I have 11,659 karma. I'm not bragging but that means I have a pretty good understanding and respect for the purpose of downvotes (because I learn from them how to make more upvotes). Nothing is being polluted here, just a reasonable request for clarification (for example I would love to learn that I was factually wrong!). I'm guessing the downvote signal was actually somebody agreeing with me and showing displeasure with the problem, or believing I was technically incorrect, or gauche to be pointing out the problem in the first place.