Ask HN: What Does “* * *” Mean in Comments?
13 comments
From https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34719677 - "The software displays "* * *" when the comment is neither dead nor deleted, but the viewer doesn't have permission to see the text."
And https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34694341 - "In the future, please do as https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html ask and send such questions to [email protected]"
And https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34694341 - "In the future, please do as https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html ask and send such questions to [email protected]"
Thank you! Finally got a definitive answer.
It's very hard to find these answers, as "* * *" is not indexed and cannot be used as a query on most search engines.
Perhaps a more descriptive, search-able message would be better. Like [comment delayed]
It's very hard to find these answers, as "* * *" is not indexed and cannot be used as a query on most search engines.
Perhaps a more descriptive, search-able message would be better. Like [comment delayed]
Wait… I’m using `delay` to create an “edit window” because I often spot mistakes after posting. Didn’t realize it actually shows up instead of being, well, delayed.
Edit: tested it on this comment (in another private window). Observations: delay=1 is actually around 3 minutes. The comment didn’t show up until the time has passed. No * * * was observed.
Edit: tested it on this comment (in another private window). Observations: delay=1 is actually around 3 minutes. The comment didn’t show up until the time has passed. No * * * was observed.
Yes, however I got this: https://imgur.com/a/Nlf6tox
When I followed the links, HN showed your pre-edit comment.
I swear I've seen "* * *" on HN, but maybe it was just on hw.leftium.com and any other clients of the HN API.
When I followed the links, HN showed your pre-edit comment.
I swear I've seen "* * *" on HN, but maybe it was just on hw.leftium.com and any other clients of the HN API.
Interesting, I’ve never seen that. Reading HN since circa 2012, but it feels like delay > 0 should be rare enough. Maybe the author of that app (or is it a mailing list?) would be interested in researching what hn’s js itself does in this case. Maybe delay was just “slapped on top” like we all sometimes do :)
P.s. I edited the comment above somewhat later after tinkering, so if you received a notification and followed it quickly enough, it was expected that I was too slow to post an update. I don’t think there’s another issue here.
Also, just as an idea how it may happen. I was thinking about how you go to comments from this app. If you follow a “context” link, the page may not yet contain the #hash and may simply omit the comment. But if you follow a “reply” link, aka “time ago”, HN itself may have no choice but to show three stars until the delay is over.
P.s. I edited the comment above somewhat later after tinkering, so if you received a notification and followed it quickly enough, it was expected that I was too slow to post an update. I don’t think there’s another issue here.
Also, just as an idea how it may happen. I was thinking about how you go to comments from this app. If you follow a “context” link, the page may not yet contain the #hash and may simply omit the comment. But if you follow a “reply” link, aka “time ago”, HN itself may have no choice but to show three stars until the delay is over.
i sometimes see these in HNReplies to my submissions or comments.
I haven't seen this. Maybe they're editing comments they can't delete because of replies?
Weird, someone else was posting the same question a while back:
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34694341
Maybe check your browser's addons/extensions?
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34694341
Maybe check your browser's addons/extensions?
Weird, I see comments with the `* * *` using the app Harmonic, on Android. Like my own, here, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35115859
That's currently showing as three asterisks on Harmonic app. But loading it up in Firefox mobile, correctly shows the content.
That's currently showing as three asterisks on Harmonic app. But loading it up in Firefox mobile, correctly shows the content.
"ding ding ding" lol
Can you give us a link to such a comment?
postultimate(1)
What does it mean?