

Ask YC:  Do you think hierarchical discussions with voting does not work? - amichail

The problem is that you could always reply to the topmost comment, thus making your reply highly visible.<p>Sure it may get down voted and hidden eventually.  But I think it's still a flaw.  After all, new submissions don't start on the front page.  So why allow something like that with comments?<p>How can you address this issue?
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bootload
_"... The problem is that you could always reply to the topmost comment, thus
making your reply highly visible. ..."_

Good comments rise to the top and attract further analysis. What is wrong with
that? It's not a flaw.

Commenting in discussion sites is a bit like surfing. The wave comes along,
the first to the wave get a chance to add their opinion, facts, insight.
Spectators on the beach can have the best view of the players commenting and
join in by voting and adding further comment. As time moves on, the wave of
interest in the story also wanes. If you join in too late, the best
performance has already been voted on.

So either get to the best beach early by checking the surf report ~
<http://news.ycombinator.com/active> or you miss out.

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ambition
Do you have examples where this has happened? Are you referring to another
site?

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amichail
So you never feel like replying to the topmost comment so that more people
will see what you wrote?

~~~
ambition
It never occurred to me. Conclude what you will about my intelligence.

