Ask HN: DMs on HN

2•ack_inc•13h ago

HN prevents replying to posts / comments that are "too old".

This means if I have a question for a user based on a comment they wrote 2 months ago, there's no way for me to get their attention unless they have a post / comment that is not "too old".

If they don't have anything like that, I'm out of luck. If they do, I'm still breaking forum etiquette by responding to their new post / comment with something unrelated.

Has there has been discussion previously on whether DMing other HN users is a feature that the community wants?

Comments

akerl_•12h ago

The general fix for this is to put whatever your preferred method of contact is into the "about" section of your profile.

brudgers•12h ago

Currently, people who are open to receiving communication from other users are able to list an email address and other channels in their profile.

Anyone on HN can opt-in and does not require administration by the HN moderators. Or additional development effort by HN programmers.

Good luck.

ack_inc•10h ago

Yes, and a few rare users do that.

However, I don't know that users that don't do it are 100% against being contacted by other HN users.

It's possible they're just hiding their email to prevent the usual marketing spam (my own position).

brudgers•9h ago

the usual marketing spam

Probably why there is no DM.

The OP question is about wanting to DM others.

Not about wanting to be DM’d.

DM would be what is called an “attractive nuisance.”

Guestmodinfo•11h ago

You guys have misunderstood in my opinion what he is saying actually.

What he means to say is. He I have a need and I am ready to contact the moderator so that he can allow me to DM a particular guy.

He might be even willing to pay some money depending on his bed to contact.

So if HN could create a paid service where genuine users would pay some amount to the HN and then a paid moderator would tap on the shoulder of the target guy and say hey this dude is interested to DM you and this is his message. If you want to chat back then you can DM him back otherwise peace out!

Yes it's not a puritanic of being a free forum but puritanism has solved not many problems.

Also without payment this system will not work. If u need it u gotta pay

ack_inc•10h ago

Not certain I agree about the payment part. Why not leave it up to the DM receiver to decide whether / not they want to charge for their time, and to respond accordingly?

Guestmodinfo•9h ago

I mant the platform should charge to let the DM reach but yes the DM receiver can also set the charge beforehand or if he is a small time player then he can be allotted some default fee or maybe he can receive the DM freely also. This can be done by fone tuning later

Bender•8h ago

Has there has been discussion previously on whether DMing other HN users is a feature that the community wants?

Many here do not like the idea of a DM or even being emailed so I would not get my hopes up.

Based on my memory of past discussions I think the best you can do is hope the person you are trying to reach has put an email alias in their public profile or perhaps ask them in one of their recent comments something like "Off Topic: Looking to contact you regarding [n] thread, my email is in my profile" or something to that affect and use an email alias you know is related to HN so that when you start getting botted/spammed to oblivion you can either create rules or discards or just delete the alias.