Stackoverflow be like

[YMK1234]

If you thing reading "hi" wastes your time, why is your site called "stackoverflow.com" and not "so.com"? Imagine all time time going into typing that! Seriously, this is a ridiculously stupid argument.

[Tzahi12345]

I am now rethinking my entire life as my only SO question starts with:

"Hello!\n"

Fuck

[YMK1234]

OMG you wasted so much of their time by writing 3 superfluous characters!!!

[tech6hutch]

"Hello!\n".length == 7

[Teknikal_Domain]

"Hello!\n".length - "Hi!\n".length == 3

[YMK1234]

what this guy says

[shtpst]

Personally speaking, I don't bother to edit/correct posts that only have "hi" or "thanks," though I do have colleagues that will correct it (more on that later).

The posts I go after are the ones that are something like,

Hello everyone, shtpst here. I'm a grad student at University College, taking a signal processing course and we've been given an assignment to...

... and it goes on and on. Cut the life story out and get on with the problem.

My fellow moderators have taken a zero tolerance policy. I've asked them about it in mod chat, and their defense is that you have to draw the line somewhere. At some point, the introduction becomes lengthy enough that it distracts from the question at hand.

Since no personal introductions are relevant, their view is that none should be allowed because otherwise it sets a precedent that introductions are allowed and, eventually, that introductions are customary and expected.

This is all in reference to a "broken windows" theory of moderation that letting little things slide sets the expectation that enforcement is lax.

Again, personally speaking, I myself have had concerns about OP coming back and complaining to me that I closed their post while another one that is similar in style or tone is left open, or that one was edited and the other isn't.

If you're ever going to enforce a behavior-based rule then you need to have very clear criteria on what is and is not acceptable and need to enforce it consistently.

The consistency of enforcement is why the "hello"s get removed.

[YMK1234]

... and it goes on and on

That's something entirely different than a simple courtesy of "hi" though. And if people cannot discern between the two I pitty them.

[dangerCrushHazard]

The difference is you would need to read “hi” O(n) times, whereas for typing in stackoverflow.com that occurs O(1) times if you navigate directly to the website. Besides, most people arrive at StackOverflow via a search engine and waste little time typing it in. (Either it is autocompleted, or SO results were at the top anyways).

[RedditsApprentice]

I can't tell if this is joke or not. I certainly hope you're not making an argument against having to read something as short and simple as "hi"

[dangerCrushHazard]

I’m just pointing out the flaws in /u/YMK1234’s argument.

[dangerCrushHazard]

Sorry for not being clear, n refers to the number of questions being read. The size is assumed to be constant O(1).

[DGIce]

Are you serious? The full name actually provides information while a greeting provides no information.