I upvoted this because I'm for any change which can help fix the downvote problem, which I think negatively impacts a healthy commenting community. However, my

I upvoted this because I'm for any change which can help fix the downvote problem, which I think negatively impacts a healthy commenting community. However, my preferred solution would be slightly different. I would rather have no karma awarded for story submissions. I can understand offering some form of thanks for story submission initially, when a site is just beginning, but I think HN is large enough that great topics would be submitted without karma awarded (this might even help submission quality). This way karma is only awarded for commenting, and even new people to the site can make it to the moderator point threshold. For current members whose karma points already include story submissions I'd add in an account age requirement to retain moderator status.