"The most important principle on HN, though, is to make thoughtful comments. Thoughtful in both senses: both civil and substantial. [...] Which brings us to the most important principle on HN: civility. Since long before the web, the anonymity of online conversation has lured people into being much ruder than they'd dare to be in person. So the principle here is not to say anything you wouldn't say face to face." -- http://ycombinator.com/newswelcome.html