Can HN not get caught up in the drama of reddit? Please. (Btw, instead of just down voting because you disagree, how about you try to discuss why you think being caught up in the drama is a good thing)
What's going on at Reddit right now is a significant story, plus HN and Reddit have a long history together (indeed, a common origin). So it's appropriate for the story to be on HN, and it has been: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9822580.
When it comes to pile-on stories, though, you're right. You're also right that the topic should be discussed here in a substantive way.
Generally, any time there's a frenzy of copycat stories, the approach that works best for HN is (a) to settle on (hopefully) the most substantive version of the story for discussion, (b) downweight the follow-ups, and (c) have a new thread if significant new information arises. I don't think the current story passes that last test, though it's perhaps interesting how people are seizing on it.
You are correct. I thought the guidelines encouraged discussion instead of down voting but...upon looking at the guidelines, I was wrong. Also, I don't mind the down votes, all I did was ask others to discuss more instead of clicking a simple down vote link. Many can down vote but how many can have a conversation?
No. This is one of the most significant events on the internet today . A first of its kind social phenomenon. This needs to be analyzed like everything else.
it's only first of its kind in a kindred sense to the way many patents were granted by doing an existing process on a computer. protests are not new. the differences here are details.
Getting caught up in the drama won't add any value to the adolescence nature of reddit. We could posts analysis talking about the details regarding the matters at hand. But this submission is adding fuel to the fire of childish behavior.
No. This submission is clearly smearing one side, the CEO of reddit. This submission is not showing a balanced view of anything. I'm not taking her side nor am I taking the accuser's side. Both are being very emotional and I'd hope that instead of being emotional and pointing fingers, that we'd be a little more mature in the HN community.
True but I wanted to voice my opinion regarding the submission and the potential dramatic nature that HN could get 'caught up in'. I've been going to HN for about two years now only been a member for a short bit. I want to make my vote. That is all and hopefully communicate with others about it. For the record, I didn't down vote nor flag this but it seems enough of the community did therefore it fell off the front page.
A downvote is the voice of your opinion. If you don't have the ability to downvote, well, that should tell you something about whether HN wants your opinion.
Speaking of the ability to downvote, I've been here over five years and don't have that (@ 81 points). I realize this is correctable and it's on me to comment more, but your comment made me want to add..
I do not participate often because I do not have the ability to contribute my opinion when I want to downvote, and then I get turned off from the discussion thread. Voting is an easy way to keep comment sections concise while allowing everyone to participate. I appreciate concise threads because I'm an engineer and don't want to spend all day rereading the same thoughts in different voices. In short, I want to downvote, I can't, and then I just stop reading and close the thread.
I would be happy if I could just push the down arrow and have it contribute, say, negative .2 points, or some amount scaled according to my current points status.
I doubt anyone cares enough about users on HN to make such a change, but maybe someone will see this and incorporate it on some future comments board. Thanks for reading.
Generally, any time there's a frenzy of copycat stories, the approach that works best for HN is (a) to settle on (hopefully) the most substantive version of the story for discussion, (b) downweight the follow-ups, and (c) have a new thread if significant new information arises. I don't think the current story passes that last test, though it's perhaps interesting how people are seizing on it.