Yup, HN is a web forum, not social media. Forums actually predate social media by a lot—going back to Internet news groups, which were organized topically. The

Yup, HN is a web forum, not social media. Forums actually predate social media by a lot—going back to Internet news groups, which were organized topically. The key point is that conversations are transactional around content; the only interactions are in public comment threads under links or text posts. Social media is the opposite: you start by connecting with people, and then talk about whatever you or your connections feel like talking about.