6 ms·

I find that lobste.rs has a higher rate of "skill" articles. They also don't arbitrarily censor comments, which is nice.

Boulth 8y ago
Yes, but they generally have less comments and most of the comments that they have are from a small number of top users. (Source: I have lobste.rs account and used the site for some time).
Sir_Cmpwn 8y ago
I have to disagree. In my experience the censorship on Lobsters is worse than on HN.
pvg 8y ago
They don't 'arbitrarily censor comments' on HN either. Whoever the 'they' are.
- comesee 8y ago
  'they' here refers to the mods. Should have clarified, I thought it was clear from the context.
  - pvg 8y ago
    The mods especially don't 'arbitrarily censor' comments.
    - comesee 8y ago
      Okay, I think they do. They've censored my comments many times.
      - pvg 8y ago
        They have? Which ones?
      - yesenadam 8y ago
        You said 'arbitrarily censored'. Of course you don't think it was for a good reason. My comments are never downvoted for any good reason. :-) In my limited experience, people develop that evil-conspiracy tone you have by assuming it's what they said that wasn't wanted here, not how they said it, which is usually the problem. I'd like to see examples of that. Well, like is too strong. But provide evidence for your claim please, if you can. P.s. So why on earth are you still here on a forum where your comments have been censored many times?!
        comesee 8y ago
        I'm respectful and polite in this forum. I've been blocked simply for saying things with which some largish group of down voters don't agree. I am trying to leave this site but boredom always pulls me back :) That and I really do like to browse the posts and comment, engage with, and challenge people. Here's one such arbitrarily blocked comment: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17517643 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17517643 You can't read it but I screenshotted it for you. Dang calls me a troll simply for asking him to clarify and tells me to leave the site. "Legalistic Gambit of the troll," as if I'm trying to win some game. All I want is to be treated fairly on this site. It was very hurtful. https://ibb.co/hoSMHK https://ibb.co/hoSMHK
        DoreenMichele 8y ago
        That comment was flagged to death. Members can flag. Blaming the mods suggests that, at best, you don't actually understand how the forum works.
        comesee 8y ago
        Admittedly I'm not an expert on the censorship rules of the site but I was under the impression that the mods had the ability to unflag comments. It was never made clear to me why that comment was flagged or why it was considered "flamebait" and that's why I consider HN's censorship rules arbitrary. There was nothing rude or personally antagonistic or unscientific about that post.
joejerryronnie 8y ago
HN censorship is not arbitrary, it follows a very specific ideology.
- yesenadam 8y ago
  So, could you write more than 1/2 a line about that? Like 1/2 a page? I'd be very interested in reading that. Try to sound calm and restrained; it's how you say it rather than what that mostly gets downvotes, it seems to me. And your comment seems like a throwaway, low-effort, pill of resentment. Edit carefully, make every word count. If you're 'the enemy', (I assume you have fallen victim to the 'specific ideology', not sure if that's right) you have to try so much harder than everyone else just to be heard.
sbuttgereit 8y ago
I agree with the "skill" part of your comment and read it because of that; the other part of your comment I have no knowledge about one way or the other... I know what they claim, I don't know what the practice actually is. However, I find that this "skill" focused quality seems to be degrading over time with lobste.rs. My feeling is that I'm seeing an increasing number of posts moving to the opinion side (politics/culture) and the quality of comments overall seems to be waning a bit too. I'm not saying the these are dramatic shifts, but nonetheless shifting. Perhaps this is inevitable with more and more members. (For the record I do not have a lobste.rs account) I do agree with the parent article here... most of HN is a wasteland of "opinion" stories and comments (much like my comment here). I'm guilty of contributing to this, too... I do my best to not get baited, but sometimes emotion overcomes my reason. However, when there are "skill" oriented stories, the comments here on HN tend to have some outstanding entries, the quality of which I don't see as frequently on lobste.rs. lobste.rs is generally good, but doesn't achieve great as frequently. The challenge of HN is sorting through all the crap... I don't use the HN front page. So far http://hn.elijames.org/ http://hn.elijames.org/ this has been helpful at the story level.

Boulth 8y ago

Yes, but they generally have less comments and most of the comments that they have are from a small number of top users. (Source: I have lobste.rs account and used the site for some time).

Sir_Cmpwn 8y ago

I have to disagree. In my experience the censorship on Lobsters is worse than on HN.

pvg 8y ago

They don't 'arbitrarily censor comments' on HN either. Whoever the 'they' are.

comesee 8y ago
'they' here refers to the mods. Should have clarified, I thought it was clear from the context.
- pvg 8y ago
  The mods especially don't 'arbitrarily censor' comments.
  - comesee 8y ago
    Okay, I think they do. They've censored my comments many times.
    - pvg 8y ago
      They have? Which ones?
    - yesenadam 8y ago
      You said 'arbitrarily censored'. Of course you don't think it was for a good reason. My comments are never downvoted for any good reason. :-) In my limited experience, people develop that evil-conspiracy tone you have by assuming it's what they said that wasn't wanted here, not how they said it, which is usually the problem. I'd like to see examples of that. Well, like is too strong. But provide evidence for your claim please, if you can. P.s. So why on earth are you still here on a forum where your comments have been censored many times?!
      - comesee 8y ago
        I'm respectful and polite in this forum. I've been blocked simply for saying things with which some largish group of down voters don't agree. I am trying to leave this site but boredom always pulls me back :) That and I really do like to browse the posts and comment, engage with, and challenge people. Here's one such arbitrarily blocked comment: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17517643 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17517643 You can't read it but I screenshotted it for you. Dang calls me a troll simply for asking him to clarify and tells me to leave the site. "Legalistic Gambit of the troll," as if I'm trying to win some game. All I want is to be treated fairly on this site. It was very hurtful. https://ibb.co/hoSMHK https://ibb.co/hoSMHK
        DoreenMichele 8y ago
        That comment was flagged to death. Members can flag. Blaming the mods suggests that, at best, you don't actually understand how the forum works.
        comesee 8y ago
        Admittedly I'm not an expert on the censorship rules of the site but I was under the impression that the mods had the ability to unflag comments. It was never made clear to me why that comment was flagged or why it was considered "flamebait" and that's why I consider HN's censorship rules arbitrary. There was nothing rude or personally antagonistic or unscientific about that post.

joejerryronnie 8y ago

HN censorship is not arbitrary, it follows a very specific ideology.

yesenadam 8y ago
So, could you write more than 1/2 a line about that? Like 1/2 a page? I'd be very interested in reading that. Try to sound calm and restrained; it's how you say it rather than what that mostly gets downvotes, it seems to me. And your comment seems like a throwaway, low-effort, pill of resentment. Edit carefully, make every word count. If you're 'the enemy', (I assume you have fallen victim to the 'specific ideology', not sure if that's right) you have to try so much harder than everyone else just to be heard.

sbuttgereit 8y ago

I agree with the "skill" part of your comment and read it because of that; the other part of your comment I have no knowledge about one way or the other... I know what they claim, I don't know what the practice actually is. However, I find that this "skill" focused quality seems to be degrading over time with lobste.rs. My feeling is that I'm seeing an increasing number of posts moving to the opinion side (politics/culture) and the quality of comments overall seems to be waning a bit too. I'm not saying the these are dramatic shifts, but nonetheless shifting. Perhaps this is inevitable with more and more members. (For the record I do not have a lobste.rs account) I do agree with the parent article here... most of HN is a wasteland of "opinion" stories and comments (much like my comment here). I'm guilty of contributing to this, too... I do my best to not get baited, but sometimes emotion overcomes my reason. However, when there are "skill" oriented stories, the comments here on HN tend to have some outstanding entries, the quality of which I don't see as frequently on lobste.rs. lobste.rs is generally good, but doesn't achieve great as frequently. The challenge of HN is sorting through all the crap... I don't use the HN front page. So far http://hn.elijames.org/ http://hn.elijames.org/ this has been helpful at the story level.