5 ms·

news.ycombinator.com Could, not, resist.

unimpressive 14y ago
If you think that HN is neutral, need to know, or even concise, you're crazy. Though on the subject of neutrality, humans aren't neutral, so expecting their publications to be is itself insane.
- OGinparadise 14y ago
  Not neutral at all. I believe that certain companies have their employees come here to flag or to ^ certain stories. Maybe not organized, but it happens regardless. I have noticed stories go from being on top to page 3 within minutes, simply because it was bad PR for a certain online monopoly.
- richforrester 14y ago
  Cheers. Crazy, or maybe just misinformed. Thanks for enlightening me. (no sarcasm) Guess I'll think twice before posting something positive about HN from now on.
  - ajdecon 14y ago
    There are a lot of positive things about HN, without it being "real news". The major value for me is that it is (often) interesting. I learn a lot here that helps me find new ways to think about technology and the web industry. But it is not: * neutral: there are some pretty obvious biases, though they aren't consistent * need-to-know: there's nothing I've learned on HN which has been strictly necessary to me, though there's a lot which was interesting * concise: the net information density is relatively low, than higher on many other discussion sites. (Low bar, I know...)
    - npsimons 14y ago
      It's really funny, because HN is much like slashdot at it's high point (I would argue it's even better). Many parallels exist; for example, people will claim "groupthink" (in this case "bias"), but minimize "inconsistencies" when they disprove their point. As for need to know, might I be so bold as to suggest that if you haven't learned anything of use at HN, perhaps it's not suited for your interests/profession?
      - deleted 14y ago
        [deleted]
- unsignedint 14y ago
  The fact it's not neutral is probably why I'm coming back to it. I don't really keep track of general news, because they are very boring, and highly irreverent. (The only side I'm exposed about news is that people around me going nuts over what they heard in the news.) What comes up on HN to me, is more entertaining, and somewhat more relevant (I do run across the things once in a while that I could apply to what I do at my work.)

If you think that HN is neutral, need to know, or even concise, you're crazy. Though on the subject of neutrality, humans aren't neutral, so expecting their publications to be is itself insane.

OGinparadise 14y ago
Not neutral at all. I believe that certain companies have their employees come here to flag or to ^ certain stories. Maybe not organized, but it happens regardless. I have noticed stories go from being on top to page 3 within minutes, simply because it was bad PR for a certain online monopoly.
richforrester 14y ago
Cheers. Crazy, or maybe just misinformed. Thanks for enlightening me. (no sarcasm) Guess I'll think twice before posting something positive about HN from now on.
- ajdecon 14y ago
  There are a lot of positive things about HN, without it being "real news". The major value for me is that it is (often) interesting. I learn a lot here that helps me find new ways to think about technology and the web industry. But it is not: * neutral: there are some pretty obvious biases, though they aren't consistent * need-to-know: there's nothing I've learned on HN which has been strictly necessary to me, though there's a lot which was interesting * concise: the net information density is relatively low, than higher on many other discussion sites. (Low bar, I know...)
  - npsimons 14y ago
    It's really funny, because HN is much like slashdot at it's high point (I would argue it's even better). Many parallels exist; for example, people will claim "groupthink" (in this case "bias"), but minimize "inconsistencies" when they disprove their point. As for need to know, might I be so bold as to suggest that if you haven't learned anything of use at HN, perhaps it's not suited for your interests/profession?
    - deleted 14y ago
      [deleted]
unsignedint 14y ago
The fact it's not neutral is probably why I'm coming back to it. I don't really keep track of general news, because they are very boring, and highly irreverent. (The only side I'm exposed about news is that people around me going nuts over what they heard in the news.) What comes up on HN to me, is more entertaining, and somewhat more relevant (I do run across the things once in a while that I could apply to what I do at my work.)