Comment by cybersnowflake | Hacker News Reader

Comment by cybersnowflake | Hacker News Reader

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Maybe stop banhammering newbies simply because you think their question about obscure arcane algorithm #44462 is too similar to an even more arcane question 10 years ago about algorithm #783429 and its immediately obvious to a regular with a pH.D in quantum statistics.

The only major support site I'm aware of with a 'stupid questions' punishment policy. Which isn't a bad thing in and of itself except its implemented in such a draconian and nontransparent way. Demerits never seem to expire, even after years of no 'stupid' posts and theres no explanation where they come from.

The bizarre thing is even with this and newbies banned left and right it seems the admin is on another planet running some other website as all they want to talk about is social justice and how evil heteronormative SO users somehow can psychically tell who is a woman or minority and supposedly harassing them to epidemic proportions but nobody somehow ever sees this.

Maybe get a handle on a few real basic problems before you start crowing about your geewhiz new bot.

> Maybe stop banhammering newbies simply because you think their question about obscure arcane algorithm #44462 is too similar to an even more arcane question 10 years ago about algorithm #783429 and its immediately obvious to a regular with a pH.D in quantum statistics.

You don't get banned for questions closed as duplicate, what are you talking about?

Yes you do. Among other things. Its one of the things that counts toward your 'demerit' score. Or at least it certainly appears to. Theres people who haven't done anything but ask a couple 'stupid questions' that were answered before that were modded. Of course their moderation policy is so opaque only the admin could tell you exactly what happened.Or maybe not since they seen keen to adapt the 'Google approach' of having their bots take over sight unseen.

I stand corrected on the fact that there's no ban procedure[0]. But there's also a provision that this ban lasts 6 months, not indefinitely.

And it's not about questions getting closed, it's about downvotes.

And from that to saying that the procedure is opaque, I'd say you'll have to provide some sources about that.

[0] https://stackoverflow.com/help/question-bans

The procedure is opaque because:

He posts questions that are duplicates but are only obvious duplicates if you're have a PhD in quantum statistics. And he attracts downvotes and gets demerits. Most SO users don't have PhDs, therefore most of the the downvotes and demerits must be due to something mystifying.

The procedure is not opaque because:

Well, maybe his questions may be regarded differently by other people, and then it makes sense.

There's a rule on meta.stackoverflow.com that each such complaint must point to an example question. A good rule.

Oh they definitely downvote you simply for closed questions.Which you'd know if you regularly used the site or didn't assume that I was unfamiliar with it. Also the bans might be temporary but the demerits last for years at least. I know because I have ones from 2016. Of course most of what you and I are might say about actual policy isn't certain since its all hidden. The mark of bad moderation policy is hidden/vague policy but the overwhelming practice in most places including here.

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