What is a harder challenge is how to read the comments that are on topic whilst skipping those that derail the topic with a ranty tangent or bikeshedding, usually generating a mass of less valuable comments in reply.
(I'm aware there could be irony in me posting this at a tangent but I hope it's at least close enough and not ranting or arguing about an obscure aspect)
I enjoy HN enormously, both the articles and the comments but it does seem increasingly prone to derailing that often masks a load of interesting/valuable comments.
Of course one person's side issues is another person's central issue, so this may be somewhat intractable.
The best way I've seen see far is simply to close an entire branch of comments as soon as it's clear someone is derailing and then move down, hoping that the next set stay on topic.
What is a harder challenge is how to read the comments that are on topic whilst skipping those that derail the topic with a ranty tangent or bikeshedding, usually generating a mass of less valuable comments in reply.
(I'm aware there could be irony in me posting this at a tangent but I hope it's at least close enough and not ranting or arguing about an obscure aspect)
I enjoy HN enormously, both the articles and the comments but it does seem increasingly prone to derailing that often masks a load of interesting/valuable comments.
Of course one person's side issues is another person's central issue, so this may be somewhat intractable.
The best way I've seen see far is simply to close an entire branch of comments as soon as it's clear someone is derailing and then move down, hoping that the next set stay on topic.