It's true that meta posts on forums are like crack and it's important not to overdo them, but I had a feeling this story might resonate with the community particularly well, and suggested to Victor that he post it. So if you want to blame someone it'll have to be me. More here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22053084.
This thread exceeded expectations, and reminds me of a thought I've often had: could we find some way to help HN users meet and support each other in the real world, to make more real connections? Hiring is an important special case of that, but not the whole story. It's also cool when people find friends, kindred spirits, collaborators, investors, and so on. Lots of this goes on and always has, but I wonder if we could catalyze more of it, without getting too formal or nannyistic. I think a lot of creative potential could be activated if more HN users connected with each other. Also, more interesting feedback loops happen when the loop passes between online and offline (as in the OP's case), so it would make HN better too.
HN doesn’t really create barriers to taking it offline, does it? If one wants to be contacted, one can leave info in their profile. I was emailed this way more than once!
Meanwhile, if IRL meetings become a big part of the community, could this create fragmented/exclusive feeling in threads, especially considering there are folks who have reasons to participate anonymously or are unable to attend for other reasons?
I somehow feel like connections made here may be limited, but in some ways more pure and to the point, lacking the distracting visuals and inconveniences of flesh so to speak.
This thread exceeded expectations, and reminds me of a thought I've often had: could we find some way to help HN users meet and support each other in the real world, to make more real connections? Hiring is an important special case of that, but not the whole story. It's also cool when people find friends, kindred spirits, collaborators, investors, and so on. Lots of this goes on and always has, but I wonder if we could catalyze more of it, without getting too formal or nannyistic. I think a lot of creative potential could be activated if more HN users connected with each other. Also, more interesting feedback loops happen when the loop passes between online and offline (as in the OP's case), so it would make HN better too.