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> Disclaimer: I am a neurologist > {informed comments} A little off-topic but I see this so often I feel like I should mention this at some point: I think yo

> Disclaimer: I am a neurologist > {informed comments} A little off-topic but I see this so often I feel like I should mention this at some point: I think you mean "disclosure" and not "disclaimer" (and most likely it's best if both are omitted and you just mention you're a neurologist). "Disclaimer" means refusing to accept responsibility, which doesn't make sense when it's a preface to what looks like a comment based on expertise. If, on the other hand, you're really trying to say that you're refusing any responsibility for what you say, then the disclaimer should probably be something more along the lines of "I'm NOT {a qualified lawyer/neurosurgeon/whatever}", and not "I AM {a qualified whatever}".

Mz 9y ago
Eh, my read on it was sort of "Sorry for being such a wet blanket, BUT..." It is kind of a polite apology that indicates "I know people here are excited, but as someone in the know, I don't think it is exciting. And I don't really mean to be a party pooper, but y'all need to calm down, because this is not that exciting. Seriously." Lots of talented people get used to being hated on for being more knowledgeable than other people. It often fosters verbal ticks to cope with the social and emotional BS.
dang 9y ago
We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14813211 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14813211 and marked it off-topic.
- wfunction 9y ago
  What does it mean when you say you marked it as off topic? I don't see any such notes even in incognito, I'm not sure what it means.
  - dang 9y ago
    "Marked as off-topic" means tagged as off-topic in HN's software, which causes it to fall in rank on the page.
    - wfunction 9y ago
      Oh I see, cool, thanks! Edit: I couldn't even post this because I've been supposedly "posting too fast" when I've only had ~5 comments in the last day. Are you causing/influencing/related to this in some way? I had never seen this happen before but ever since our last conversation I have seen it happen twice, both when you have been around the thread.
      - dang 9y ago
        Moderators sometimes rate limit accounts that post too many unsubstantive or off-topic comments too quickly and/or get involved in flamewars. You've posted a ton of comments that match that description lately. That includes this subthread—the site guidelines specifically ask you not to post this kind of thing. Others include https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14792835 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14792835 and https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14793511 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14793511. Rate limiting is a crude tool, but it's one of the few mechanisms we have to try to prevent discussion quality from degrading. If you limit yourself for a while to comments that are substantive, not flamewars, and not generically off-topic, email us at hn@ycombinator.com and we'll be happy to remove the rate limit.
        wfunction 9y ago
        ...Wow. Both of those comments were direct responses to the topic and your second example in fact had 8 upvotes and others who supported it as well. I suppose in addition you'd naturally hope for me to assume this was a totally unbiased decision not at all associated with the fact that I had recently criticized your treatment of another user immediately beforehand publicly, right? I was so happy I'd found a moderator who really seemed to want to treat people well and equally, and instead what I'm seeing now is a moderator who instead turns around and actively follows his critics to stab them in the back silently. Never mind the normal process of giving them a warning or some other signal that you think there might be anything wrong with their behavior at all. And I'm sure you're going to claim this was a totally independent decision and not anything revenge-like on your part, which I'm supposed to again believe despite so much direct evidence to the contrary, and I'm sure you cannot comprehend how someone with good intentions could possibly think otherwise. Like you've said yourself before -- it's not like the dynamics aren't well-known. Shame on me and my naiveté for thinking HN mods would be able to take some criticism and treat a critic like a normal user instead of looking for a way to stealthily get e-revenge at the guy who gave it. Edit: Regarding "this subthread" also being off topic, which I just noticed -- I didn't recall that rule, so my bad on that. Now that I've already written this, though: like I said before regarding your moderation of the previous user: I would've expected a warning or some other kind of moderation that's like a normal treatment. Not a silent stab like this, especially given the surrounding context. It's extremely hard to view things generously when you moderate things you disagree with so harshly and unusually.

Mz 9y ago

Eh, my read on it was sort of "Sorry for being such a wet blanket, BUT..." It is kind of a polite apology that indicates "I know people here are excited, but as someone in the know, I don't think it is exciting. And I don't really mean to be a party pooper, but y'all need to calm down, because this is not that exciting. Seriously." Lots of talented people get used to being hated on for being more knowledgeable than other people. It often fosters verbal ticks to cope with the social and emotional BS.

dang 9y ago

We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14813211 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14813211 and marked it off-topic.

wfunction 9y ago
What does it mean when you say you marked it as off topic? I don't see any such notes even in incognito, I'm not sure what it means.
- dang 9y ago
  "Marked as off-topic" means tagged as off-topic in HN's software, which causes it to fall in rank on the page.
  - wfunction 9y ago
    Oh I see, cool, thanks! Edit: I couldn't even post this because I've been supposedly "posting too fast" when I've only had ~5 comments in the last day. Are you causing/influencing/related to this in some way? I had never seen this happen before but ever since our last conversation I have seen it happen twice, both when you have been around the thread.
    - dang 9y ago
      Moderators sometimes rate limit accounts that post too many unsubstantive or off-topic comments too quickly and/or get involved in flamewars. You've posted a ton of comments that match that description lately. That includes this subthread—the site guidelines specifically ask you not to post this kind of thing. Others include https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14792835 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14792835 and https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14793511 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14793511. Rate limiting is a crude tool, but it's one of the few mechanisms we have to try to prevent discussion quality from degrading. If you limit yourself for a while to comments that are substantive, not flamewars, and not generically off-topic, email us at hn@ycombinator.com and we'll be happy to remove the rate limit.
      - wfunction 9y ago
        ...Wow. Both of those comments were direct responses to the topic and your second example in fact had 8 upvotes and others who supported it as well. I suppose in addition you'd naturally hope for me to assume this was a totally unbiased decision not at all associated with the fact that I had recently criticized your treatment of another user immediately beforehand publicly, right? I was so happy I'd found a moderator who really seemed to want to treat people well and equally, and instead what I'm seeing now is a moderator who instead turns around and actively follows his critics to stab them in the back silently. Never mind the normal process of giving them a warning or some other signal that you think there might be anything wrong with their behavior at all. And I'm sure you're going to claim this was a totally independent decision and not anything revenge-like on your part, which I'm supposed to again believe despite so much direct evidence to the contrary, and I'm sure you cannot comprehend how someone with good intentions could possibly think otherwise. Like you've said yourself before -- it's not like the dynamics aren't well-known. Shame on me and my naiveté for thinking HN mods would be able to take some criticism and treat a critic like a normal user instead of looking for a way to stealthily get e-revenge at the guy who gave it. Edit: Regarding "this subthread" also being off topic, which I just noticed -- I didn't recall that rule, so my bad on that. Now that I've already written this, though: like I said before regarding your moderation of the previous user: I would've expected a warning or some other kind of moderation that's like a normal treatment. Not a silent stab like this, especially given the surrounding context. It's extremely hard to view things generously when you moderate things you disagree with so harshly and unusually.