To me, the essence of online discussion boards is a mutual exchange of ideas, thoughts, and opinions via a shared context, all in service of a common goal of a meeting of minds. When one party uses LLMs, it undermines the unspoken agreement to post “authentic” content as opposed to “unauthentic” content. Authenticity in this context is not just a “nice to have,” but is part and parcel to the entire enterprise of participating in a shared experience and understanding via knowledge transfer and cross-cultural exchange.

I can see that you care enough to comment here in a “genuine” and good faith manner, as I recognize your username and your posting output as being in good faith. That being said, an increase in LLM-generated content on HN generally is likely to result in an associated increase in the number of bad actors using LLMs to advance their own ends. I don’t want to give bad actors any quarter, whether that be wiggle room or excuses about Guidelines or on-topic-ness, or any other justification for why self-proclaimed “good” actors think that using LLMs is okay when they do it, but not when bad actors do it, because doing so gives cover to bad actors to do so, as long as they don’t get caught.

> That being said, an increase in LLM-generated content on HN generally is likely to result in an associated increase in the number of bad actors using LLMs to advance their own ends.

This hit me like a ton of bricks, very true.

The older I get the more I understand the optimist in me rushes to volunteer good things that'll happen over the obvious bad.

This, in retrospect, will apply here too and is explanatory for some notably bad vibes I've had here the past year or two. (been here 15 years)