IMO: Hashnode > Stack Overflow

Sure, sure, sure... we've all found various answers on Stack Overflow for this and that - but mainly via Google Search. However, over the last few years, it's become over-moderated with almost any result either being a debate or cut short. Having dedicated time to answering questions, many contributors even found themselves banned from six months of asking questions themselves if a few were never answered.

I dislike the feel of something like that and consider it a toxic environment - where questions should be asked, friendly debates should be had, and the experience of others should focus on positive growth as opposed to having the doors slammed shut on you during a conversation.

Social Media, as a whole, has a habit of taking the personality away from the user. You either become part of them, or you don't exist.

Hashnode seems different.

As far as I know, it's a small team, working to create a profitable business model off the love of what they do. And, lucky for me, they do the two things that I enjoy most outside of my friends and family... design and development, which arguably are similar to an inseparable couple.

Those two industries have become the most exploited over the years - but that's because they've become more than important. In an uncompromising age of technological growth - they've become necessary.

I feel Hashnode fills that neutral zone between over advertised "social veils" and a true community that looks and feels as current trends dictate. My personal opinion, for now, is that it takes the good and discards the bad.

Reminiscent of the old community forums and discussion groups, it's basically an enhanced version with a few things that helps remind it's users that their finger is on the pulse of our industry. It asks for your Stories and Links - and sure, that can be considered free content aggregation - but the AMAs have been outstanding so far, and there seems to be an overall goal of accomplishing something they feel they would like to see delivered to the end-user with the intention of positive growth.

Even though I look at many things through a magnifying glass (or, in fact, the modern equivalent of thick eye glasses), I've yet to see any disappointing flaws in Hashnode and look forwarding to helping it grow onward and upward through honest conversations and an ongoing interest in how it will evolve from this point on.