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by kls 5555 days ago
I actually believe that it's okay to use voting to express whether you agree or disagree with a point. Where's the harm?

This is a bad point of view and is what is leading to the degradation of HN as a place for people who see the world through a different lens. We have already lost a lot of beautiful minds due to heard voting. Downvoating is for items that do not belong on HN, nothing more nothing less. If you downvote because you do not agree with an idea you are actively suppressing discussion, no matter how strongly you disagree. Many time from people more brilliant that ourselves.
2 comments
lwhi 5555 days ago
The voting mechanism is a tool. People choose to use tools in whichever way they see fit. A culture will develop and form according to the norms which are set around group usage.

On HN people I've found that many people use voting to signal whether they agree (or disagree) with something. If that wasn't the case, I'd see my karma rise - rather than rise, fall and fluctuate.

As far as I can tell, if something shouldn't be on HN, we have the ability to flag a post.

I can agree that a post shouldn't needless be hammered into negative space, just as a person's point of view shouldn't be needlessly trampled on in meat-space. But I think that down-voting in general has found a place.

We can say that it might be better to never down-vote - but many users have the ability, and it's a regular practice. Neglecting the fact is a little like ignoring the fact the emperor is wearing no clothes.

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kls 5555 days ago
As far as I can tell, if something shouldn't be on HN, we have the ability to flag a post.

You cannot flag comments downvoting is there to discourage, trolls and abuse.

We can say that it might be better to never down-vote - but many users have the ability, and it's a regular practice. Neglecting the fact is a little like ignoring the fact the emperor is wearing no clothes.

I am well aware of that and it has lead to a decline in the standard that HN used to be (while my account may not reflect it I have been around here for a long time, and witnessed the decline first hand). It has been complained about on HN ad nasium. No one is neglecting the fact that it happens, I am just stating that doing so makes HN a worse place the results are obvious and have already lead to some valuable people leaving.

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lwhi 5555 days ago
To flag a comment, click on 'link' and then 'flag'.

I think the decline is largely due to a rise in meta-discussion about HN and a rise in articles which are mainly designed to self-promote their authors.

I apologise for playing my part in the first ... ;P

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kls 5554 days ago
To flag a comment, click on 'link' and then 'flag'.

Thank you, you learn something new every day.

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scott_s 5554 days ago
The meta-purpose of karma is to promote good, civil discussions. I think that downvoting for disagreement runs counter to this purpose.
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wjy 5554 days ago
If voting was meant to indicate agreement or disagreement, then EVERYBODY would be able to downvote.
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burgerbrain 5554 days ago
For all intents and purposes, anyone can downvote. A few hous worth of groupthink comments will get you the ability.

Really this is all silly, if you upvote for agreement, why not the opposite?

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Sandman 5554 days ago
PG would disagree with you: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=117171.

For the record, I personally believe that you're right.

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