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Comment by teirce | Hacker News Reader

I feel like I'm the only one who is annoyed when people plug their products in someone else's post. I understand you're just trying to increase your userbase, but it just seems disrespectful.

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To me it seems more like the most relevant time to pitch your own project. It also might introduce the original poster to his/her competition - of which they might not have been aware. If I'm interested in the post, then I'm probably interested to know what other similar tools are out there. My opinion, of course.

I'll take the other approach here - I think its useful to see products in a competing space for everyone involved. The poster, and the readers alike only benefit from understanding the full landscape more clearly.

Disagree. I like to hear about the other work in the same space. Otherwise, being not familiar with each space on HN, I may think something is unique just because I haven't heard about it before.

I see where you're coming from but we're not really competing. If we were competing I agree it'd be pretty lame. We're a totally different experience for a similar use case. If the OP requests in the thread to do so I'll remove the comment but I also thought it might result in a back in forth on the tricks for doing this, which is actually pretty tough.

1) The problem is that your comment offered nothing extra. All it was was a plug. The other people who plug usually provide some interesting information.

2) If you claim your product isn't the same, then why bring it up?

As long as everyone is being honest, it is in the interest of the user and also the greater good to be made aware of all alternatives. The free market is built on the assumption of rational and informed choice, and often fails because of the lack thereof.

The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth! Politeness be damned!

I love it! Compare and contrast, man. He could have provided some ideas and suggestions for the OP though. I am sure he has great insight having done the same and it would be great karma to start off with that. Anyways, it's better doing it openly rather than astroturfing nonsense.

It depends. Too much (I don't think we have too much) would be bad. People rocking up just to pitch would be bad.

But, if a long term HN-er (gfodor is) is here anyway and wants to jump in and pitch, I am happy to hear from them. For one thing, he probably knows a lot about this stuff.

I think the only problem I have with it is when the only response to the posting is something like this "Cool stuff" isn't relevant to the post at all really, then the rest is just plug. At least leave some feedback for the post you're hijacking..

Hey, your ad is getting in the way of reading this ad!

Let the better product win I say.

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