How Should We Treat Each Other Here?
pasbesoin: What is your personal signal to noise ratio?  Seriously -- sometimes it helps to frame the analysis in an analogy having deliberately non-emotional terms.People are here in good part for the high S/N.  Humor is much appreciated, but only when it doesn't start to materially impact S/N.Too much navel gazing is also frowned on; self-analysis becomes N rather than S.The personal connection that develops to the site has a significant foothold in the respect that the members exhibit, as demonstrated in the high S/N.Just to be clear:  I don't mean this comment to be a criticism, in case it comes across that way.  And I'm not saying my S is particularly high.  This is all stuff that others have said; there have been some very interesting conversations regarding what makes HN special.  It is simply my take, and distillation, and a simple mental framework I use for myself when participating.Finally, I'll add that my response is not particularly personally directed, but is made instead for and to the overall thread.