Based on seeing how comments like this may get interpreted, as well as broader thinking about online communication, I think HN should consider a more nuanced system of comment feedback mechanisms.
I don't have a particular plan finalized, but I would like to see HN provide feedback on different aspects of the comment. Below are some important aspects:
To what degree does the reader / voter... *
1. agree/disagee with the comment?
2. find the comment relevant / irrelevant to the topic as a whole?
3. find the comment is situated in the correct / incorrect location in the thread? (e.g. responding to the parent comment or not) 4. find the comment interesting / uninteresting?
5. think the comment adds to a diversity of perspectives?
6. find the comment clear / unclear?
7. think the comment aligns / (does not align) with the HN Guidelines: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
8. find the comment welcoming / offensive?
* When I write '/' above, I intend it to be a continuum; e.g. hot/cold means "in the continuum between hot and cold).
Additionally, being able to give feedback in a more granular fashion could be of use. For example, in my comment above, I would not be surprised if a significant number of people were bothered/offended by my commentary that people seem to be taking offense more easily. Some would call this ironic -- I wouldn't -- I think it gives more data to prove the point.
Motivations: my goal here is not to gain or lose karma -- I care very little about karma here, precisely because it is so muddled and varied from person to person -- as long as I have enough to participate fully. My goal is to learn and play a small part in fostering awareness and community, while hopefully to motivating others to reflect on their impact on the community here.
> "Newbie webdev (aren’t they all) uses MongoDB because it’s easy to use according to blogs and twitter"
I'm not sure if I completely missed the "aren't they all" part or if the comment got edited.*
So, clearly, in response to "aren't they all", the response by sophiebits above makes complete sense.
* This makes me wonder, is a comment locked for editing once a reply gets added?
> Please respond to the strongest plausible interpretation of what someone says, not a weaker one that's easier to criticize. Assume good faith.
[1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
In this case, the parent commenter probably meant that "newbie web developers" are likely to choose MongoDB. Of course, web developers have a range of experience, some new, some seasoned.
Regarding your comment, I am reminded of a pattern in online behavior over time: people seem to take offense more easily. Please take a look at https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-do-life/201410/t... to understand what I mean.