I think this is good; HN is optimized for signal/noise even at the cost of missing out on some content. It would be better to have a culture that frowned on shallow criticisms (“Why don’t you have X, Y, or Z?” and “Why would you waste your time on that? 12 things like that already exist!”, as the article puts it).
Above all HN (to me) is the antitwitter; it's a place for serious, in-depth discussion. I wonder whether a minimum of 161 characters would lead to better posts.
http://blog.xkcd.com/2008/01/14/robot9000-and-xkcd-signal-at...
Consider Apple. Why do people love the brand and products so much and are so willing to discuss it? Perhaps because their expectation of those fields is so low and Apple surpasses it. Compare a normal retail stores with an Apple store. Compare a pre-iPhone with an iPhone. Compare a Mac with a PC. Apple have consciously taken negative customer experiences and made them positive. And as such they get extensive positive comment.
It can be a downer, but when I do 'fantastic' I know I've deserved the praise which is a massive moral boost.
Personally, I like honesty. As in honest opinions.
But... the source matters. To be criticised by a fool means nothing. To be criticised by someone who has good taste is different. It may be hurt but it's extremely valuable.
Without criticism, you simply cannot improve. I guess there are some people who do not want to improve. They just want things to stay as they are.
I'm always open to criticism and am willing to improve. Sorry if that wasn't clear enough in the post.
People are quick to criticise and slow to compliment on HN. But ask yourself why.
Is it really so surprising?
Here are some of my observations. These could be wrong.
1. Computers have always been difficult and at times frustrating to use. I recall a story of someone throwing a PDP-10 out of a window at Berkeley, immediately after successfully porting some code to it (a wonderful achievement but incredibly frustrating- this was before C and portability). If you are spending your time working with computers, you are going to build up some frustration. It just goes with the territory. That will eventually have to be vented. (Exhibit A: Slashdot.org)
2. The web as a medium of business is full of scammers and criminals. It's also full of garbage "news" and other faux "content" trying to draw traffic, internet VC looking to take advantage of young programmers and naive investors, and "companies" formed of morally-challenged people who aim to make money by selling people's personal information or access to people's own content as a "business". There is a lot to make people jaded if you follow business on the web.
3. Computers do have a positive aspect. When they work well, it's amazing. Like magic. Computers are addictive. People enjoy them. When you write programs it can you give you a feeling of great satisfaction. ... However... the way we use computers, e.g., our personal preferences, often differ widely. So If you start singing the praises of something computer-related to other users reading the web, they may not all agree. In fact, the idea of the "fanboy", e.g. one who loves some absolutely terrible and stupid piece of software or hardware, can be even more disturbing than people who are constantly making negative comments about things which might actually not be all that bad.
4. HN if the estimates are accurate is _primarily_ an audience of 18-24 males who are are likely to be social outcasts. Would you really expect them to be overflowing with positive energy? In my experience, negative comments get upvoted. The most upvotes I ever received have been from negative comments. Who would upvote negativity? (I should really not even post negative things. I know better) So who the heck would upvote negativity? 18-24 males who can't get laid. Just a guess.
If you disagree, however, there is an emotional tendency to want to argue or lash out(especially under the guise of partial or full anonymity). Arguing makes for a more interesting read or prevents the 'yes' mentality.
- Emmet Fox
