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Ask PG: Why is everybody hellbanned?

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81–90 of 139 posts

Re: Ask PG: Why is everybody hellbanned?

#81
post #39

Anyone notice how if you reverse the letters PG and prepend it with K for karma, you get the KGP?

That's true! Also, if you reverse your username, add a graphic "1" to the first letter and add 2 and 3 to the next two (don't forget to wraparound!), you get "duck". You can't fool me, mallard!

Re: Ask PG: Why is everybody hellbanned?

#82
post #59
post #7

I submitted a link a few days ago about a possible IE 0-day in the wild and it immediately became "[dead]". It's the first submission I've ever made and I haven't, AFAIK, broken any HN rules since I finally created my account (after years of lurking). On a related note, you will be hellbanned if you create an HN account over Tor (even if you "don't do anything wrong"). Considering the recent NSA revelations, I think…

Don't feel bad, almost half my posts get killed immediately because somebody doesn't think news about Android, and the sites that report positive things about the OS, should be on HN, but I can submit Daring Fireball and Apple Insider news all day.

I've noticed this too, though it's never happened to me (probably because I've been around for a while and don't even try it anymore). You can post any link to Daring Fireball, no matter how random or irrelevant—even if it's just recycled news with a sliver of Gruber commentary—and it will probably get karma. But no Android in-depth breakdowns, reviews, or nerdery. That is seemingly not permitted.

Re: Ask PG: Why is everybody hellbanned?

#83
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For how long have you run a popular discussion web site, and what measures do you take to reduce the increased snarkiness in extended exchanges? I'd love to hear how you solve the problem.

I can't speak for that user, but I ran a forum from around 1997 to 2008 (directly involved until 2005). Interventions helped. This only works with moderators who aren't narcissistic, megalomaniacal and/or sociopathic (marginally or beyond). When snark got to be irritating, we would issue a written warning privately. If that went ignored, we'd revoke posting privileges for a day or two (sometimes longer if it's a bad…

> Interventions helped. This only works with moderators who aren't narcissistic, megalomaniacal and/or sociopathic

Unfortunately, the Internet, startups, programming, and social media attract all seem to attract narcissistic, megalomaniacal and/or sociopathic types.

Re: Ask PG: Why is everybody hellbanned?

#84
post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tell me about it! I edit my posts probably 3-5 times after making them to remove spelling mistakes, correct grammar, and make whatever changes are needed (quickly after posting). This seems to trigger the slowdown after the second or third edit. I also got hellband a year or two ago for submitting either a few links that made it to front-page - but then were flagged by people for political reasons, or posting a negat…

Jacobian (of Django fame) has also been banned for speaking out against sexism. There must be some moderators/admins with axes to grind. I mean, it's friggin' Jacobian, for Pete's sake.

Side note: jacobian's djangobook.com is languishing and needs help. The latest commit message was a grim "Add more explicit warnings about the status of the book". See the current index.rst: https://github.com/jacobian/djangobook.com/blob/master/index...

Re: Ask PG: Why is everybody hellbanned?

#85
post #62

An example: First alpha release of Python 3.4 is out (python.org) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6155423 It probably linked to [1], but all we can tell is that it was something at python.org. The post was by plessthanpt05, an HN user for about two years with 838 karma. All of his/her posts from the past year or so are dead (about 60 of them). They don't appear to be a bot. Python 3.4.0a1 isn't something that wo…

Well, that user also posted over 60 links in the last year, while never receiving a single upvote or comment. I'm not sure why a flesh-and-blood user would still be posting after that.

Maybe hellbanning adds random upvotes to deceive the poster even further?

Re: Ask PG: Why is everybody hellbanned?

#86
post #18
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd upvote you, but I'm pretty sure that's a banning.

The algorithms have no parameters for mercy.

That reminds of the Dwarf Fortress motto 'Losing is Fun', only that it is also inevitable! The algos will eventually win...

Re: Ask PG: Why is everybody hellbanned?

#87
There now seems to be a subset of Internet denizens who are invested in a culture of pattern-matching and parroting snarky self-righteous knee-jerk reactions. Even more disturbing, is that many of these people have been indoctrinated to believe that this is "clever" somehow, even though it involves nothing more sophisticated than ELIZA.

Going around thinking you're superior because you're connected is just as shallow online as it was for country clubs.

Please actually process ideas if you comment on HN.

Re: Ask PG: Why is everybody hellbanned?

#88
post #82
post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't feel bad, almost half my posts get killed immediately because somebody doesn't think news about Android, and the sites that report positive things about the OS, should be on HN, but I can submit Daring Fireball and Apple Insider news all day.

I've noticed this too, though it's never happened to me (probably because I've been around for a while and don't even try it anymore). You can post any link to Daring Fireball, no matter how random or irrelevant—even if it's just recycled news with a sliver of Gruber commentary—and it will probably get karma. But no Android in-depth breakdowns, reviews, or nerdery. That is seemingly not permitted.

Try submitting something positive about Microsoft, but the negative posts will quickly make it to the top.

I'm starting to think it's well deserved.

Re: Ask PG: Why is everybody hellbanned?

#89
post #62

An example: First alpha release of Python 3.4 is out (python.org) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6155423 It probably linked to [1], but all we can tell is that it was something at python.org. The post was by plessthanpt05, an HN user for about two years with 838 karma. All of his/her posts from the past year or so are dead (about 60 of them). They don't appear to be a bot. Python 3.4.0a1 isn't something that wo…

Well, that user also posted over 60 links in the last year, while never receiving a single upvote or comment. I'm not sure why a flesh-and-blood user would still be posting after that.

I posted here for a year after getting hellbanned before realizing. It happens.

Re: Ask PG: Why is everybody hellbanned?

#90
post #82
post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't feel bad, almost half my posts get killed immediately because somebody doesn't think news about Android, and the sites that report positive things about the OS, should be on HN, but I can submit Daring Fireball and Apple Insider news all day.

I've noticed this too, though it's never happened to me (probably because I've been around for a while and don't even try it anymore). You can post any link to Daring Fireball, no matter how random or irrelevant—even if it's just recycled news with a sliver of Gruber commentary—and it will probably get karma. But no Android in-depth breakdowns, reviews, or nerdery. That is seemingly not permitted.

At this point when I find Android news, I just search google for half a dozen sites carrying the same story and submit them all, sure enough I might get 1 or 2 through the auto-kill filter.
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