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I don't think you really can. This site is a community and the users matter above all the features. If the user quality takes a nose dive all you can do is hold

I don't think you really can. This site is a community and the users matter above all the features. If the user quality takes a nose dive all you can do is hold off the inevitable with new comment rankings. Every site has a point where it gets so big it declines in quality, reddit hit that and now those who want the old reddit back are coming here. The only way to truly guarantee it would remain high quality would require credentials to use the site, or require invite/referrals, but then that has a whole host of its own problems. I'm relatively new so I don't know what HN "used" to be like, but in the short time I've been here I've noticed it decline. It seems to me that more and more people who aren't knowledgable or have insights to offer are joining and people like jacquesm and riderofgiraffes are leaving. It was inevitable and has happened in every community I've ever used.

deleted 16y ago
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socksy 16y ago
I disagree, changing incentives can radically change a way a site is used and interacted with, just like many things in life. The nature of the incentives change the nature of the comments/submissions. I think that the reason that it has happened to other communities you've seen is because they all had similar incentives. Also, I believe that requiring credentials to use the site (or using referrals/invites) like you suggest is in fact changing the incentives, as people are more accountable to a smaller community/feel more compelled to have a higher standard due to being invited there, rather than just using it as they would public infrastructure (see how people treat a public WC compared to how people treat toilets in homes they've been invited in to).