How is criticizing the premise of something a "generic tangent"? If the premise behind something is bad the whole thing is bad.
Evaluating something obviously needs to account for the context it exists in. In fact talking about this particular Show HN is impossible without implicitly or explicitly taking a position on the hiring process. If the current hiring practices were good, having resources to succeed in them would be beneficial and praise worthy. Otherwise they only help to strengthen a broken process, although obviously it might be beneficial to individuals to game that process (which further demonstrates the problems with that process).
I don't see how you even could substantively talk about this post without evaluating the hiring practices it presupposes.
If the premise behind something is bad the whole thing is bad.
Then find a thread where the premise is being discussed, if that's how you feel, or write your own post about the faults of the premise. "The premise of your whole thing is invalid" is not something you can grumpdump on someone showing their work. The, well, premise of Show HN is people showcasing their work specifically - it's not an invitation for everyone to express their views on general things they dislike.
The idea that criticizing something by criticizing its premise is off topic or unrelated is ridiculous.
>"The premise of your whole thing is invalid" is not something you can grumpdump on someone showing their work.
Why? It is obviously extremely relevant and on topic. Also don't pretend this is some drive by "This sucks because hiring sucks". I specifically am criticizing the specific aspect this Show HN is targeting.
Because it's shitty and tedious? It's so shitty and so tedious there there are forum (beside basic human) conventions against it. They're right in the links above. Your comment is flagged dead. What further explanations are necessary here, really? "Don't be an internet jerk" is hardly an abstruse or unusual social concept.
Also don't pretend this is some drive by "This sucks because hiring sucks"
I don't have to pretend, it's the literal tangent that you took.
If what you are making is built upon a joke of a premise that should be criticized.