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Observation: How lucky are we that our contributions here warrant two fine moderators? I just read Tom's brief story on how he arrived here and what it means

Observation: How lucky are we that our contributions here warrant two fine moderators? I just read Tom's brief story on how he arrived here and what it means and felt... I don't really have a quick word for it. I know I am better for having spent time here. Oh, I got it! A tiny bit spoiled, but in the best of ways. Yeah, that is what I felt. How lucky we are indeed. :)

BergAndCo 2y ago
Do you have showdead enabled to see how many good comments are being unfairly censored? Otherwise this is just survivorship bias talking.
- AlexeyBelov 2y ago
  I have! It's very rare that I see a comment being flagged unfairly. Sometimes it appears as unfair to me, but then I try to look from other angles in case it's just my bias. Also, don't forget that it's mainly other users who flag, not moderators. Also also, it's a bit ironic coming from a 3 months old account with already negative karma. I believe HN has a problem with users who create many new accounts and don't bother to understand "what is a good thoughtful comment" and change their behaviour.
- saagarjha 2y ago
  Not many.
- dang 2y ago
  If you see a good comment in the [dead] state, you don't have to complain about it being "unfairly censored" - you can intervene to fix it by vouching for it. This is in the FAQ: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html.
  - _Algernon_ 2y ago
    That requires the user to reach the "small karma threshold". Difficult when the user you replied to has negative karma after several months of HN participation.
    - dang 2y ago
      The threshold is 30 karma. Anyone can easily reach that if they want to use HN as intended.
- gsf_emergency_2 2y ago
  I suspect that dang has been barely surviving the (e-)moderation-technology debt (Arc notwithstanding). Good to have a second, antipodal, guy take on the burden!
- _Algernon_ 2y ago
  I have had showdead enabled for years and I think I can count the number of dead comments that didn't deserve the status on one hand.
  - ddingus 2y ago
    Same. I turned it on very soon after I setup my account. My own personal tolerance for speech is less aggressive than what we see here on HN. I dislike completely inaccessible history, and basic accountability is why. Works like the trash does. Want to see how people live? Pick through the trash.

BergAndCo 2y ago

Do you have showdead enabled to see how many good comments are being unfairly censored? Otherwise this is just survivorship bias talking.

AlexeyBelov 2y ago
I have! It's very rare that I see a comment being flagged unfairly. Sometimes it appears as unfair to me, but then I try to look from other angles in case it's just my bias. Also, don't forget that it's mainly other users who flag, not moderators. Also also, it's a bit ironic coming from a 3 months old account with already negative karma. I believe HN has a problem with users who create many new accounts and don't bother to understand "what is a good thoughtful comment" and change their behaviour.
saagarjha 2y ago
Not many.
dang 2y ago
If you see a good comment in the [dead] state, you don't have to complain about it being "unfairly censored" - you can intervene to fix it by vouching for it. This is in the FAQ: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html.
- _Algernon_ 2y ago
  That requires the user to reach the "small karma threshold". Difficult when the user you replied to has negative karma after several months of HN participation.
  - dang 2y ago
    The threshold is 30 karma. Anyone can easily reach that if they want to use HN as intended.
gsf_emergency_2 2y ago
I suspect that dang has been barely surviving the (e-)moderation-technology debt (Arc notwithstanding). Good to have a second, antipodal, guy take on the burden!
_Algernon_ 2y ago
I have had showdead enabled for years and I think I can count the number of dead comments that didn't deserve the status on one hand.
- ddingus 2y ago
  Same. I turned it on very soon after I setup my account. My own personal tolerance for speech is less aggressive than what we see here on HN. I dislike completely inaccessible history, and basic accountability is why. Works like the trash does. Want to see how people live? Pick through the trash.