HN is two things: 1) a link aggregator with a tech focus (but not exclusively tech). 2) a large, open community moderated to a high standard of civility.
There are alternatives to #1, such as subject-specific subreddits, but they often to fail at being #2 once they reach a certain size.
The only other site I’ve seen manage to sustain #2 (“civility at scale”) is… Wikipedia.
> 2) a large, open community moderated to a high standard of civility.
I tried quite a few sites when the reddit issues surfaced a few months ago.
tildes.net easily passes the civility test. Great place for respectful discussion, with the userbase protecting this aspect of the site (much like HN users).
There are alternatives to #1, such as subject-specific subreddits, but they often to fail at being #2 once they reach a certain size.
The only other site I’ve seen manage to sustain #2 (“civility at scale”) is… Wikipedia.