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My girlfriend tries to explain my startup in 90 seconds

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Re: My girlfriend tries to explain my startup in 90 seconds

#31

Post by zalzane »

tgrass wrote: post #25
zalzane wrote: post #24

It looks like either reddit has discovered HN, or someone figured out that injecting "girlfriend" into article titles garners loads of votes for reasons beyond my comprehension. It's pretty pathetic how effective of a baiting tactic it is, in terms of both title and content. This is the second time this week that I've seen a submission hit HN's frontpage that used their girlfriend to snatch votes, I seriously hope it…

Downvote for unnecessarily derogatory language.

How is it unnecessary? Someone is using their female significant other's gender to promote their product.

Just having his girlfriend make a video explaining his startup wouldn't be an issue - but having her make that video, then submitting an article that "hey, here's my GIRLFRIEND explaining my startup" makes it off as sex appeal.

Since sexism in gaming is a hot thing topic right now, imagine if Spike TV was to advertise that a program that discussed videogames, and that they advertised as being hosted by a "woman", no names, just "hosted by a woman". That's pretty much what this submission is doing.

Re: My girlfriend tries to explain my startup in 90 seconds

#32

Post by kaoD »

unalone wrote: post #6
revelation wrote: post #3

I guess it's reasonably useful for mockups, but you can not seriously design a website (or any UI) with absolute sizes.

Of course you can. Don't be daft. There are plenty of advantages to relative sizing, and in general it's a good policy, but there are many excellently-designed web sites whose sizes are absolute – just as there are many shit designs that're responsive as hell.

Eveytime I open a website with absolute sizes I want to cry. Most of my monitors have either crappy or too big resolutions.

Re: My girlfriend tries to explain my startup in 90 seconds

#33

Post by tgrass »

zalzane wrote: post #31
tgrass wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Downvote for unnecessarily derogatory language.

How is it unnecessary? Someone is using their female significant other's gender to promote their product. Just having his girlfriend make a video explaining his startup wouldn't be an issue - but having her make that video, then submitting an article that "hey, here's my GIRLFRIEND explaining my startup" makes it off as sex appeal. Since sexism in gaming is a hot thing topic right now, imagine if Spike TV was to adve…

"Whore" is inappropriate.

Re: My girlfriend tries to explain my startup in 90 seconds

#34

Post by prg318 »

darkxanthos wrote: post #20
petercooper wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's "my girlfriend" and "My boyfriend" I wonder if it's just safer in the tech online social scene nowadays to avoid gender and say things like "my partner" to avoid gender related trouble. A curious contrast against how we'd speak in regular life. Related: http://tomayko.com/writings/rest-to-my-wife

The problem with partner on HN is it makes me think co-founder or the like. :-\

SO (Significant Other) is solid gender neutral verbiage IMHO

Re: My girlfriend tries to explain my startup in 90 seconds

#35

Post by ntumlin »

tgrass wrote: post #33
zalzane wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is it unnecessary? Someone is using their female significant other's gender to promote their product. Just having his girlfriend make a video explaining his startup wouldn't be an issue - but having her make that video, then submitting an article that "hey, here's my GIRLFRIEND explaining my startup" makes it off as sex appeal. Since sexism in gaming is a hot thing topic right now, imagine if Spike TV was to adve…

"Whore" is inappropriate.

"Karma/Vote whoring" is a pretty common term for someone who is doing something immoral/dumb just to get upvotes.

Re: My girlfriend tries to explain my startup in 90 seconds

#36

Post by tgrass »

tgrass wrote: post #33
zalzane wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is it unnecessary? Someone is using their female significant other's gender to promote their product. Just having his girlfriend make a video explaining his startup wouldn't be an issue - but having her make that video, then submitting an article that "hey, here's my GIRLFRIEND explaining my startup" makes it off as sex appeal. Since sexism in gaming is a hot thing topic right now, imagine if Spike TV was to adve…

"Whore" is inappropriate.

@ntumlin: when the issue is explicitly gender based and is referring to "using one's girlfriend"...there is a great deal of baggage that comes with the word whether the writer intends it or not.

Re: My girlfriend tries to explain my startup in 90 seconds

#37

Post by Tyrant505 »

cheez wrote: post #19
pbiggar wrote: post #13

Something about this rubs me slightly wrong. I think it's "my girlfriend" and "My boyfriend" and "I know very little about programming, but I do know that his startup is awesome". I don't know the words to describe it, but it feels like a weird gender-in-CS thing. Anyone know more technical terms for this?

The guy has a girlfriend and he obviously had a conversation with her where he was too afraid to put it on HN. She took the initiative, as a good woman should do, and did an excellent job demonstrating the tool. So I would say the more technical term for your feeling is: nonsensical.

Hahaha, Thank you. I think we get a little too "technical" sometimes.

Re: My girlfriend tries to explain my startup in 90 seconds

#38

Post by hello_newman »

I understand what others are saying about a possible "gimmick" by using the "my girlfriend" line to get people to click on it. Although that may be true, and they could be pulling a fast one, I think we are all being too cynical.

Hacker News is supposed to be a community of like minded people sharing their interests with others who enjoy the same thing. I think it is really cute that she did this for her boyfriend. She didn't have to do this, but she either likes him so much, or likes the product so much, that she wanted to help him make it successful.

I don't see how there is anything wrong with that, and if it is on the front page, then others must agree as well.

Re: My girlfriend tries to explain my startup in 90 seconds

#39

Post by bksenior »

larrys wrote: post #26
cheez wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The guy has a girlfriend and he obviously had a conversation with her where he was too afraid to put it on HN. She took the initiative, as a good woman should do, and did an excellent job demonstrating the tool. So I would say the more technical term for your feeling is: nonsensical.

"where he was too afraid to put it on HN" Hard to believe he was "afraid". More likely simply a gimmick to make it stand out (not implying negative by use of that word). Besides I don't get this: "My boyfriend Mark is way too much of a perfectionist to post his startup on HN" He posted his startup on HN that is "marknadal" posted the link to his girlfriends video. And what does being a perfectionist have to do with t…

Fine. gimmick or not. Give the guy credit for creating a good launch narrative in a sea of "Check out my start-up" posts. This is clever marketing, the conversation doesn't have to go much further.

Re: My girlfriend tries to explain my startup in 90 seconds

#40

Post by tgrass »

zalzane wrote: post #24

It looks like either reddit has discovered HN, or someone figured out that injecting "girlfriend" into article titles garners loads of votes for reasons beyond my comprehension. It's pretty pathetic how effective of a baiting tactic it is, in terms of both title and content. This is the second time this week that I've seen a submission hit HN's frontpage that used their girlfriend to snatch votes, I seriously hope it…

Thanks for the edit, zalzane.
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