No no, it's customary on HN to link to previous discussions because they're interesting to look at! Linking to a previous submission with no comments is frowned upon, but a big past discussion is a generous offer.
People sometimes think we (moderators) are being jerks when we post such links as well. I'm a bit puzzled about what to do about that. It's tedious to post "because it might be interesting" every time.
(p.s. I get that your positive intention was to support the submitter of the article. But on HN, please express your positive intentions more directly. That user wasn't a dick, and it sucks to come to the internet and see oneself described that way.)
