Support Definition Debate

Users intensely debate the precise meaning of 'support', challenging whether specific statements, actions, or policies constitute genuine endorsement versus mere tolerance, PR, or unofficial usage.

➡️ Stable 0.6x Other
2,389
Comments
19
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#4339
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2008
6
2009
25
2010
32
2011
95
2012
72
2013
107
2014
83
2015
80
2016
134
2017
143
2018
125
2019
158
2020
174
2021
217
2022
248
2023
230
2024
188
2025
252
2026
20

Keywords

CF turn.html hawaiinewsnow.com SOPA TBD TMT SF PR project.org fosspatents.com support supporting prop support just don doubt supported opposition doesn mean mission sf

Sample Comments

mattwilsonn888 • Nov 16, 2022 • View on HN

Somehow that doesn't count as support?

final • Nov 16, 2014 • View on HN

Because the "support" is just a PR move.

pessimizer • Sep 12, 2025 • View on HN

Yes, even for things you support.

tomc1985 • Apr 25, 2018 • View on HN

That sounds nice and all but you don't have to support it

nar001 • Nov 12, 2024 • View on HN

Or not supporting them rather? Do you have a link somewhere they talk about it?

ptato • Sep 20, 2019 • View on HN

It depends on what you mean by "support".

planetpluta • Sep 11, 2024 • View on HN

Okay that makes sense. Agreed, wouldn’t quite consider that “supporting” as far as I’m concerned.

fsflover • May 4, 2022 • View on HN

Which is why I said "supporting", not "using".

bombcar • Oct 9, 2022 • View on HN

Most anything that says "don't use this for support" means "this is an effective means of support" - it's just not guaranteed.

phoe-krk • Jun 5, 2023 • View on HN

"There is no point in not supporting it" is not "it is supported" though. The former is an opinion, the latter is simply false.