
Downvoting should come with a mandatory one-line explanation - heyplanet
I think it would be very valuable, if downvoting would only be possible if one at the same time writes a short explanation why they downvote.<p>The reason for an upvote is pretty obvious. The upvoted author usually explained his point.<p>But what is the meaning for a downvote? This info could be very valuable.<p>For example, today I posted this:<p>https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=11361031<p>What do I learn from the downvotes it got? That my post was too unfriendly? That the facts are wrong? That people disagree in some other way?<p>I would really like to know.
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danso
I would guess you were downvoted for being sanctimonious. Not just harsh in
your enumeration of the ways they screwed up, but throwing this in at the end,
_" But please stand up and fight for the right thing. For a better world. Not
just for a bit of profit by bending the rules"_, as if you didn't feel like it
was enough to pile on to them, you had to make the judgment that they were
just a bunch of bottom-feeding assholes. So I can see why you were down voted.

~~~
heyplanet
Super interesting! Thanks! I can see it this way. But I would not have guessed
it.

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1123581321
My experience is that you usually know why you were downvoted if you think
about it, and if you have a pattern of being downvoted, at least one of your
comments is likely to have someone reply to it explaining what's likely the
reason.

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coreyp_1
I'm still wondering at what point I will get to see the downvote button.....

~~~
heyplanet
My guess is that you don't even have an upvote button.

You have that little triangle, but I don't think it really upvotes.

For example, this post has 5 points but is not on the ASK page. While older
posts with just 3 points are. Probably because it is "upvoted" mainly by
"little guys".

As I understand it, clicking the triangle only means "put this in my saved
stories list" unless you somehow secretly become a real upvoter.

I think we all are still waiting for a community with transparent rules. So
far, none has managed to get a lot of traction.

~~~
danso
I think it probably got flagged, as many meta-discussions do. I upvoted it,
FWIW.

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GFK_of_xmaspast
I get downvoted all the time, and sometimes I even deserve it, but I'm not
about to start complaining about imaginary internet points.

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anexprogrammer
I suspect it was your tone. You did lay it on a bit thick even though
factually correct. :)

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nikolay
I constantly get downvoted. It's not very beneficial to your karma to have
unpopular opinions here... Instead of up/down votes a la Reddit, which comes
with the Reddit mentality, too, implement Facebook or Emoji reactions. Be
positive! Best for your actual karma is to ignore and not to punish (i.e.
downvote). Popular posts get more upvotes, so, they essentially push up the
good stuff anyway.

I think downvote should only be a reply, but, of course, you can guess who
downvoted you... which is fine as hackers should not be cowards!

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minsight
The info could be very valuable. Or it could be not valuable at all. It could
be inflammatory. It could be dead wrong.

Remember, you are not your down votes. Or your up votes. Share the things
you'd like to share. Hopefully, someone will appreciate it (whether they vote
or not). Say the things you'd like to say. Be nice to people.

~~~
heyplanet
If the explanation is inflammatory, I have a much better feedback then from
just a downvote. For example, an insult would tell me "Ok, it's probably not
about the facts for this guy. Otherwise he would have stated the facts he
objects to".

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plugnburn
I honestly think the entire idea of downvoting available only for selected
users creates a mass conciousness manipulation tool. When some "authority"
decides what's good and what's bad.

Why can't I use the downvote button? It either must be available to everyone,
or not available at all.

And if you, HN founders, are afraid that newcomers can be smarter than you,
then remove the ability to downvote altogether. Whoever dislikes a post, can
just ignore it.

P.S. The entire user rating system here contradicts the resource name. Hackers
do not believe in karma.

~~~
pavornyoh
_I honestly think the entire idea of downvoting available only for selected
users creates a mass conciousness manipulation tool._

Downvoting is available to anyone who has 500 karma points or more and is not
for the selected few. That ability has to be earned so to speak..

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coreyp_1
Do you realize that you just said, in essence, that you have to be popular in
order to dissent? That's like saying only celebrities should be allowed to
voice their opinion.

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pavornyoh
_in essence, that you have to be popular in order to dissent?_

No, I am not saying that. And if I understand the _dissent_ correctly being
used in the sentence thus, _hold or express opinions that are at variance with
those previously, commonly, or officially expressed_ , you are already doing
that to my post as an example and you didn't have to be popular to express
such an opinion.:)

~~~
coreyp_1
Incorrect.

Voting is a form of expression, and a comment has much less weight than a
downvote in terms of ranking.

The only way to be able to express that type of opinion is by complying with
the masses long enough to hoard enough karma. So, yes, only the "popular"
people get that power.

