Upvotes are certainly better than the deluge of "I [like|agree with|repeat] this" drivel that some online forums seem optimized for. While still giving some indications of which responses are more or less popular on HN. But without (that I've noticed) attracting too many karma-farming or karma-grinding users.
Bigger picture - we can talk up the virtues of HN's karma system, or of Dang & Co., or of Paul & Co....but in the end, 95% of the credit for the quality of information and discussions here belongs to the "critical mass" community of good, regular users.
Upvotes are certainly better than the deluge of "I [like|agree with|repeat] this" drivel that some online forums seem optimized for. While still giving some indications of which responses are more or less popular on HN. But without (that I've noticed) attracting too many karma-farming or karma-grinding users.
Bigger picture - we can talk up the virtues of HN's karma system, or of Dang & Co., or of Paul & Co....but in the end, 95% of the credit for the quality of information and discussions here belongs to the "critical mass" community of good, regular users.