labolg

I don't know what specifics you are looking for as you made the statement in the first place and haven't explained what you base it on other than that what has already been addressed. None of my arguments needs specifics. So I also don't know why you need them, or why you can't address anything else without them.

Therefor I haven't really gotten anything out of this which both doesn't make me interested in (nor do I think I can be expected to be) these conditions for a further discussion. I'm happy to reconsider at any point (but can't guarantee a response) if you have any specific questions about my comment.

If you want to prove your theory that flamewars makes those flagging right and not what I said, it is up to you. Which is even more reasonable considering you have the responsibility to run this site, the tools required for it and are getting paid to do it.

No, they are simply saying that someone who wanted these stories removed could both flag the story and engage in a flamewar. Then they wouldn't have predicted the situation, but created it.

Say some don't like stories about crypto currency, but tolerates them. So, stories about crypto currency appear and attract those interested in crypto currency. Say there are also stories about public projects, but those interested in crypto currency don't tolerate stories about public projects, so there are flamewars for those stories.

Your conclusion would then be that Hacker News is a good place for stories about crypto currency, but not for stories about public projects. Because stories about public projects creates flamewars and should therefor be removed.

When in reality those interested in public projects would be the ones wanting interesting discussions, while those interested in crypto currency would be acting against the spirit of the site.

As stories about public projects are removed eventually those interested in them would leave and stories about how public projects can't work would meet little resistance. Therefor not creating any flamewars and be good for HN. Yet, it would at best be the opposite of curiosity.

Yes and no.

I have independently learned some electronics (digital and high speed) starting about 10 years ago and aren't that surprised that an ambitious high schooler with resources can now do it. There have always been younger people who wanted to do whatever they saw. Up until 5 years ago it was however hard to make a laptop.

There weren't many SOM modules available, which meant you had to learn to route memory. Open source carrier board designs can now be found on GitHub as well. Multi-layer board were expensive to have made, and slow to get. There wasn't assembly so you had to learn to solder really small components, which requires a microscope and other specialized tools. CNC is still a bit expensive, but still a lot easier than injection molding. KiCad still isn't the best for high speed, but a lot better than it used to be. Sourcing parts in general was much harder.

Just like PHP brought framework, template, programming language, hosting, community and whatever else so when a teenager wanted to make a website they could, the things that goes into making a laptop have now become easier.

I like that the attitude is positive, but it feels slightly lame as well. The big reason you can do this today is because of everyone who among other things fought to get features into KiCad, started lowering the price of PCBs by pooling and reselling, designed various development boards and so on. You still can't really make a x86 laptop because of everything being under NDA, not possible to buy and the advanced routing required. Or maybe you now can with the LattePanda...

So in that sense ignorance of the limitations help, but it wouldn't have previously. It is possible, easier even, to figure this out as an adult. Hacker News were for some reason never that interested though.