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Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

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Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#91

Post by jacquesm »

raganwald wrote: post #87
oinksoft wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A more cynical observation is that users with high "karma" point totals earn this by parroting the majority opinion or otherwise treating comment threads as a game.

That's not an observation, it's a conjecture, and one that is fairly baseless. many things operate according to a power law. If karma is like that, a small number of users will end up with a shitload of karma points even if they aren't attempting to game the system. There are many factors that could contribute to a power law for karma distribution. One conjecture is that other users tend to "trust" high-karma users a…

Karma is pretty much directly related to how much time you spend on HN, and not much else.

Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#92

Post by tptacek »

raganwald wrote: post #87
oinksoft wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A more cynical observation is that users with high "karma" point totals earn this by parroting the majority opinion or otherwise treating comment threads as a game.

That's not an observation, it's a conjecture, and one that is fairly baseless. many things operate according to a power law. If karma is like that, a small number of users will end up with a shitload of karma points even if they aren't attempting to game the system. There are many factors that could contribute to a power law for karma distribution. One conjecture is that other users tend to "trust" high-karma users a…

Both conjectures bear out in my experience. A third one:

High-karma users have followers. I've left comments on very old stories in out-of-the-way places and found them voted up. So we accumulate karma faster in part because people are simply more likely to see our posts, because they go out of their way to do so.

Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#94

Post by [deleted] »

jacquesm wrote: post #91
raganwald wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not an observation, it's a conjecture, and one that is fairly baseless. many things operate according to a power law. If karma is like that, a small number of users will end up with a shitload of karma points even if they aren't attempting to game the system. There are many factors that could contribute to a power law for karma distribution. One conjecture is that other users tend to "trust" high-karma users a…

Karma is pretty much directly related to how much time you spend on HN, and not much else.

[deleted]

Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#95

Post by meric »

I remember wanting to contribute, but didn't after finding out he was the co-founder of a successful startup.

I also remember, half a year ago, looking at his comment history that seemingly appeared as if he was fine, thinking "How is this guy taking it? If it was me I am not sure I'll be able to handle the pressure".

I realise now he was only human, like us, and everyone needs other's support in their darkest times, but it's too late.

Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#96

Post by justin66 »

baak wrote: post #43
kyro wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Something particularly bugs me about edw519's comments in the thread you linked to and the recent one about the tragedy -- http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5047571 . It's an odd contrast.

Why is that a contrast? He didn't support what Aaron allegedly did, so he should be happy that Aaron is dead?

> Why is that a contrast?

I'm honestly baffled by this question. He didn't just not support what Aaron did, he treated him badly when he requested help and discouraged others from helping. ("man up?" it's difficult to be more contemptuous in so few words.)

After reading that original post I wouldn't have called this newer post a contrast. I would have just assumed that his "OH NO" post was an expression of sarcasm from a very, very mean person. I am happy to assume that others are correct and that this probably isn't the case, but still, the contrast is very clear.

Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#98

Post by Alex3917 »

jacquesm wrote: post #18

Here is the HN thread from back then. Some of it makes for pretty uncomfortable reading right now. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4529484

If that makes you uncomfortable then wait until you see this thread:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=79982

"Is Aaron Swartz the Paris Hilton of Web 2.0?"

Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#99

Post by MartinCron »

NZ_Matt wrote: post #46
jacquesm wrote: post #18

Here is the HN thread from back then. Some of it makes for pretty uncomfortable reading right now. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4529484

God dam I hate the term "man up", it really is a hugely degrading phrase. If someone is having a hard time and asks for the help the worst thing you can do is tell them to "man up" or "get over it".

I would also add "lighten up" and "stop taking things so seriously" to the list of hugely degrading phrases.

Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#100

Post by [deleted] »

jspthrowaway2 wrote: post #51
oinksoft wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A more cynical observation is that users with high "karma" point totals earn this by parroting the majority opinion or otherwise treating comment threads as a game.

Some users get upvoted fairly quickly by username alone, too. Think pg, edw519, patio11, tptacek; I've noticed comments from them will have upvotes in seconds, regardless of content. It's just name recognition, for better or worse. pg could probably leave a comment saying only "This is a comment." and get a hundred points of karma off it. (I'd pay him to try.) So, to an outside observer, you might suggest that these…

[deleted]
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