If one gets any traction (like 10 upvotes or more), I wait a month or so. I know the site values pacing out content from the same source. If something was on the front page in the past week, I don’t post it. This eliminates probably 80-90% of my posts; “news + reaction as a staff software engineer” is my primary format. Beyond that, it’s mostly feel.
And what is your strategy regarding commenting?
I don't spam (like commenting "good post") but my logical arguments get downvoted sometimes, don't understand the culture of HN properly.
I have a light touch. I think it comes from the foundation of having confidence in what I write. My three goals are to be entertaining, to be educational, and to stand by everything that I write. I don't have any emotional stake in being right or wrong; I'll make a correction if I'm wrong or have a typo, but I rarely have to do that. I don't really care if people disagree with me, because again, I stand by everything that I write. If I notice a trend in negative feedback I'll respond to it once and then check the thread again 2 or 3 days later to see how it shook out.
"Don't argue about the definitions of words online" is my "Never get involved in a land war in Asia." If people know what you mean but ignore it in favor of picking a fight, they're arguing for sport and I don't want to get involved with it.
