
Mark Suster Shares Tips to Improve the Civility on Hacker News - Chirag
http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2010/06/03/some-tips-to-improve-the-civility-on-hacker-news/
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RuadhanMc
Generally speaking, I think the civility on Hacker News is pretty good. I'd be
interested to see a widely frequented news site / blog that had a more civil
tone on average.

As for his suggestions:

1\. If people have to post under real names then a lot of people with skin in
the game won't post. It's as simple as that. I've no doubt the civility on
average would improve, but the content -- and the insight from key people --
would go downhill.

2\. Sure, no harm in flagging comments. Though if enough people down vote
inappropriate comments that's probably better from a community perspective.
One person flagging a comment as inappropriate does send the same message as
30 people down voting a comment does.

3\. Sure.

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jrockway
This article is stupid. I use my real name and have no trouble calling people
names or using the word "fuck". I'd do it in real life, too.

 _2\. Allow people to flag inappropriate comments - HackerNews only allows you
to flag stories that might be inappropriate. So there’s no way for me to
highlight that I’m being harshly attacked by Brerrabbit and no retribution to
his standing on HN for crossing the line._

This feature already exists. But nobody cares that someone made fun of you on
a forum; flagging is mostly to prevent spam. Grow a pair and realize that
nobody cares what someone says about you on the Internet. Close window, take a
deep breath, and do something else. The comment will be buried in obscurity in
a few hours.

But not if you blog about it.

