[RiderOfGiraffes]

I can't work out if that was a genuine question, or a troll. But HN doesn't have many trolls, so I thought I'd answer you straight. I also thought at the same time I'd explain the downvote you got from someone. Ive upvoted you to cancel that out for now. We'll see what other people do.

Try this search on Google: http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=clojure

The very first hit is: http://clojure.org/

From that site, the home site of Clojure, we get:

    Clojure is a dynamic programming language that targets
    the Java Virtual Machine (and the CLR ).

    ...

    Clojure is a dialect of Lisp, ...

See that? In one search and one click - there's the answer to your question. And the reason you got downvoted was because your question/comment added nothing of value, and it showed that you didn't do any homework.

So I hope that's been useful and constructive.

[daniel-cussen]

I believe the question was honest. Someone unfamiliar with Lisp would not know it is a language with dialects. You never hear about a random language being a Java.

[RiderOfGiraffes]

Then why not do a search?

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#intro

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#before

[callahad]

This is another place that Duck Duck Go shines: http://duckduckgo.com/?q=clojure

At the very top, in the zero-click info box: "Clojure is a recent dialect of the Lisp programming language."

[GeorgeTirebiter]

Your post could be shortened to: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=clojure

[RiderOfGiraffes]

Yes, it could've. But I think that would be an example of the increasing snarkiness that pg has noticed, and is saddened by.

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1057275

You may think it's witty, but I think it's just a touch nasty, and I would prefer to give a clear explanation.

[btcoal]

I upvoted you to cancel out the downvote you got. Spot on.

[GeorgeTirebiter]

Thanks.

Look, it's the nature of text-only that doesn't capture very much of a person's "state". In order to do that with any sort of fidelity, a considerably longer post is required. Of course something short like that could be interpreted as snarky, or it could be interpreted in the spirit in which is was offered, a playful one. I understand, everything here on HN is dead serious and so trying to make a joke will go over like a lead balloon.

I guess what I find disturbing is that if people were to take that comment from a different point of view, giving me the benefit of the doubt (like the original poster was granted), I think people would not be so quick to rush to be offended.

I also don't know if all HN folks know about letmegooglethatforyou.com and I think it's kinda fun and playful.

Lastly, pg is not God, and invoking his name as if he has the "last word" is, I think, not helpful. I appreciate his opinion, but that's all it is. And he ain't perfect, as he will instantly admit. (As I will instantly admit!)

Now, I will go back to being my serious self, because, you know, everything on HN is serious! Laughing is not allowed. Apparently...

[RiderOfGiraffes]

I don't agree that everything here on HN is dead serious. However, the bits that are funny also add value. the bits that are funny for funny's sake are quickly down-voted, and generally don't fit with the current sense of the community.

You could've phrased your submission as:

  Don't know if people here are aware of it, but if you
  were you could've replaced that entire post with <link>

Then it would've been informative as well, and, in my experience, less likely to be downvoted.

    Now, I will go back to being my serious self ...
    Laughing is not allowed. Apparently...

HN is a multi-cultural place, and the potential for misunderstandings abounds. I've been in countries where what I thought of as a completely innocent remark has been regarded as a serious insult. I don't know how familiar you are with other cultures, but levity is frequently heavily culturally based, and getting it wrong can make you look like a complete jerk. People here usually appreciate the respectful nature of the site.

There is humor here, it's just of a different kind.