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Off topic: do certain domains or certain users get a bump in value in the HN ranking algorithm? This post is currently 34 minutes old, has 4 points, 0 comments, and is currently ranked 12th on the front page. That seems like an unusually high ranking for a post with this level of engagement.
I just looked, and every post made more recently than this one (as of now) has exactly 1 point, so its not that crazy to see this on the front page.
That is true. It is a Friday in the summer and it is already late afternoon on the west coast. It is possible that HN is unusually quiet at the moment and obviously something still needs to make the front page even during slow downs. I just don't remember seeing numbers that low.
Absolutely.

Mods are on record confirming they will make individual adjustments. Flagging will also lower a post.

Typically anything critical of the US government will be utterly trashed.

The mods might contradict me but they would be lying as the y have also been caught lying before.

I'd definitely love to see stats or sources for this!
Me too.
You're full of shit.

You control this platform, anything I link can be changed. Even my current comment will likely be removed.

You've lied, you've been caught lying, you side with pro Government sentiments, you allow Government sockpuppets to derail conversations, you ban people who do not break the guidelines, you ban IPs you even preemptively ban comments so they don't even appear dead, they just never appear.

You control dissent, it's okay if a post here or there is critical, as long as it isn't too critical or too popular, in which case vote brigades will bury that sentiment or submission. Seen it happen many times and all you do is whistle and claim it isn't true. You're a liar, plain and simple

And look this thread is now a dupe, how predictable

This post is a dupe because https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14473243 was earlier and more informative on the same topic. Often there's a comment linking to the earlier submission, but it's easy to figure out in any case: https://hn.algolia.com/?query=google%20capture%20the%20flag&....

Your other claims are impossible to respond to concretely. The one thing the users who write such lively critiques have in common is that they never supply specific links, because then it would be possible to answer them.

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Comments have a negative impact on rank I believe, meaning that all things being equal, a story with less comments than another will rank higher.
I don't think that's true necessarily; you're referring to the flamewar detector, which kicks in at a threshold.
If you don't follow the links:

"we’ll be hosting the online qualification round of our second annual Capture The Flag (CTF) competition. In a ‘Capture the Flag’ competition we create security challenges and puzzles in which contestants can earn points for solving them. "

Also for those familiar with CTF terminology, TL;DR is:

Online; Jeopardy; Finals onsite (4/team) w/ cash prize.

"The Contest is open to individuals who are (1) over the age of eighteen (18) at the time of entry; (2) not a resident of Brazil, Quebec, Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Korea, Sudan, or Crimea;"

WTF with Brazil and Quebec being in that list...

Presumably because of local laws in Brazil or Quebec; probably too much of a hassle for Google to comply.
Also: "Entrants warrant that their codes are their own original work and, as such, they are the sole and exclusive owner and rights holder of the submitted code and that they have the right to submit the code in the Contest and grant all required licenses."

Does that mean exploits can't be cribbed off someone else's (open source) ones or use libraries? Not being able to do that completely changes the game.

It seems like they copied and pasted rules for a programming contest...

We added this section for the write-ups. We want to be able to republish write-ups and their code if we want.
I really want to "flag" this post. But not really.