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by reledi 4641 days ago
Hey Jennifer,

Well done on your journey, very impressive! It's an inspiration for many of us.

You replied about the use of "girl" (and I agree, "person" would be best here), but why not reply to petea's original comment where he criticizes you? Every time your blog makes it to front page on HN, I notice you're active in the comment thread but you don't reply to the criticism. Why not? It would quickly put an end to these type of comments. I think ignoring the criticism does more harm than the truth about whether or not you received help from others or you started the challenge with some basic knowledge.
2 comments
ceejayoz 4641 days ago
> You don't reply to the criticism. Why not? It would quickly put an end to these type of comments.

Well, that's a novel theory on Internet commenting.

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reledi 4641 days ago
Thanks for the input, but not all online communities are the same. HN doesn't have the greatest community, but it's better than most.

The question keeps appearing every time Jennifer's story makes the front page. If it was answered, the answer can be easily linked to any time the question pops up in the future.

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breadbox 4641 days ago
What does she possibly have to gain by responding to such crticism? Regardless of the situation, her best move is to ignore it and move on with her life.
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reledi 4641 days ago
Alternatively, what does she have to lose by responding to the criticism and then moving on with her life?

While her accomplishment is very inspirational, it can also act as a disincentive to many who feel discouraged or stupid after having failed on much simpler beginner tasks. This can change depending on her answer to the criticism.

BTW this project is now a significant part of her life. It got a lot of attention and most people will know her because of the accomplishment. It'll be difficult to quickly move on from it - I'm sure the project will pop up in conversation with her, years from now, along with the same questions.

Whether she responds to the criticism or not, it's been exciting seeing her make progress and complete her goal. I wish her all the best.

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