4 ms·

I rarely enjoy 37 Signals posts, but I heartily agree with Jason Z. (new guy?). There's so much negativism on the net in general; everyone seems threatened by e

by sabat 16y ago

I rarely enjoy 37 Signals posts, but I heartily agree with Jason Z. (new guy?). There's so much negativism on the net in general; everyone seems threatened by everyone else. And you find it here, too, a place where you'd expect to find nothing but support and encouragement. (To be fair: HN is full of supportive people; there's just more negativity than you'd expect. I'm probably guilty of that, too, although I'm making a concerted effort to do otherwise.) All criticism is not constructive criticism. If someone's trying, they ought to be encouraged to keep trying. That may sound naive and pollyanna, but ask yourself: when was the latest time a hater changed the world for the better?

axod 16y ago
FWIW, I think parents/friends give blind support and encouragment. HN/peers/tech community should give complete honesty. If that means saying "That idea is terrible" so be it.
- davidw 16y ago
  Complete honesty can be simple, direct, and if not exactly nice to hear, certainly not mean-spirited in tone. That's quite different from the style of "oh my god what a bunch of fucking idiots these guys are, ha ha ha". It's a cheap, easy way to get some laughs (see: Ted Dziuba) but I'm not really a fan.
  - axod 16y ago
    sure, but if you're making money and having fun, other peoples opinion shouldn't really matter. It seems to be popular at the moment to laugh at Justin Beiber online and say how much you hate him. But he's the one making millions out of teenage girls...
- alex_c 16y ago
  I agree, but there's a big difference between honest, polite feedback and negativity, meanness, or just good old-fashioned flaming. HN is pretty good in this respect. Reddit is still decent, though it can definitely lean towards mean. YouTube / app store reviews... forget any chance of respect.
  - lovskogen 16y ago
    Since the net is so wast, people feel they have to shout loud with profanity to get heard. Alot of times they are right.
    - alex_c 16y ago
      There's also this: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19/ http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19/
- graham-miln 16y ago
  Who is hoping to gain from the public ridicule? I doubt it is the target. With this in mind, it would be wise to direct critical feedback privately to the creator. I believe feedback delivered directly and privately is more likely to see the desired change. Praise in public, criticise in private.

by sabat 16y ago

axod 16y ago

FWIW, I think parents/friends give blind support and encouragment. HN/peers/tech community should give complete honesty. If that means saying "That idea is terrible" so be it.

davidw 16y ago
Complete honesty can be simple, direct, and if not exactly nice to hear, certainly not mean-spirited in tone. That's quite different from the style of "oh my god what a bunch of fucking idiots these guys are, ha ha ha". It's a cheap, easy way to get some laughs (see: Ted Dziuba) but I'm not really a fan.
- axod 16y ago
  sure, but if you're making money and having fun, other peoples opinion shouldn't really matter. It seems to be popular at the moment to laugh at Justin Beiber online and say how much you hate him. But he's the one making millions out of teenage girls...
alex_c 16y ago
I agree, but there's a big difference between honest, polite feedback and negativity, meanness, or just good old-fashioned flaming. HN is pretty good in this respect. Reddit is still decent, though it can definitely lean towards mean. YouTube / app store reviews... forget any chance of respect.
- lovskogen 16y ago
  Since the net is so wast, people feel they have to shout loud with profanity to get heard. Alot of times they are right.
  - alex_c 16y ago
    There's also this: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19/ http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19/
graham-miln 16y ago
Who is hoping to gain from the public ridicule? I doubt it is the target. With this in mind, it would be wise to direct critical feedback privately to the creator. I believe feedback delivered directly and privately is more likely to see the desired change. Praise in public, criticise in private.