Well __I__ can visually distinguish a username more easily with @ in front of it. Just the same way as I, and many others, use various typographical marks to indicate various things. It does also make a *manual* thread search easier.
I feel reasonably confident that the vast majority of people doing this are not expecting @dang to be pinged, but are just using it either due to habit and/or a visual indicator. Either way, I'm not sure why this is such a big deal and worth more than a single exchange. Potentially someone doesn't know, it is okay to inform them, but after "I know" or "I didn't know" there is no more to be said.
It's not that big of a deal, the main problem with it is people assume this is actually a way to get moderator attention for something. It's great that you don't but plenty of users don't know that nor are they aware of the reliable method of emailing hn@ycombinator.com.
The other, probably more important reason not to do it is that it gums up threads with pointless meta which runs against the site conventions. If a comment starts with @dang, it probably doesn't belong in the thread. Just like that meeting, it could have been an email.
> The other, probably more important reason not to do it is that it gums up threads with pointless meta which runs against the site conventions.
It seems like we are complaining about the same issue. Again, why does this conversation exist since it has clearly been established that I am aware and that anyone reading is aware. If you got a problem with how I use typographical indicators, sorry, I'm going to keep doing it. You can keep starting these metas if you want, but it seems hypocritical to me. I'll just stop responding to prevent more metas, because I've been given no indication that anyone thinks it actually pings @dang other than people who get upset at people using "@". Seems like a classic assumption, where people try to solve a problem that doesn't exist (or exists in a very small percentage).
And as you can read, I did not start with @dang. It was an edit, and into the edit. And as you can read, I was going to send an email but then saw several users note they did, so wish to not spam the email any more.
I think we're done here and have derailed the thread enough. I don't think anyone's opinion is changing, and that's perfectly fine.
I've been given no indication that anyone thinks it actually pings @dang
You can find lots of comments by people who think that and replies by dang explaining it does nothing. The idea that we just have no clue what the effects of this are and why moderators think it is best avoided is just an odd one. The busybodies repeat this because the moderators do. Well, that and they're busybodies.
I did not start with @dang.
It doesn't matter, editing your comment to add meta is the thing that ends up derailing comments and threads. It's spamming your own comments, effectively - such comments are regularly moderated to the bottoms of threads.
It isn't. That's been explained in many threads of his comments, I feel reasonably sure some as previous replies to you.