5 ms·

Obligatory mention of Betteridge's law of headlines: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge%27s_law_of_headlines https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge%27s_

Obligatory mention of Betteridge's law of headlines: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge%27s_law_of_headlines https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge%27s_law_of_headline...

ok_craig 13y ago
It should be noted that the title on the actual blog does not contain a question mark.
- drsingleton 13y ago
  Wow! A link on HN of a two year article gave my poor classroom blog a 5000 fold spike in page views. Apologies if the snow annoyed people, but it wasn't me but a checkbox on the free Wordpress backend. It doesn't even show on the mobile version. The science comments above are interesting, but my intended take home message was NOT to promote an alternative to the tried and true methods of proper dental care, but instead draw attention to the incredible complexity of the human oral microbiota.
jafaku 13y ago
It's not really obligatory, and it would be nice if you guys just stopped posting that, especially on science articles since asking questions is what science does.
- Wingman4l7 13y ago
  Fair enough. However, it's hoped that this might encourage less linkbait-y titles, especially for overviews of new science research. A headline like "Biofilm-inhibiting bacteria may provide an alternative to brushing your teeth" conveys much more information about the content (and doesn't break that "law", either).
  - saurik 13y ago
    Most of the time the people writing these articles have never even heard of Hacker News; this is just a more socially acceptable way to flaunt trivia in front of people to feel smarter while at the same time being able to call "first!".
    - Wingman4l7 13y ago
      Not having heard of Hacker News is irrelevant to writing better headlines. The "law" is hardly trivia; it's a great way to shed light on lazy writing and introduce people to simple manipulative tricks of journalism.
      - saurik 13y ago
        The headlines are not written by the people on Hacker News: they are written by people on websites other than Hacker News, and then posted verbatim here. If 100% of people on Hacker News read these comments and would never write an article with a question as the title, it would not change the fact that articles with questions as the title would occasionally get posted to Hacker News.
- aptwebapps 13y ago
  The article was fine, but the title is still fits the pattern. The answer is 'No'. Or, maybe, 'No, not yet'.
- dfc 13y ago
  Well said. Anything comment that begins with "Obligatory" is usually worthless almost as bad as "This."
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]

Obligatory mention of Betteridge's law of headlines: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge%27s_law_of_headlines https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge%27s_law_of_headline...

ok_craig 13y ago

It should be noted that the title on the actual blog does not contain a question mark.

drsingleton 13y ago
Wow! A link on HN of a two year article gave my poor classroom blog a 5000 fold spike in page views. Apologies if the snow annoyed people, but it wasn't me but a checkbox on the free Wordpress backend. It doesn't even show on the mobile version. The science comments above are interesting, but my intended take home message was NOT to promote an alternative to the tried and true methods of proper dental care, but instead draw attention to the incredible complexity of the human oral microbiota.

jafaku 13y ago

It's not really obligatory, and it would be nice if you guys just stopped posting that, especially on science articles since asking questions is what science does.

Wingman4l7 13y ago
Fair enough. However, it's hoped that this might encourage less linkbait-y titles, especially for overviews of new science research. A headline like "Biofilm-inhibiting bacteria may provide an alternative to brushing your teeth" conveys much more information about the content (and doesn't break that "law", either).
- saurik 13y ago
  Most of the time the people writing these articles have never even heard of Hacker News; this is just a more socially acceptable way to flaunt trivia in front of people to feel smarter while at the same time being able to call "first!".
  - Wingman4l7 13y ago
    Not having heard of Hacker News is irrelevant to writing better headlines. The "law" is hardly trivia; it's a great way to shed light on lazy writing and introduce people to simple manipulative tricks of journalism.
    - saurik 13y ago
      The headlines are not written by the people on Hacker News: they are written by people on websites other than Hacker News, and then posted verbatim here. If 100% of people on Hacker News read these comments and would never write an article with a question as the title, it would not change the fact that articles with questions as the title would occasionally get posted to Hacker News.
aptwebapps 13y ago
The article was fine, but the title is still fits the pattern. The answer is 'No'. Or, maybe, 'No, not yet'.
dfc 13y ago
Well said. Anything comment that begins with "Obligatory" is usually worthless almost as bad as "This."

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]