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This may be a little off topic, but downvoting w/o a comment seems rude. Let me help you balance that a little. In response to your SO complaint: I will somet

by Travis 16y ago

This may be a little off topic, but downvoting w/o a comment seems rude. Let me help you balance that a little. In response to your SO complaint: I will sometimes reply with a request to read the documentation (including a link to the relevant section), but only when it's very clear that the OP has not read the docs. It's especially prevalent for me, b/c I tend to stick to the PHP/lowest common denominator languages.

xenophanes 16y ago
> downvoting w/o a comment seems rude Happens ALL the time. I generally prefer to leave comments rather than downvote too. But most people don't like to write anything. If explanatory comments were supposed to be used, there wouldn't even be downvotes at all. PS I did not downvote him even though I left a negative comment.
raganwald 16y ago
My policy is to down vote or comment, but not both. If it's worth a reply, why would I down vote it? If it doesn't contribute to the discussion, why would I reply?
- Travis 16y ago
  Because by replying, you can point out flaws or disagreements in the parent post. That helps the person who wrote it get a little better. Additionally, downvoting w/o a comment feel punitive, as opposed to corrective. It also seems a little lazy -- "I'll click the downvote arrow, but won't take any time to help them improve."
  - raganwald 16y ago
    If I believe there's a good reason to help them improve, then I can do so and there's no need to also down vote, as my feelings will be on display for everyone to read. Also, most posts with flaws do contribute to the discussion, I just disagree with the reasoning. That's not the right place for a down vote. IMO. A down vote might be used for a situation where someone else has already explained why the comment is not helpful, or perhaps something beyond redemption like "Pwned, LOL" :-)
- JonnieCache 16y ago
  >If it's worth a reply, why would I down vote it? If it doesn't contribute to the discussion, why would I reply? This is very insightful, and I will be keeping this notion at the front of my mind when posting. Although I think this mirrors my natural behaviour to an extent anyway. Thinking about it, this is probably part of the HN karma/ranking "secret sauce" anyway. If not, it should be.
mixmax 16y ago
It depends. Sometimes I see comments that I don't understand are downvoted - I upvote these and sometimes comment. But most downvoted comments are downvoted for an obvious reason: they're snarky, personal, ad-hominen attacks, trolls or just plain wrong. It wouldn't add anything to the discussion to comment. Here's an example of a snarky comment which deservedly got downvoted for obvius reasons: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2038245 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2038245 (it's mine - and I apologise...)
teilo 16y ago
Totally disagree. I regularly down-vote ad hominem, jack assery, and anybody complaining about down-voting. I will never comment because I refuse to lower myself to their level.

by Travis 16y ago

xenophanes 16y ago

> downvoting w/o a comment seems rude Happens ALL the time. I generally prefer to leave comments rather than downvote too. But most people don't like to write anything. If explanatory comments were supposed to be used, there wouldn't even be downvotes at all. PS I did not downvote him even though I left a negative comment.

raganwald 16y ago

My policy is to down vote or comment, but not both. If it's worth a reply, why would I down vote it? If it doesn't contribute to the discussion, why would I reply?

Travis 16y ago
Because by replying, you can point out flaws or disagreements in the parent post. That helps the person who wrote it get a little better. Additionally, downvoting w/o a comment feel punitive, as opposed to corrective. It also seems a little lazy -- "I'll click the downvote arrow, but won't take any time to help them improve."
- raganwald 16y ago
  If I believe there's a good reason to help them improve, then I can do so and there's no need to also down vote, as my feelings will be on display for everyone to read. Also, most posts with flaws do contribute to the discussion, I just disagree with the reasoning. That's not the right place for a down vote. IMO. A down vote might be used for a situation where someone else has already explained why the comment is not helpful, or perhaps something beyond redemption like "Pwned, LOL" :-)
JonnieCache 16y ago
>If it's worth a reply, why would I down vote it? If it doesn't contribute to the discussion, why would I reply? This is very insightful, and I will be keeping this notion at the front of my mind when posting. Although I think this mirrors my natural behaviour to an extent anyway. Thinking about it, this is probably part of the HN karma/ranking "secret sauce" anyway. If not, it should be.

mixmax 16y ago

It depends. Sometimes I see comments that I don't understand are downvoted - I upvote these and sometimes comment. But most downvoted comments are downvoted for an obvious reason: they're snarky, personal, ad-hominen attacks, trolls or just plain wrong. It wouldn't add anything to the discussion to comment. Here's an example of a snarky comment which deservedly got downvoted for obvius reasons: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2038245 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2038245 (it's mine - and I apologise...)

teilo 16y ago

Totally disagree. I regularly down-vote ad hominem, jack assery, and anybody complaining about down-voting. I will never comment because I refuse to lower myself to their level.