I think that HN is one of the rare forums where this article doesn&#x27;t apply.<p>Usually the top comment in a particular thread contains the least hedges and most enthusiastically espouses a particular opinion.  The comment is not usually overly bombastic (though it sometimes is).  The comment almost always adopts the majority opinion on HN.<p>Posting a comment not aligned with the majority opinion carries a risk of at most -4 points.  I assert that downvotes more often correlate with disagreement than failure to abide by the standards of discourse.  Since the penalty is limited, <i>that&#x27;s okay</i>.<p>Therefore, if visibility and replies are your goal (who wants to comment without interesting replies?), then it&#x27;s best to write boldly and concisely with a minimum of hedges.