Ask HN: Help, I'm new to HN ...

[Inkdryer]

There's a (1) next to my username at the top right implying I have a message waiting for me. When I click on it, I'm taken to a page where I can update information but the (1) never goes away. What gives?

[EvanMiller]

The (1) next to your name is your "karma", which is designed to make the primitive hoarding and status-seeking parts of your monkey-brain feel inadequate when no one upvotes your comments.

[Inkdryer]

Ha! OK thanks for helping out. I guess we all have to start somewhere.

[SwaroopH]

That's your karma. You start at 1.

http://ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html

[lefthansolo]

Some other information. Your username will be green for some amount of time and then turn black. If it turns black, you have either passed the trial period and are legit or you have been ghosted, which is likely only to happen if you either appear to be a spammer, a troll, or you don't fit in. You can also be ghosted after your username turn black. If you try to post too much, you will be unable to post anymore for some period of time. If you try to create too many new users in a day by axing your account, it tracks that also. There is cookie-based and IP based security/tracking. Don't try to say anything funny or you will >50% of the time get downvoted- it isn't slashdot. Don't be mean or controversial, but throw foul language in and be emotional when you want, as long as it goes with the silicon valley flow. PG is Paul Graham- know him and love him like the rest. He runs this place, and maybe the world for that matter as far as HN is concerned and the world of startups as they exist on this site.

[Inkdryer]

Thank you so much for the info. Happy to be a part of it all. I've spent the last couple of weeks reading just about everything I can get my hands on by Paul Graham and it's all great and inspiring.

[brudgers]

HN is an exception to the law of software envelopment. It does not have private messages.