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Re:Show HN: RTFA, a Chrome extension to hide HN comments unt... by knowtheory on Monday February 17, 2014 @12:59PM (#7253326)
As a point of note, there's research on this topic. Comments influence/bias how people feel/think about the content they read: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/a-blog-around-the-clock/...

You're not just getting landscape, you're getting the messy human battlefield of human opinion (sometimes for better, often for worse).

Personally i wish there were a plugin that would prevent voting until you've opened the link and spent at least a minute on page :P

Re:Show HN: RTFA, a Chrome extension to hide HN comments unt... by aswanson on Monday February 17, 2014 @03:09PM (#7254180)
I think more often for better, at least for this forum. I read commentary first more probabalistically based on the hype-sensationalism character of the title. I dont subscribe to the hivemind theory, in almost every thread there is well-argued commentary falling on both sides of the issues presented.

I don't want to reward linkbait and hype. A pdf link on the efficient implementation of the radon transform or compiler theory is much more likely to get an unfiltered click from me.

Re:Show HN: RTFA, a Chrome extension to hide HN comments unt... by elboru on Monday February 17, 2014 @05:23PM (#7254935)
I notice a trend here in HN, the first comment will most of the times be opposite to the article (this thread is just another example).