[mdaniel]

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html#ring exactly describes the circumstance and while it doesn't have its own heading in the guidelines:

> Don't solicit upvotes, comments, or submissions. Users should vote and comment when they run across something they personally find interesting—not for promotion.

seems to also match what dang is drawing attention to. My (outsider) suspicion is that the number of dead comments from new accounts on this thread drew attention to the goings-on