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by user_7832 1322 days ago
I wonder if HN would benefit from a [serious] tag the way some subreddits use it. Though, if OP could give a longer description of why they're running such a poll (I guess to see the demographics) I would expect more people to answer seriously rather than give low effort/joke responses.
3 comments
NoboruWataya 1322 days ago
I think the serious tag is implied on HN. The people trolling the poll aren't doing so because they don't know it is intended to be serious, they're doing it because they don't care, and can get away with it (unlike with comments).
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sph 1322 days ago
NAK.

Hacker News is pretty serious compared to most social media, and I love that. Which makes some rare harmless comments or posts like this one actually good to encounter once in a while.

The seriousness-to-joke ratio of this site is just perfect in my opinion.

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user_7832 1322 days ago
Oh yeah I definitely agree that the jokes here are quite tolerable compared to most/all other sites.

It's just that a lot of joke answers early on in the life of a post may make other users who may otherwise seriously respond, look at the responses and go "Aah it's a joke post/it's filled with joke responses, better not waste my time". Consequently the post may not see many upvotes and die out quickly.

In comparison, a post like this has the potential to easily get a few 100 upvotes with good discussions on the (changing/constant etc) demographics. But if a lot of initial responses are jokey in nature we may lose out on that.

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sph 1322 days ago
Fair enough. But I think in generals polls need a fake answer for bots, trolls or they will contaminate the other results further. See the reference to the Lizardman's Constant someone linked elsewhere in this thread.
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user_7832 1320 days ago
> Lizardman's Constant

Thanks for this, that's a good point.

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BLKNSLVR 1322 days ago
Why did the 105 year old chicken cross the road?

To do a second upvote.

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iLoveOncall 1322 days ago
Maybe all posts should be regarded as serious by default unless they have a [joke] or whatever tag.

The fact that the ranges include ages > 105 and that there are many answers to it just makes the post some kind of spam.

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