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Ask HN: Are threads Banned from the Front Page? (Is flagging too powerful?)

2 points by kenjackson 15y ago

I've noticed that some threads get booted from the HN front page and are no where to be found. I noticed this for example this morning with: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2695670 It was #1 on the front page for a bit and then disappeared. I couldn't find it out all the way out to #300, when I stopped looking (its still on the list of new threads though). I get that some may have flagged the thread (although I'd argue it isn't justified), but can a thread get flagged in such a way that pushes it so far down the rankings as to be virtually non-discoverable? If so that seems like a flaw in the flag system that it seems so much more powerful than upvotes.

spolsky 15y ago
Probably moderators decided that was Apple flamebait and would generate more heat than light, or that it was off-topic for hackers.
- kenjackson 15y ago
  Hmm... I didn't even know there were moderators here. :-) Although it seems odd. To me this wasn't meant to be Apple flamebait. But rather more about the state of software/tech reporting in mainstream news outlets (which is why I had the focus on the title on Pogue, not on FCPX). Well learning there are moderators at least answers my question. Although I can't say I'm not disappointed by their discretion.
  - mooism2 15y ago
    Anyone with enough karma is a moderator. You have way more karma than me, so you're a moderator too. I think the title you chose was a bit flamebaity (I wouldn't have flagged it myself though). If you had made a blog post about the state of software/tech reporting that linked to the Pogue piece and included quotes, then posted that to HN, I don't think it would have been flagged. As it was, you were insulting about Pogue and didn't make your broader point.
bauchidgw 15y ago
there is now an awesome search box in the footer of every HN page - the story is still discover-able there
- kenjackson 15y ago
  Nice! I never noticed it before. I'm surprised about its placement, but thanks for the heads-up!

2 points by kenjackson 15y ago

spolsky 15y ago

Probably moderators decided that was Apple flamebait and would generate more heat than light, or that it was off-topic for hackers.

kenjackson 15y ago
Hmm... I didn't even know there were moderators here. :-) Although it seems odd. To me this wasn't meant to be Apple flamebait. But rather more about the state of software/tech reporting in mainstream news outlets (which is why I had the focus on the title on Pogue, not on FCPX). Well learning there are moderators at least answers my question. Although I can't say I'm not disappointed by their discretion.
- mooism2 15y ago
  Anyone with enough karma is a moderator. You have way more karma than me, so you're a moderator too. I think the title you chose was a bit flamebaity (I wouldn't have flagged it myself though). If you had made a blog post about the state of software/tech reporting that linked to the Pogue piece and included quotes, then posted that to HN, I don't think it would have been flagged. As it was, you were insulting about Pogue and didn't make your broader point.

bauchidgw 15y ago

there is now an awesome search box in the footer of every HN page - the story is still discover-able there

kenjackson 15y ago
Nice! I never noticed it before. I'm surprised about its placement, but thanks for the heads-up!