Thanks for the additional info. What about StackOverflow then? That's also about content. (Questions and answers) Badges there seem to encourage contribution. What's special about HN, in your opinion?
> What about StackOverflow then? That's also about content. (Questions and answers) Badges there seem to encourage contribution.
StackOverflow is for programmers, and its scope pretty much limits participation to programmers and people directly tangential to programming. Thus, you don't get the internet hoi polloi problem.
> What's special about HN, in your opinion?
The editors and culture have largely managed to turn back the horde of lolcats, not funny puns, flamewars, and vacuous content. This is nigh impossible on a broad scope site. Hacker News is an incredibly rare feat, and has a fragile equilibrium that needs constant attention to preserve.
If hard-editing killing and re-titling submissions stopped, how long until this site denigrated to chaos? I'd say the over/under is two weeks.
StackOverflow is for programmers, and its scope pretty much limits participation to programmers and people directly tangential to programming. Thus, you don't get the internet hoi polloi problem.
> What's special about HN, in your opinion?
The editors and culture have largely managed to turn back the horde of lolcats, not funny puns, flamewars, and vacuous content. This is nigh impossible on a broad scope site. Hacker News is an incredibly rare feat, and has a fragile equilibrium that needs constant attention to preserve.
If hard-editing killing and re-titling submissions stopped, how long until this site denigrated to chaos? I'd say the over/under is two weeks.