3 ms·

Ask HN: Is there a place to discuss “meta” relating to HN comments?

I'm relatively new to HN comments and just noticed for the first time that one of my comments has down votes. I'm curious why it was down voted and would love to hear from people why they downvoted (note I don't care about the score. I understand that people may disagree and I don't take any offense. I'm just curious.) I considered asking in reply to my comment with the typical "why the down votes?" But that seemed a little off topic for the overall thread. I'm not trying to ask about a specific case. I'm just curious if there is a meta discussion somewhere.

brudgers 9y ago
Looking at one of your downvoted comments, I'd reciommend reading the guidelines. The healthiest thing to do is to treat downvotes as feedback on how your audience as a writer responds to your writing as a writer. This can help anyone improve their writing. Part of what makes Hacker News Hacker News is the way it differs from other places on the internet. Good luck.
- matt_the_bass 9y ago
  Thanks. Yes feedback is always welcome. I was just hoping to get some more quantitave discussions beyond up/down. Is there a particular particular the guidelines you are referring to? I didn't comment in the downvoted thread per: "Please don't comment about the voting on comments. It never does any good, and it makes boring reading."
  - brudgers 9y ago
    My memory may be wrong, but I think the guidelines once said something about comments like "This!" and "+1" and not to sign them with your name. If it did and the guidelines have been changed it is perhaps because those things have become less of an issue over the years...or I am just imagining things. Anyway, comments like "This!" and such will tend to attract downvotes because they add nothing to the conversation...if it's "This!" use the up arrow. That's the way the community operates. As for meta-discussions, they are generally less intellectually interesting than what gets submitted. Popular meta-discussions occur from time to time, but it limiting them helps keep Hack News from focusing inward and backward (in time) too much. [Edit: Per the Wayback Machine, it looks like I am probably wrong about the guidelines including don't do "This!" and "+1". I guess it has just been an unwritten rule of the community.]
    - matt_the_bass 9y ago
      Thanks for the thorough follow up.

brudgers 9y ago

Looking at one of your downvoted comments, I'd reciommend reading the guidelines. The healthiest thing to do is to treat downvotes as feedback on how your audience as a writer responds to your writing as a writer. This can help anyone improve their writing. Part of what makes Hacker News Hacker News is the way it differs from other places on the internet. Good luck.

matt_the_bass 9y ago
Thanks. Yes feedback is always welcome. I was just hoping to get some more quantitave discussions beyond up/down. Is there a particular particular the guidelines you are referring to? I didn't comment in the downvoted thread per: "Please don't comment about the voting on comments. It never does any good, and it makes boring reading."
- brudgers 9y ago
  My memory may be wrong, but I think the guidelines once said something about comments like "This!" and "+1" and not to sign them with your name. If it did and the guidelines have been changed it is perhaps because those things have become less of an issue over the years...or I am just imagining things. Anyway, comments like "This!" and such will tend to attract downvotes because they add nothing to the conversation...if it's "This!" use the up arrow. That's the way the community operates. As for meta-discussions, they are generally less intellectually interesting than what gets submitted. Popular meta-discussions occur from time to time, but it limiting them helps keep Hack News from focusing inward and backward (in time) too much. [Edit: Per the Wayback Machine, it looks like I am probably wrong about the guidelines including don't do "This!" and "+1". I guess it has just been an unwritten rule of the community.]
  - matt_the_bass 9y ago
    Thanks for the thorough follow up.