That's sort of an informal rule-of-thumb a lot follow. Amusingly, the guidelines do specifically say "Please don't submit comments complaining that a submission is inappropriate for the site."
Really, the simplest thing to do is make sure you contribute to discussion in some small way, and then put a rider on for the less contributive aspects you want to voice. That's what the above is really espousing, and while it's not a rule, it does seem to make the discussion flow smoother (and prevents people from jumping in about how you aren't contributing...)
Specifically:
The most important principle on HN, though, is to make thoughtful comments. Thoughtful in both senses: civil and substantial.
The test for substance is a lot like it is for links. Does your comment teach us anything? There are two ways to do that: by pointing out some consideration that hadn't previously been mentioned, and by giving more information about the topic, perhaps from personal experience. Whereas comments like "LOL!" or worse still, "That's retarded!" teach us nothing.
kbenson|9 years ago
Really, the simplest thing to do is make sure you contribute to discussion in some small way, and then put a rider on for the less contributive aspects you want to voice. That's what the above is really espousing, and while it's not a rule, it does seem to make the discussion flow smoother (and prevents people from jumping in about how you aren't contributing...)
metellus|9 years ago
Specifically: The most important principle on HN, though, is to make thoughtful comments. Thoughtful in both senses: civil and substantial.
The test for substance is a lot like it is for links. Does your comment teach us anything? There are two ways to do that: by pointing out some consideration that hadn't previously been mentioned, and by giving more information about the topic, perhaps from personal experience. Whereas comments like "LOL!" or worse still, "That's retarded!" teach us nothing.