5 ms·

Can someone explain me why people post links to Wikipedia articles without any context?

tjr225 3y ago
[dead]
stefncb 3y ago
They maybe stumbled upon it and found it interesting. There's often no need for context, it can simply be an interesting article to read.
prawn 3y ago
I've submitted them before and often enjoy when they're posted. Sometimes the zeitgeist-link is obvious or sometimes it's a bit random. I'd guess that people who enjoy when they're posted also take to submitting interesting pages they've read (or re-encountered).
- moehm 3y ago
  You may enjoy this little list I built, which collects all Wikipedia articles posted on HN and rank and tag them. https://www.mostdiscussed.com/ https://www.mostdiscussed.com/
hyperpape 3y ago
Ocean temperatures have been the subject of a half dozen HN articles (driven by articles in the news) in the past few weeks, so I assume that’s the reason. Speaking for myself, not Dan, but for non-technical topics that appear on HN, the discussion would be a lot better if the average commentator read the obvious Wikipedia article before commenting. That’s true even though Wikipedia has a lot of problems.
- hutzlibu 3y ago
  " but for non-technical topics that appear on HN, the discussion would be a lot better if the average commentator read the obvious Wikipedia article before commenting. That’s true even though Wikipedia has a lot of problems" I have vague ideas of a forum, where any new poster has to answer some basic questions about the topic first correctly. Most online discussions would probably benefit from that.
  - sanxiyn 3y ago
    ControlProblem subreddit implements this and I was quite impressed.
  - rowanG077 3y ago
    That's a great!!! idea. I get very frustrated reading HN comments that have obviously never read the article beyond the title.
arc-in-space 3y ago
For the exact same reason people post links to other things, it's interesting. It's always been more "hacker" than "news" here. Incidentally, check out this wacky alien-looking worm that exhibits bioluminescence even though it lives its entire life inside of a tube, so there is no one to perceive it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaetopterus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaetopterus
- dmbche 3y ago
  Oh shit - cool worm!! Edit: Keep being weirded out that comments like this get downvoted. What's the point?
  - joshuahedlund 3y ago
    HN is not Reddit. We like comments that add information and dislike comments that only express brief reactions, jokes, etc. Keeps the signal to noise ratio high.
    - dmbche 3y ago
      Thanks!
- stevenwoo 3y ago
  That was neat, though it does mention there are some other creatures that can choose to share the tube and the research about it may be lacking in smaller companion life (bacteria or other lifeforms).
- ezconnect 3y ago
  Is this worm all over the world or there's a certain climate it can live on. Wikipedia doesn't expand on it.
avgcorrection 3y ago
It’s a delightful HN quirk. You can post a direct link to anything you find interesting, apropos of nothing.
kzrdude 3y ago
Ocean temperatures have been in the news (for me), so I for one can see the context.
melenaboija 3y ago
Because it is compliant with HN rules. If you see it in the front page and it bothers you enough to ask the question maybe you should try to find another community.

[dead]

They maybe stumbled upon it and found it interesting. There's often no need for context, it can simply be an interesting article to read.

prawn 3y ago

I've submitted them before and often enjoy when they're posted. Sometimes the zeitgeist-link is obvious or sometimes it's a bit random. I'd guess that people who enjoy when they're posted also take to submitting interesting pages they've read (or re-encountered).

moehm 3y ago
You may enjoy this little list I built, which collects all Wikipedia articles posted on HN and rank and tag them. https://www.mostdiscussed.com/ https://www.mostdiscussed.com/

hyperpape 3y ago

Ocean temperatures have been the subject of a half dozen HN articles (driven by articles in the news) in the past few weeks, so I assume that’s the reason. Speaking for myself, not Dan, but for non-technical topics that appear on HN, the discussion would be a lot better if the average commentator read the obvious Wikipedia article before commenting. That’s true even though Wikipedia has a lot of problems.

hutzlibu 3y ago
" but for non-technical topics that appear on HN, the discussion would be a lot better if the average commentator read the obvious Wikipedia article before commenting. That’s true even though Wikipedia has a lot of problems" I have vague ideas of a forum, where any new poster has to answer some basic questions about the topic first correctly. Most online discussions would probably benefit from that.
- sanxiyn 3y ago
  ControlProblem subreddit implements this and I was quite impressed.
- rowanG077 3y ago
  That's a great!!! idea. I get very frustrated reading HN comments that have obviously never read the article beyond the title.

arc-in-space 3y ago

For the exact same reason people post links to other things, it's interesting. It's always been more "hacker" than "news" here. Incidentally, check out this wacky alien-looking worm that exhibits bioluminescence even though it lives its entire life inside of a tube, so there is no one to perceive it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaetopterus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaetopterus

dmbche 3y ago
Oh shit - cool worm!! Edit: Keep being weirded out that comments like this get downvoted. What's the point?
- joshuahedlund 3y ago
  HN is not Reddit. We like comments that add information and dislike comments that only express brief reactions, jokes, etc. Keeps the signal to noise ratio high.
  - dmbche 3y ago
    Thanks!
stevenwoo 3y ago
That was neat, though it does mention there are some other creatures that can choose to share the tube and the research about it may be lacking in smaller companion life (bacteria or other lifeforms).
ezconnect 3y ago
Is this worm all over the world or there's a certain climate it can live on. Wikipedia doesn't expand on it.

avgcorrection 3y ago

It’s a delightful HN quirk. You can post a direct link to anything you find interesting, apropos of nothing.

kzrdude 3y ago

Ocean temperatures have been in the news (for me), so I for one can see the context.

melenaboija 3y ago

Because it is compliant with HN rules. If you see it in the front page and it bothers you enough to ask the question maybe you should try to find another community.