Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

"Can I get a tl;dr about the article?"

"No."



Very true, but if you want to ask a question and only get an answer to your question, that’s StackOverflow, where moderators are there to ensure that questions and answers don’t become conversations. On a less-structured forum like this, the XY Problem is in full-effect:

“How do I X?”

“You seem to actually want to Y, and X actually isn’t a good way to achieve Y.”

Classic example:

“How do I ace a whiteboard coding test?”

StackOverflow: “Be sure to ask questions about requirements. State all your assumptions aloud. &c. &c.”

Hacker News: “Walk out. They’re idiots and you don’t want to work for them.”


I am going to write an article about "Should you use yes-no questions as the titles of articles about complex systems? The answer might not surprise you.".

In fact, let me make it a 15-minute video instead. That will really help people get to grips with it.




Consider applying for YC's Winter 2026 batch! Applications are open till Nov 10

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: