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Some of us (where "us"="me") come to the HN comments first, because they load very quickly and can help us decide whether to read the article at all. Especially

Some of us (where "us"="me") come to the HN comments first, because they load very quickly and can help us decide whether to read the article at all. Especially since many of the headlines are pretty opaque due to reuse of ordinary words in computing contexts.

Max_Mustermann 9y ago
that's your prerogative, but why pollute the comments on the article with such questions?
lisper 9y ago
You are of course free to approach HN any way you want. But if you choose not to read the article and end up asking a stupid question as a result you should not be surprised when you get called out for asking a stupid question. The signal to noise ratio here is extraordinarily high in no small measure because people are expected to do their homework. You may not realize it, but I'm doing you and lucb1e a favor by telling you this. Many people will just quietly write you off as a hopeless dweeb if you expose your laziness in this way. Some people go their whole lives wondering why no one takes them seriously because no one ever gave them a dope slap.
- mixmastamyk 9y ago
  This whole boring thread could be avoided by providing a tiny bit of context in the title.
  - lisper 9y ago
    Or by reading the article. Good grief, what's the matter with kids today?
    - mixmastamyk 9y ago
      Title comes before reading. How's that workin' for you, the acting like an ass part?
      - MichaelGG 9y ago
        Please don't talk like this on HN.
      - dang 9y ago
        Personal attacks will get you banned here. Please post civilly and substantively or not at all. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newswelcome.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newswelcome.html
        mixmastamyk 9y ago
        You might like to read over the rest of the thread.
        dang 9y ago
        I believe I did? But you have to follow the rules regardless of how badly someone else broke them or whether they started it. I know how annoying that is. But it always feels like the other person started it and did worse, so if we don't approach the problem this way, it's a downward spiral for the lot of us.
        edmccard 9y ago
        >it always feels like the other person started it In this case, the other person said "Many people will just quietly write you off as a hopeless dweeb if you expose your laziness in this way." Is that not a personal attack because it's hidden behind one layer of indirection? >if we don't approach the problem this way, it's a downward spiral I get that it's not easy moderating a site like this when there's only two of you to do the job, but once you've shown up in the thread, is it that much more work to call out everyone involved instead of just picking the last nasty comment?
        lisper 9y ago
        > Is that not a personal attack No, it isn't. That "layer of indirection" changes it from a personal attack to a statement of fact. It's a lesson that I had to learn the hard way, and I said it because I wish someone had said it to me back in the day. If someone had, it would have saved me a lot of pain. But now I understand why no one did. I will certainly never make the mistake of trying to offer this advice on HN again.
- ygaf 9y ago
  Perfectly put. I rarely read submissions myself but I refrain from asking about them.
- lucb1e 9y ago
  > You may not realize it, but I'm doing you and lucb1e a favor by telling you this. I read the article before commenting, but a simple first name doesn't tell me anything so I asked. I find the way you wrote that condescending so let me do you a favor by telling you, have a care what assumptions you make.

Max_Mustermann 9y ago

that's your prerogative, but why pollute the comments on the article with such questions?

lisper 9y ago

You are of course free to approach HN any way you want. But if you choose not to read the article and end up asking a stupid question as a result you should not be surprised when you get called out for asking a stupid question. The signal to noise ratio here is extraordinarily high in no small measure because people are expected to do their homework. You may not realize it, but I'm doing you and lucb1e a favor by telling you this. Many people will just quietly write you off as a hopeless dweeb if you expose your laziness in this way. Some people go their whole lives wondering why no one takes them seriously because no one ever gave them a dope slap.

mixmastamyk 9y ago
This whole boring thread could be avoided by providing a tiny bit of context in the title.
- lisper 9y ago
  Or by reading the article. Good grief, what's the matter with kids today?
  - mixmastamyk 9y ago
    Title comes before reading. How's that workin' for you, the acting like an ass part?
    - MichaelGG 9y ago
      Please don't talk like this on HN.
    - dang 9y ago
      Personal attacks will get you banned here. Please post civilly and substantively or not at all. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newswelcome.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newswelcome.html
      - mixmastamyk 9y ago
        You might like to read over the rest of the thread.
        dang 9y ago
        I believe I did? But you have to follow the rules regardless of how badly someone else broke them or whether they started it. I know how annoying that is. But it always feels like the other person started it and did worse, so if we don't approach the problem this way, it's a downward spiral for the lot of us.
        edmccard 9y ago
        >it always feels like the other person started it In this case, the other person said "Many people will just quietly write you off as a hopeless dweeb if you expose your laziness in this way." Is that not a personal attack because it's hidden behind one layer of indirection? >if we don't approach the problem this way, it's a downward spiral I get that it's not easy moderating a site like this when there's only two of you to do the job, but once you've shown up in the thread, is it that much more work to call out everyone involved instead of just picking the last nasty comment?
        lisper 9y ago
        > Is that not a personal attack No, it isn't. That "layer of indirection" changes it from a personal attack to a statement of fact. It's a lesson that I had to learn the hard way, and I said it because I wish someone had said it to me back in the day. If someone had, it would have saved me a lot of pain. But now I understand why no one did. I will certainly never make the mistake of trying to offer this advice on HN again.
ygaf 9y ago
Perfectly put. I rarely read submissions myself but I refrain from asking about them.
lucb1e 9y ago
> You may not realize it, but I'm doing you and lucb1e a favor by telling you this. I read the article before commenting, but a simple first name doesn't tell me anything so I asked. I find the way you wrote that condescending so let me do you a favor by telling you, have a care what assumptions you make.