HN is always on about how the community is degrading, though apparently there has been some recent evidence to suggest that it is. That's what all the ballyhoo is about.
There are always lots of articles about "Rate my startup!" and "Ask HN", though. If you meant that you've been noticing a lot of those, then it's not a phase---it's regular.
I'd love to share the demo, but I don't fill like spilling the beans on the details of it yet. It's one of those things where once the idea is out, it's out, and I want to be sure I'm in a position to get the most out of it.
It sounds like a fascinating idea, though! I'd love to chat with you about commenting online in general - maybe not about your system in particular but about how commenting works. If you ever need somebody to bounce ideas off of, drop a line!
The general rule for "meta" is: "meta-X" → "X about X." Examples: "meta-data" → "data about data", "meta-language" → "language about language", "meta-vanity" → "vanity about vanity" (a concept explored by the late DFW though he termed it "second-order vanity"), etc.
Yes and no. This is the community's immune response. A couple of weeks after an influx of new users, the community stages a massive navel-gazing festival designed to test the new folks' mettle.
Once we shake off the people who don't really want to be here, we'll return to our usual diet of startup announcements, website reviews, complaints about techcrunch, artfully disguised attempts to reignite holy wars so that we can all spectate, and questions that have been asked every six months since the beginning of the site. Not to mention: news and information.
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NOTICE: This has been an attempt at humor. Do not refer to it as a "theory", lest ye be mocked. Please phrase replies in haiku form.
You're good. I saw the word "theory" and was getting ready to mock you! But in fact yours is a meta-comment about my so-called theory, and that is so in-keeping with today's theme that I should really upmod it twice.
It would appear that meta was just the beginning, we now have meta-meta-posts :p
Seriously though, the meta-phase, or the crawling-up-its-own-arse phase, seems to be something a lot of sites go through. Hopefully it will die down soon because it's getting a bit boring.
Ye Gods! It's a discussion about meta discussions!
It's our first meta meta discussion!
I feel so proud.
I'm vehemently opposed to meta meta discussions. This is like staring at somebody else while they look at their belly button. Or looking at your own belly button while somebody else stares at you. Or staring at somebody else's belly button while they look at yours. Or something like that (I am assured that all of this has to do with naval gazing by other commenters)
If you must reply, please make it rhyme (I never could figure out how to do that haiku format)
44 comments
[ 0.27 ms ] story [ 73.7 ms ] threadThere are always lots of articles about "Rate my startup!" and "Ask HN", though. If you meant that you've been noticing a lot of those, then it's not a phase---it's regular.
The news I can get anywhere, but the intelligent discussion on said topics is harder find.
Presumably a combination of a few new features that have just been added and the fact that there have been quite a few new users lately.
There's alwasy a little bit of it, but hopefully most of it will go away in a few days.
Have you got a demo of the discussion system you mention in your profile? I'd love to see it.
http://www.backtype.com/
I'd be excited to see your demo as well.
HN is like a teenager going through an "emo" period. We all need a haircut and some new music to listen to. And a date.
He might be one of the founders of socialbrowse? They're a YC-backed startup.
Explained here: http://mashable.com/2008/07/25/socialbrowse-release/
Install from here: http://socialbrowse.com/
I'd love to share the demo, but I don't fill like spilling the beans on the details of it yet. It's one of those things where once the idea is out, it's out, and I want to be sure I'm in a position to get the most out of it.
It sounds like a fascinating idea, though! I'd love to chat with you about commenting online in general - maybe not about your system in particular but about how commenting works. If you ever need somebody to bounce ideas off of, drop a line!
Error: Stack level too deep.
Once we shake off the people who don't really want to be here, we'll return to our usual diet of startup announcements, website reviews, complaints about techcrunch, artfully disguised attempts to reignite holy wars so that we can all spectate, and questions that have been asked every six months since the beginning of the site. Not to mention: news and information.
--- NOTICE: This has been an attempt at humor. Do not refer to it as a "theory", lest ye be mocked. Please phrase replies in haiku form.
With the theory bit at least
It sounds plausible
but it would appear to me
this is not haiku :)
hard enough; meta-replies
exempt in that case ;)
As I do as I say not
As I do say not
"massive navel-gazing fest"
it's human nature
experiences changes
of course we fear this
so we turn inward
and ask ourselves the question
what do we value?
there is a story
on overcoming bias
about compromise
when two cultures meet
what do you give up and what
do you get to keep?
just skim this too fast to see
subtle hidden form?
oh wait! i can't count
can't judge my own rules while I
sit in my rails class
Man, typing haiku
is a pain here; time for more
meta-design? Nooooo!!!
haiku game will now wind down
thank you for playing!
And you're not helping.
Neither am I.
I'm working on a project that's similar/complementary to yours (cf. my profile) and think we ought to chat. Email me.
Seriously though, the meta-phase, or the crawling-up-its-own-arse phase, seems to be something a lot of sites go through. Hopefully it will die down soon because it's getting a bit boring.
http://www.kirubakaran.com/phr0zen/
It's our first meta meta discussion!
I feel so proud.
I'm vehemently opposed to meta meta discussions. This is like staring at somebody else while they look at their belly button. Or looking at your own belly button while somebody else stares at you. Or staring at somebody else's belly button while they look at yours. Or something like that (I am assured that all of this has to do with naval gazing by other commenters)
If you must reply, please make it rhyme (I never could figure out how to do that haiku format)