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1.) Most of the time I just tell stories. I am only 20 and have relatively little experience. The only thing I can really add is a well written comment that ask

1.) Most of the time I just tell stories. I am only 20 and have relatively little experience. The only thing I can really add is a well written comment that asks a question or explains something neat. 2.)The best way to participate is to go out and do something awesome. Take something you saw on the front page and mess around with it. Maybe something will happen and you make the front page. Probably it won't, but the next time it comes up, you can at least share your experience and point out the basic pitfalls. Example: I am working on extending emscripten to use dragonegg to compile fortran. It's really hard and I don't think I can do it, but next time emscripten comes up, I will know what's up and can comment on how awesome Alon is. 3.)My password for my account is zackzackzack. Yep, same as my user name. It lets me keep from getting attached to an argument or an account. If somebody can just go in and change my password, then it is pointless to really care all that much. I like contributing, but I know at any instance all the karma I built up on here could be sealed away. Edit: fortran to javascript. Google emscripten github for more info.

Joakal 15y ago
Security of user accounts is no joking matter. It may be hijacked for spam bots. Someone may pose as you telling stories.
- zackzackzack 15y ago
  Spam bots are a legitimate concern to me. I'll probably start rotating passwords if I sense that something like that is happening. I don't want to hurt hacker news. And somebody could already pose as me, or you, or anybody else on here who isn't way famous (nobody could pose as pg). Anybody can be anybody else on the internet.
  - jeswin 15y ago
    As much as you got downvoted for your earlier comment, I see the point you are making. Anyone can be anyone, and if you don't care about your account the password doesn't matter. (Although it does help spammers get around the green-username badge.) In this case I can see why some people downvoted you. But otherwise, downvoting should be reserved for spam/malice and not for a differing opinion, not even for one that you totally disagree with.
zacharycohn 15y ago
That's pretty dumb. Your account could be compromised for spam purposes, or someone could easily start posting things as you. Because your full name, personal domain (which includes your last name), college, and interests are all part of your profile, it would be fairly trivial to post some pretty embarrassing comments or links as you. Then if someone (potential employer/girlfriend/family member/etc) does a google search for Zachary Maril, and a bunch of links to racist or pornographic sites come up... "my password is public" is a pretty lousy excuse.
- zackzackzack 15y ago
  What is preventing somebody from copying your profile and creating zcohn, the malicious hacker from Seattle who likes parkour, technology, and doing bad things? Your identity is comparably open as mine is as far as details. At some point people are going to do bad things to this profile. No doubt. With that in mind though, I can post here because I want to say something and contribute, not because of Karma. If I had a few thousand points and a reputation, I would have something to protect. But now I can just say what I think is useful, not what I think will be upvoted.
  - icebraining 15y ago
    It's not only (or even primarily) about linking your real identity to your HN account; it's about having a track record on HN itself. I don't care if you're from Seattle or India, or if you're a young guy or an old lady; I care that you're the same person who posted that real interesting post three months ago about certain subject, or with whom I've had some interesting discussion about this or that, and who has a certain opinion about a controversial topic. I don't know if a certain post with your handle comes from the person I know is smart and probably knows what (s)he's talking about, or from some troll. If I can never be sure if you're the same person, then trust can't be established; it's not about karma as "points," it's about karma as a property of human relations. It's the same reason why I (almost) never respond to Anonymous Cowards on Slashdot - I'm never sure if the person who replies to me next is the same I was talking to.
    - 15y ago
dustingetz 15y ago
PG likes to see your HN handle in YC applications. your HN handle is part of your online identity and reputation.
- dotBen 15y ago
  to be fair, some of us are never going to make a YC application. Yes, I've built up a 4000+ karma not because I some day want to be in YC, but because I like to participate in this community.
  - zackzackzack 15y ago
    I was in the middle of writing up a reply to this effect when this account got logged into. I like YC, but chances are slim that I will apply anytime soon.

Joakal 15y ago

Security of user accounts is no joking matter. It may be hijacked for spam bots. Someone may pose as you telling stories.

zackzackzack 15y ago
Spam bots are a legitimate concern to me. I'll probably start rotating passwords if I sense that something like that is happening. I don't want to hurt hacker news. And somebody could already pose as me, or you, or anybody else on here who isn't way famous (nobody could pose as pg). Anybody can be anybody else on the internet.
- jeswin 15y ago
  As much as you got downvoted for your earlier comment, I see the point you are making. Anyone can be anyone, and if you don't care about your account the password doesn't matter. (Although it does help spammers get around the green-username badge.) In this case I can see why some people downvoted you. But otherwise, downvoting should be reserved for spam/malice and not for a differing opinion, not even for one that you totally disagree with.

zacharycohn 15y ago

That's pretty dumb. Your account could be compromised for spam purposes, or someone could easily start posting things as you. Because your full name, personal domain (which includes your last name), college, and interests are all part of your profile, it would be fairly trivial to post some pretty embarrassing comments or links as you. Then if someone (potential employer/girlfriend/family member/etc) does a google search for Zachary Maril, and a bunch of links to racist or pornographic sites come up... "my password is public" is a pretty lousy excuse.

zackzackzack 15y ago
What is preventing somebody from copying your profile and creating zcohn, the malicious hacker from Seattle who likes parkour, technology, and doing bad things? Your identity is comparably open as mine is as far as details. At some point people are going to do bad things to this profile. No doubt. With that in mind though, I can post here because I want to say something and contribute, not because of Karma. If I had a few thousand points and a reputation, I would have something to protect. But now I can just say what I think is useful, not what I think will be upvoted.
- icebraining 15y ago
  It's not only (or even primarily) about linking your real identity to your HN account; it's about having a track record on HN itself. I don't care if you're from Seattle or India, or if you're a young guy or an old lady; I care that you're the same person who posted that real interesting post three months ago about certain subject, or with whom I've had some interesting discussion about this or that, and who has a certain opinion about a controversial topic. I don't know if a certain post with your handle comes from the person I know is smart and probably knows what (s)he's talking about, or from some troll. If I can never be sure if you're the same person, then trust can't be established; it's not about karma as "points," it's about karma as a property of human relations. It's the same reason why I (almost) never respond to Anonymous Cowards on Slashdot - I'm never sure if the person who replies to me next is the same I was talking to.
  - 15y ago

dustingetz 15y ago

PG likes to see your HN handle in YC applications. your HN handle is part of your online identity and reputation.

dotBen 15y ago
to be fair, some of us are never going to make a YC application. Yes, I've built up a 4000+ karma not because I some day want to be in YC, but because I like to participate in this community.
- zackzackzack 15y ago
  I was in the middle of writing up a reply to this effect when this account got logged into. I like YC, but chances are slim that I will apply anytime soon.