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It seems you're trying to emulate one of Linus's classic rants with that comment, but if you wouldn't mind a bit of constructive feedback: * The word selection

It seems you're trying to emulate one of Linus's classic rants with that comment, but if you wouldn't mind a bit of constructive feedback: * The word selection in your comment isn't quite right. Linus has been known to use expletives others deem inappropriate when reviewing another human being's work - but since that's what you seem to be going for, you might as well commit to the bit. * The big difference between your comment and Linus's rants is that he's doing it when giving feedback that other people actually requested, rather than going off at some random person on the internet. * It seems your Linus impression is also a bit out-of-date, as he has publicly apologized for being a jerk in 2018. Maybe you were going for "vintage Linus", but it just didn't cut it for me. Although you've nailed the attitude there, I fear the real problem in your comment writing is that it's not backed by a solid knowledge of what you're writing about. For example, it seems you wrote 80% of your comment before reading the entire article? This may be a throwback to other classic comments I'm missing - but if I missed it, then others will too, so it seems the onus is on you there. Now that I'm done reading your whole comment, I must say I wasn't very surprised, but also not very impressed. I've read better comments than this one before, and I couldn't really tell what you were trying to achieve with it. Next time try adding a table of contents, maybe some primary sources, or consider not attempting that kind of comment at all, if you're not confident you can pull it off? Just my two cents!

ori_b 6y ago
It seems like you're trying to be snarky, but you just come off as both passive aggressive and incorrect.
- fasterthanlime 6y ago
  I'm confused - people usually love it when I give them unsolicited and lengthy reviews of their work, framed in a way they didn't intend it to be, but that lets me roleplay as someone who has authority on the matter and is talking down to them?
  - saagarjha 6y ago
    I think the author made it very clear what they were aiming for, so I fail to see the issue in providing multiple, actionable pieces of feedback that I had when reading it on how they could meet their goal better and consider for next time. Unless your specific complaint is that I didn't include anything specifically positive, to which I can only point to the many other comments that said they enjoyed Aphyr's style and were glad that there was more work being done to emulate it which I didn't care to rehash in my response. Personally, if someone consumed something I worked on, actively felt that there was something they felt could be improved, and didn't mention it to me, I would have felt as if they had done me a great disservice. I don't have to agree or even take their input into account, but I would very much like it to exist.
    - fasterthanlime 6y ago
      > Personally, if someone consumed something I worked on, actively felt that there was something they felt could be improved, and didn't mention it to me, I would have felt as if they had done me a great disservice. I don't have to agree or even take their input into account, but I would very much like it to exist. And that's a perfectly fine personal preference - but it's not the default. My issue with your comment is not that you didn't include anything positive. It's that you're directly addressing the author, giving them feedback they never asked for! Just like you didn't ask for my parody of your comment. HN is not an open issue tracker for "every blog ever". Comments like the top of this thread keep happening, and are part of the reason some people disable comments, or end up blocking some referrers altogether. Asking if someone is open to feedback on something before offering criticism is really not that hard, and does wonders for everyone's mental health.
  - 6gvONxR4sf7o 6y ago
    Clearly you think it's shitty to do. I agree. Doing it yourself to prove that point isn't helping.
  - ori_b 6y ago
    Do you think this is helping your argument, or merely making you look bad? Because to me, it just looks like you're off the mark and digging a deeper hole.
saagarjha 6y ago
> It seems you're trying to emulate one of Linus's classic rants with that comment If I were, I'd probably be courteous enough to link to it as the original author did. > Linus has been known to use expletives others deem inappropriate when reviewing another human being's work - but since that's what you seem to be going for, you might as well commit to the bit. I don't swear online :) > The big difference between your comment and Linus's rants is that he's doing it when giving feedback that other people actually requested, rather than going off at some random person on the internet. Sadly, I tend to do this far too often, and my goal is that it is not characterized as "going off at" people. I'm working on it. > It seems your Linus impression is also a bit out-of-date, as he has publicly apologized for being a jerk in 2018. See above. My audience is much smaller than Linus's, so it's likely that you may not have seen my apology for being a jerk in 2018. > Although you've nailed the attitude there, I fear the real problem in your comment writing is that it's not backed by a solid knowledge of what you're writing about. Actually, I happen to have already read the linked material, so I think I have a fairly decent background in Aphyr's writing. > For example, it seems you wrote 80% of your comment before reading the entire article? That is correct. You'll notice that I commented on the article's style early for reasons I explained in the comment itself: I didn't need to finish it to provide that feedback, and the thing I referenced itself gave me reason to pause reading. I withheld technical feedback until I finished. > I've read better comments than this one before I should hope so! > I couldn't really tell what you were trying to achieve with it. Provide constructive feedback to the author. > consider not attempting that kind of comment at all, if you're not confident you can pull it off Thanks, but I personally prefer to not shut down people who are trying to improve their writing.
- calcifer 6y ago
  > I tend to do this far too often, and my goal is that it is not characterized as "going off at" people. So your goal is not to change your own behaviour, which by your own admission has been found annoying by others before, but to change people's perception of it. > I'm working on it. Well if you are, your comments on this thread are certainly no evidence of it.
  - 6y ago
puzzledobserver 6y ago
I don't follow this criticism. GP came across as respectful but critical. I have read Aphyr's original blogs, and felt similarly when I read this blog. I even felt that the comment was phrased more eloquently than I could have. There is also no swearing or personal attacks, which are typical of a rant. Isn't honest, critical, constructive feedback par for the course on HN?

ori_b 6y ago

It seems like you're trying to be snarky, but you just come off as both passive aggressive and incorrect.

fasterthanlime 6y ago
I'm confused - people usually love it when I give them unsolicited and lengthy reviews of their work, framed in a way they didn't intend it to be, but that lets me roleplay as someone who has authority on the matter and is talking down to them?
- saagarjha 6y ago
  I think the author made it very clear what they were aiming for, so I fail to see the issue in providing multiple, actionable pieces of feedback that I had when reading it on how they could meet their goal better and consider for next time. Unless your specific complaint is that I didn't include anything specifically positive, to which I can only point to the many other comments that said they enjoyed Aphyr's style and were glad that there was more work being done to emulate it which I didn't care to rehash in my response. Personally, if someone consumed something I worked on, actively felt that there was something they felt could be improved, and didn't mention it to me, I would have felt as if they had done me a great disservice. I don't have to agree or even take their input into account, but I would very much like it to exist.
  - fasterthanlime 6y ago
    > Personally, if someone consumed something I worked on, actively felt that there was something they felt could be improved, and didn't mention it to me, I would have felt as if they had done me a great disservice. I don't have to agree or even take their input into account, but I would very much like it to exist. And that's a perfectly fine personal preference - but it's not the default. My issue with your comment is not that you didn't include anything positive. It's that you're directly addressing the author, giving them feedback they never asked for! Just like you didn't ask for my parody of your comment. HN is not an open issue tracker for "every blog ever". Comments like the top of this thread keep happening, and are part of the reason some people disable comments, or end up blocking some referrers altogether. Asking if someone is open to feedback on something before offering criticism is really not that hard, and does wonders for everyone's mental health.
- 6gvONxR4sf7o 6y ago
  Clearly you think it's shitty to do. I agree. Doing it yourself to prove that point isn't helping.
- ori_b 6y ago
  Do you think this is helping your argument, or merely making you look bad? Because to me, it just looks like you're off the mark and digging a deeper hole.

saagarjha 6y ago

> It seems you're trying to emulate one of Linus's classic rants with that comment If I were, I'd probably be courteous enough to link to it as the original author did. > Linus has been known to use expletives others deem inappropriate when reviewing another human being's work - but since that's what you seem to be going for, you might as well commit to the bit. I don't swear online :) > The big difference between your comment and Linus's rants is that he's doing it when giving feedback that other people actually requested, rather than going off at some random person on the internet. Sadly, I tend to do this far too often, and my goal is that it is not characterized as "going off at" people. I'm working on it. > It seems your Linus impression is also a bit out-of-date, as he has publicly apologized for being a jerk in 2018. See above. My audience is much smaller than Linus's, so it's likely that you may not have seen my apology for being a jerk in 2018. > Although you've nailed the attitude there, I fear the real problem in your comment writing is that it's not backed by a solid knowledge of what you're writing about. Actually, I happen to have already read the linked material, so I think I have a fairly decent background in Aphyr's writing. > For example, it seems you wrote 80% of your comment before reading the entire article? That is correct. You'll notice that I commented on the article's style early for reasons I explained in the comment itself: I didn't need to finish it to provide that feedback, and the thing I referenced itself gave me reason to pause reading. I withheld technical feedback until I finished. > I've read better comments than this one before I should hope so! > I couldn't really tell what you were trying to achieve with it. Provide constructive feedback to the author. > consider not attempting that kind of comment at all, if you're not confident you can pull it off Thanks, but I personally prefer to not shut down people who are trying to improve their writing.

calcifer 6y ago
> I tend to do this far too often, and my goal is that it is not characterized as "going off at" people. So your goal is not to change your own behaviour, which by your own admission has been found annoying by others before, but to change people's perception of it. > I'm working on it. Well if you are, your comments on this thread are certainly no evidence of it.
- 6y ago

puzzledobserver 6y ago

I don't follow this criticism. GP came across as respectful but critical. I have read Aphyr's original blogs, and felt similarly when I read this blog. I even felt that the comment was phrased more eloquently than I could have. There is also no swearing or personal attacks, which are typical of a rant. Isn't honest, critical, constructive feedback par for the course on HN?