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Re:Let the Other 95% of Great Programmers In by kenjackson on Saturday December 27, 2014 @01:29AM (#8801885)
Judged on its merits, it is one of PGs poorer essays. And if written by nearly anyone else would have not made the front page or any comments. That there has been discussion on it all has been charitable.

With higher quality content you will see higher quality discussion. I do hope the lack of charity has shown Paul that his thinking, as demonstrated by his writing, on this topic is muddled.

Re:Let the Other 95% of Great Programmers In by dang on Saturday December 27, 2014 @03:30AM (#8802073)
> That there has been discussion on it all has been charitable.

Your use of the word "charitable" is different from what the principle of charity is about. I'm concerned with the latter. One good thing is that the principle applies regardless of whether or not somebody else is following it, so the excuse of but-the-other-person-started-it (even if they did start it) doesn't wash.

When people don't care to understand each other and try instead to cast the other's statements in the worst light, discussion becomes mediocre and foul. HN has a problem with this, and the principle of charity may be a tonic for it.