Painful experience after being regularly online since 1992 (!) has taught me that there is always someone wrong on the Internet. Sometimes there is even someone (but I am not referring to this thread, not at all) who has a top comment on a widely viewed thread on HN who is nonetheless wrong. I try not to worry about that too much. Surely in the "old days" before there was instantaneous international written communication available to the masses things were even worse. I have learned from quite a few of your posts (including this one to which I reply) and I have learned from a lot of people here on HN. I try not to invest too much worry or self-esteem into trying single-handedly to correct all the mistaken ideas in the world.
The thing of it is, it's just so freakin' awesome to leach knowledge from all the smart people on HN. Some comments are full of useful links; some have just one really awesome link. Other comments describe a trick, technique, or experience that is enlightening.
Slashdot used to be this way for me; I'm not sure what changed, but it saddens me now that it's mostly a flamefest between the Linux old-timers and all the Apple fanboys and Windows shills. That's one of the reasons I came to HN. Funny thing is, I was just about to post an angry response in another story thread, but was on the fence about it; I used to do that a lot on slashdot. I think I'll just go and close that tab now; it doesn't really add much.
Yes, I printed that one out and stuck it to my monitor, actually :-)
I still value HN very much, and I read the comments because there is often useful information. It is just the way I interact with it that is the problem - certainly not HN that is to blame.
HN is actually almost the only web site I visit, apart from a local newspaper which I would like to quit (they are actively manipulative, as newspapers go).
Have you not seen the xkcd cartoon "Duty Calls" before?
http://xkcd.com/386/
Painful experience after being regularly online since 1992 (!) has taught me that there is always someone wrong on the Internet. Sometimes there is even someone (but I am not referring to this thread, not at all) who has a top comment on a widely viewed thread on HN who is nonetheless wrong. I try not to worry about that too much. Surely in the "old days" before there was instantaneous international written communication available to the masses things were even worse. I have learned from quite a few of your posts (including this one to which I reply) and I have learned from a lot of people here on HN. I try not to invest too much worry or self-esteem into trying single-handedly to correct all the mistaken ideas in the world.