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Comment by davidw | Hacker News Reader

> Except that issues arise when the content you produce for this site is influenced by your desire to make money.

It isn't. I could see it being a problem for some people, hypothetically. If that problem arises, we can deal with it.

> It's also ridiculous for you to complain when someone provides an alternative to your product -- that's what capitalism is all about!

The "alternative" link means that Jeff Bezos pockets the few cents I would have made. To the actual end user, it makes no difference at all. There is no way I'd post those links if they actually ended up costing people here money.

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>If that problem arises, we can deal with it.

This problem has arised in nearly all the sites that I know that have ever tolerated it. Eventually, someone learns that it's allowed and exploits that. Actually, you're that person because that link sounded to me like a sales pitch, but I can't prove that this was your intention.

In all cases, I'd rather prevent it from happening by disapproving it than "dealing with it" after the deed is done.

>To the actual end user, it makes no difference at all.

Bullshiiiiit. It makes the difference that this shit gets spammed all over the Internet eventually. Boo.

(as a side note, you can't prove they'd have gone to Bezos rather than contribute to an Amazon commission decrease if no one used these referrals)

> you're that person

Did you read my past comments and actually judge how much "spamming" I'm doing prior to making accusatory statements like that?

Let me make it easy for you: https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=davidw

> this shit

In this case, "this shit" was a book I happened to read and enjoy and was highly relevant to the discussion at hand and decided to share with people here. They seem to have appreciated the link. I know I'm always on the lookout for good books to read myself, and have found more than a few via this site.

I find giant rants against people using but not spamming affiliate links to be much more of a bother than affiliate links. Now what.

You make a very good point, and I apologise for my part in this meta-sub-thread.

Some off-site META discussion place would be useful. It needn't be just for HN, it could be for all online communities. Sort of like Meatball wiki was, but for everything. And not a wiki.

People have all sorts of ideas about moderation and karma and banning and etc.

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