The Zen of HN

[cool-RR]

I don't think downvotes should be used for disagreeing.

[Retric]

Once a comment is +5 or higher. I think down votes can record peoples disagreement without cluttering the page. This can counter people up voting into the strataphere because they agree rather than because the comment has merit.

[mcav]

Right; that was intended to mean that people sometimes use them for disagreement, despite that they probably shouldn't. Any thoughts on a better wording?

[mattmaroon]

They almost exclusively are though. I think he was just pointing that out.

[notaddicted]

I think they should be used for disagreeing with things that are wrong.

[CGamesPlay]

When does one get the privilege of downvoting?

[mcav]

Python has cool, witty Zen. This is not as cool and hardly witty, but I figured I'd take a stab at it and let the rest of you improve or rewrite it. It's on GitHub, and I'm no poet, so feel free to edit/fork/dismiss as you see fit.

[anuraggoel]

You could add something to the effect of 'say nothing you wouldn't say to our face'.

[ErrantX]

perhaps "say nothing rude you wouldn't say to my face".

There are lots of constructing things you can contribute here which you might not want to say to someone in a live debate (Im thinking, for example, the drugs discussion that went on a while back) :D

[swolchok]

Ironically, this article violates its urge to "meta-discuss sparingly" by meta-discussing for a whole article. (Attempts to point out the same irony in this comment will suffer from the same problem.)

[gamache]

I think the article counts as "sparing".

[tdavis]

It might be a personal thing, but I never submit anything I've personally written. I leave it to others to figure out if it warrants being on Hacker News.

(in reference to posting stuff from one's own blog lines)

[hahadenny]

test

[hahadenny]

this is good

[thras]

Personally, I always downvote based upon human worth. Upvotes? Only if I think you're hot.

[cool-RR]

I think not many people feel attracted to you right now.

[rms]

In clapping both hands a sound is heard: what is the sound of the one hand?

[Tichy]

If the crowd does not vote up the prophet, the prophet shall vote up himself

[rokhayakebe]

Downvotes are nothing less than barbaric. You are hurting someone just because you disagree with their point of view.