it should cost a user Karma to post

#67

Post by forgottenpaswrd »

Oh, this is the European approach to startups versus Americans:

Make it super difficult to create your company(or post a comment) so only good companies will be created(or good quality comments posted). Right?

In the real wold if you make risk threshold too high, new people do not enter because of fear. That is the reason most of the tech startups in the world are Americans.

In Europe investors will require you to have a degree, if so they will ask you for your experience, if so they will ask you for your business plan, if so they will ask you for market research for your b.plan, if so they will ask you for profits you already have, if so...why the hell I need you if I already have all that?.

Re: A proposal for improving HN : it should cost a user Karma to post

#70

Post by sumone4life »

Interesting idea. Instead of simply saying people can't post if their karma is too low you could take the users total Karma relative to 0 and add a sorting feature filter that sorts based that. Only problem is new people would get buried pretty quickly and it may feel like they are trying to get someone's attention from across the room while in the middle of a pack of screaming monkeys. Adding a sort by "new" feature could help new users get their voice heard and voted up or down accordingly. Just a thought.
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