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mw6621 | 5 years ago

I agree with his ultimate conclusion -- don't start a forum.

It is no fun being an internet referee.

discuss

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brandall10|5 years ago

Regardless of the value it brings to society, I believe Hacker News brings much value to YCombinator and the startups associated with it. Or at least it did up until recent years. I’ve never been part of a YC class, but I was kept abreast of many companies and changes to the program throughout the years largely because of it.

pmoriarty|5 years ago

Does PG actually modertate HN?

I thought he had mods like dang to take care of it for him.

I'd be more interested to hear what dang thinks of HN than what PG thinks.

Wowfunhappy|5 years ago

He did early on; not anymore.

082349872349872|5 years ago

It is no fun being a sports referee either. One has to pay constant attention and remain detached, all the while hearing from both sides what lousy calls one has made. (A legal judge's opinion, on which I model referee'ing: "be just, and if you can't be just, be arbitrary")

(or, more frequently, failed to make. in the old days one could ask "have you ever gone fishing? Well, did you catch all the fish?" What would be a modern equivalent?)

6510|5 years ago

> It is no fun being an internet referee.

Put so simple makes it a fascinating puzzle that I will need to ponder for years to come. Why is it the case, what can be done, who is up for it, what will they turn into, what happens with the subjects if done right/wrong?

enitihas|5 years ago

It is fun if you are seeking status or power, and thus it ends up attracting similarly inclined people.

dvtrn|5 years ago

It was amusing to me watching this comment turn grey when first stumbling upon it, I wonder if some apparently think entithas is just lying about it or if they’ve truly never come across a moderator or group of moderators who were just a power-tripping JERKS in their internet lives, and so thoroughly disbelieve there are people out there who just want power over a measly phpbb message board or subreddit that they just downvoted this and ran away.

I envy everyone who has yet to come across it, yours is truly a blessed internet experience. Those kinds of rulers just sap the joy out of communities and lead to splinter after splinter.