I used to only really speak about node.js topics because that was what I had real fighting experience with, at a scale beyond what most webdevs had ever seen. Those were also my most upvoted posts by far.
However, if you haven't already, I'd encourage you to read over their past comments. They all read almost identical to the start of this thread. Before this post they had something like 3 other comments on HN and they were all about how great /e/OS is. All of them have a blurb about the privacy focus of /e/OS. They all read like copy from marketing.
That is bizarre commenting behavior for a niche OS. And these weren't comments about using /e/OS, but rather comments speaking positively about using it.
Your posts on node.js, I assume, weren't all "Node.js is the greatest programming environment I've ever used. It's so smooth and fast." Instead, I'd wager your highly upvoted comments contained useful information about using node.js.
I'd also say, that there are people that work for various software tech companies who post here. The best comments I see almost always start with "Full disclosure, I work for X". Those are far better received.
This is behavior of an astroturfer, that's so what. Which is why you are being accused of that. It looks suspicious.
> should I ask for permission to discuss something?
Nope, the opposite. If you want to look like a non-astroturfer then engagement with other topics on the site would do that.
If you only engage with a single topic over the years and the only thing you contribute is "This is the absolute best working OS I've used, everyone should use it. I endorse it fully". People are going to be, understandably, suspicious of your motivations.
> it's crazy how omniscient people are aggressive on the internet.
We live in an internet filled with advertisements. Most of us have seen astroturfing. That's why we suspect you.
> Is that your normal behaviour IRL??
Absolutely it is! If someone knocks on my door telling me about the wonders of pest control, you'll forgive me for not taking their endorsement for the program they are selling as being solid. Same thing happens in churches. I'm instantly suspicious of someone that starts singing the praises of a product in church and, magically, starts hosting parties where they talk about the wonders of said product (see MLM).
This is a fact of living in a capitalist society. There's always an incentive to sell which makes everyone suspicious of product endorsements. Especially when that seems to be the only thing a person is capable of doing.
Engaging in an argument with people accusing them of astroturfing? Absolutely not.