Rank at HN: Stop saying "This."

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3153377

by jgrahamc • 15 years ago

58 34 15 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

Please stop saying "This." in reply to things you agree with. It's lame.

If you want to agree with a commentator then you can upvote, or reply with additional insightful commentary, but there's no need to even say you agree, let alone use the stupid "This." It serves no purpose beyond a vacuous "Me too" type response.

davidw5• 15 years ago

I reflexively downvote people who do that. It's an extremely jarring abuse of the English language, and furthermore, serves absolutely no purpose, as jgrahamc points out, on a site with the possibility to either simply upvote, or comment in a more meaningful way.

As an alternative, try something creative like "I completely concur with the spirit of this comment, and would like to add ...." or "The sentiments expressed within the above comment could not be more clearly or intelligently stated. Furthermore ...", or, say, "Quite right, ..." or... well, pretty much anything that's not just the regurgitation of a boring meme.

johnyzee2• 15 years ago

> "The sentiments expressed within the above comment could not be more clearly or intelligently stated. Furthermore ..."

Best said wearing a fake monocle and top hat. Honestly, college kids trying to sound educated is almost as annoying as 'this'. Just speak plain English, please.

davidw5• 15 years ago

1) I'm not a college kid.

2) That is plain English.

pbhjpbhj6• 15 years ago

>serves absolutely no purpose, as jgrahamc points out, on a site with the possibility to either simply upvote, or comment in a more meaningful way. //

He must have said this before he stripped comment scores off the site.

The only current way to indicate assent to anyone other than the commenter you're agreeing with is to make a short comment. "Yes" or "this" fits, is easily parsed and easily input. Until comment scores return I hope more people use this technique. It adds information that is not otherwise available.

chc2• 15 years ago

Mere agreement is information, but it is not information that's important enough to merit cluttering up the discussion. If you're going to encourage that kind of logorrhea, expect a lot of comments along the lines of "I just farted" and "'Assent' is a really cool-sounding word. You ever think about it? Say it to yourself — 'assent, assent'. LOL"

Some information is just not that essential.

noja2• 15 years ago

This. It's a generational thing. It's short for "this guy's got it, this guy has articulated what we are all/I am thinking". or sometimes "this is the point that must be addressed".

I don't even use "This.", but your suggestion to write "I completely concur with the spirit of.." had me falling asleep before I'd even got to the end of the sentence.

Consider this: lots of people are using the word, why not adjust to them, rather than have them adjust to you?

davidw5• 15 years ago

> had me falling asleep before I'd even got to the end of the sentence.

Apologies, but I'm not interested in dumbed down conversations, and will continue to employ, and advocate the use of English from beyond a 6th grade level, as it makes for richer, more nuanced discussions.

lisper• 15 years ago

Word.

;-)

dnlhoust• 15 years ago

Mankhool• 15 years ago

This.

albahk• 15 years ago

Agreed with the parent and I would also like to add please consider not using periods to Make. Your. Statement. Seem. Profound.

atomicdog• 15 years ago

This! Every. Fucking. Time. That is all.

pbhjpbhj6• 15 years ago

>Agreed with the parent //

You're being ironic right? He said not to write indicating mere assent. You should _only_ have upvoted him.

achompas• 15 years ago

I think you were downvoted because parent made an additional, valid point. The whole single-word-as-sentence cliche ("It. Just. Works.") is equally annoying and stopped suggesting a quirky/unique author years ago.

willpower1012• 15 years ago

This is turning into a buzzfeed article about annoying net language. It's all just opinion. No one writes like that at work.

pbhjpbhj6• 15 years ago

It adds information that is not otherwise available.

'This', 'Yes' or something similar works for showing what an 'upvote' would show on an other system.

jgrahamc• 15 years ago

We still have upvotes.

calpaterson• 15 years ago

But they are hidden from users (except for when a post is greyed out).

pbhjpbhj6• 15 years ago

Yes but as a sibling comment notes they're hidden from everyone except the commenter. I can not tell if your comment is felt to be a worthy response by the HN crowd unless people note their assent or dissent in some way, "yes", "no".

I've harped on at this for a while. But I really want my HN back. It takes more time and provides less utility now.

funkah• 15 years ago

Get over it

wavephorm• 15 years ago

More importantly it is poor grammar.

fooie• 15 years ago

Was excited to come across this thread. Would like to read more about this. Great stuff here. Must visit more often.

joakimlob• 15 years ago

this

Joeboy• 15 years ago

I've never "this'ed", but I've felt the urge to do so occasionally since HN started hiding votes.

lucisferre• 15 years ago

Rank at HN: Stop saying "This."

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