Live data from Hacker News

Poll: The new HN comment system – agree, disagree, or wait and see?

news.ycombinator.com

21–30 of 157 posts

Re: Poll: The new HN comment system – agree, disagree, or wait and see?

#21
Is it possible to restrict a poll to users with >1000 karma, since they are clearly the ones who will be inheriting both the power and the burden?

edit: additionally, it sounds like they will continue to see all posts to Hacker News (since they will have to endorse the one they approve of) so I'm not sure what they stand to benefit from this change.

Re: Poll: The new HN comment system – agree, disagree, or wait and see?

#22
post #2

I suggest another option: wait to see what it's like.

This is my favorite option. That being said, I think people are especially worried that if it's a bad change, it won't be reverted or tinkered with in a timely manner. HN has a (deserved, I think...) reputation for being unresponsive to user feedback.

Some people might be worried that, if it's a bad change, it won't be reverted because nobody will be able to read their complaints.

This is one of the few cases where the worse a change is, the less of a voice you will have after it happens. I'm not saying it will be bad, but you can see why that would be frightening.

Re: Poll: The new HN comment system – agree, disagree, or wait and see?

#23
post #2

I suggest another option: wait to see what it's like.

Sir, I certainly hope this will not be taken as being overly critical. However the change as I understand it will mean that if a new user writes a single comment that is unpopular or simply gets missed, he will forever be banned from commenting again. This is unworkable because it will mean many people will be banned just by virtue of their comment being missed, or by making a mistake and saying something that isn't appreciated by whatever senior members happen upon it.

Re: Poll: The new HN comment system – agree, disagree, or wait and see?

#24
disagree: I just don't see the problem it's trying to solve. HN doesn't have a fluff problem or a flamewar problem - it happens, but not frequently enough to really be a problem.

The problem with HN's comments is the overwhelming negativity. Anything new, any change to something that already exists, is met with a reaction of fear or anger in the comments. I'd like to see effort go into fixing that problem, rather than wasting effort trying to solve a problem that other forums have and this one doesn't. And yes, I know i'm being part of this problem right now.

Re: Poll: The new HN comment system – agree, disagree, or wait and see?

#25
post #2

I suggest another option: wait to see what it's like.

This is my favorite option. That being said, I think people are especially worried that if it's a bad change, it won't be reverted or tinkered with in a timely manner. HN has a (deserved, I think...) reputation for being unresponsive to user feedback.

While that is true, I think most of the time people think they know what they want, and then when they get what they asked for, it can be fairly shitty.

As I see it, trying something, even for an extended period while it totally fails, means that pg et all want to improve the level of commentary as they have seen it decline, and are taking steps to do what they can to improve it.

I don't think any community has gotten it right so far, and I am willing to surf it out, even if it means my ability to comment is curtailed a bit.

I was first attracted to HN not for the stories, though they are good, but for the extremely good commentary from people who know what they are talking about.

Re: Poll: The new HN comment system – agree, disagree, or wait and see?

#29
post #23
post #2

I suggest another option: wait to see what it's like.

Sir, I certainly hope this will not be taken as being overly critical. However the change as I understand it will mean that if a new user writes a single comment that is unpopular or simply gets missed, he will forever be banned from commenting again. This is unworkable because it will mean many people will be banned just by virtue of their comment being missed, or by making a mistake and saying something that isn't…

That's not entirely so. The user will have the option of deleting his pending comment and submitting something new.

It does mean he can only participate in one discussion at a time, though, provided his comment isn't endorsed immediately.

Re: Poll: The new HN comment system – agree, disagree, or wait and see?

#30
post #23
post #2

I suggest another option: wait to see what it's like.

Sir, I certainly hope this will not be taken as being overly critical. However the change as I understand it will mean that if a new user writes a single comment that is unpopular or simply gets missed, he will forever be banned from commenting again. This is unworkable because it will mean many people will be banned just by virtue of their comment being missed, or by making a mistake and saying something that isn't…

The previous thread said that pending comments will expire after 24 hours of non-acceptance (releasing their lock), and can also be deleted at any time while in the pending state (which also releases the lock.)
Post reply on HN