5 ms·

I don't understand, why are people downvoting comments like yours without any explanation for those without the background on this :\

Raphmedia 11y ago
I have no idea. I posted my comment because the title baited me into clicking it because I was under the impression that those planes were so bad they required a full reboot. His answer seems valid to me.
- barkingcat 11y ago
  It was a reading comprehension error. You're making the same mistake in reading if you think pc86's answer is valid.
  - Raphmedia 11y ago
    Is it? English is not my main language. I must not be alone that have read this the way I did because my initial comment was upvoted a lot. If the radar's bug required to reboot the entire plane, how would you write it without being redondant? "F-35 radar system has bug that requires hard reboot of the F-35 in flight"?
    - barkingcat 11y ago
      The comprehension error in question is not that it requires a reboot, but that the reboot is a "4-hour reboot". The article indicated a reboot every 4 hours, not a reboot that lasts 4 hours. That's the only error in question - and that's why it was downvoted. There's no question that the radar needs a reboot, but to say it's a 4-hour reboot is factually wrong and inflammatory based on an incorrect assumption.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
Sharlin 11y ago
Because it was a simple reading comprehension fail, not specifically related to the subject at hand.
- solipsism 11y ago
  If downvotes only affected the specific comment, that would make complete sense, but they also affect karma. I guess it's not irrational to punish people who consistently misunderstand things, but is that a purposeful decision or an unfortunate byproduct of the karma system?
  - hackuser 11y ago
    The idea isn't to punish people, IMHO, but to improve content for others reading the conversation. That comment doesn't contribute to the conversation, and in fact it confuses it, so it gets downvoted to where few will read it. Voting is about the readers, not the commenters. Personally, other than for determining specific capabilities such as downvoting, I think tracking karma per user does little good. Karma per comment - a bit of feedback on your comment - is useful.
  - barkingcat 11y ago
    it does punish people who consistently post opinions based on wrong information, and do not edit themselves, but that's a side effect. If the poster didn't want to be downvoted, they should read and think about the topic before posting. In general, HN is pretty good at not downvoting for dissenting opinions, but the group does downvote heavily for wrong info or posts that are inflammatory based on the wrong facts.
- Demiurge 11y ago
  I realized that after the other comment. So, to me, at least, t's better to just explain the error, regardless of how banal it is.
kelvin0 11y ago
Unfortunately this happens to create lots of frustration on the part on newcomers to HN. Karma is King, so you can be downvoted by the Elite, you should check the HN guidelines.
barkingcat 11y ago
reading comprehension error on the part of the poster.

Raphmedia 11y ago

I have no idea. I posted my comment because the title baited me into clicking it because I was under the impression that those planes were so bad they required a full reboot. His answer seems valid to me.

barkingcat 11y ago
It was a reading comprehension error. You're making the same mistake in reading if you think pc86's answer is valid.
- Raphmedia 11y ago
  Is it? English is not my main language. I must not be alone that have read this the way I did because my initial comment was upvoted a lot. If the radar's bug required to reboot the entire plane, how would you write it without being redondant? "F-35 radar system has bug that requires hard reboot of the F-35 in flight"?
  - barkingcat 11y ago
    The comprehension error in question is not that it requires a reboot, but that the reboot is a "4-hour reboot". The article indicated a reboot every 4 hours, not a reboot that lasts 4 hours. That's the only error in question - and that's why it was downvoted. There's no question that the radar needs a reboot, but to say it's a 4-hour reboot is factually wrong and inflammatory based on an incorrect assumption.
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]

Sharlin 11y ago

Because it was a simple reading comprehension fail, not specifically related to the subject at hand.

solipsism 11y ago
If downvotes only affected the specific comment, that would make complete sense, but they also affect karma. I guess it's not irrational to punish people who consistently misunderstand things, but is that a purposeful decision or an unfortunate byproduct of the karma system?
- hackuser 11y ago
  The idea isn't to punish people, IMHO, but to improve content for others reading the conversation. That comment doesn't contribute to the conversation, and in fact it confuses it, so it gets downvoted to where few will read it. Voting is about the readers, not the commenters. Personally, other than for determining specific capabilities such as downvoting, I think tracking karma per user does little good. Karma per comment - a bit of feedback on your comment - is useful.
- barkingcat 11y ago
  it does punish people who consistently post opinions based on wrong information, and do not edit themselves, but that's a side effect. If the poster didn't want to be downvoted, they should read and think about the topic before posting. In general, HN is pretty good at not downvoting for dissenting opinions, but the group does downvote heavily for wrong info or posts that are inflammatory based on the wrong facts.
Demiurge 11y ago
I realized that after the other comment. So, to me, at least, t's better to just explain the error, regardless of how banal it is.

kelvin0 11y ago

Unfortunately this happens to create lots of frustration on the part on newcomers to HN. Karma is King, so you can be downvoted by the Elite, you should check the HN guidelines.

barkingcat 11y ago

reading comprehension error on the part of the poster.