I think it is hard to form friendships through platforms like HN. There's no direct messaging and we often forget usernames. It is a great place for public discussions and we are friendly to one another, but I don't think we're building strong bonds. If I see a coworker on HN it doesn't make me think more or less of them tbh. Though I think sharing the articles with friends and discussing them can be an aspect that helps build friendships.
I agree, it is hard to form friendships on HN. I've managed to meet some people here in other digital spaces and on average it's been a positive experience. But even so, having a contact form in bio doesn't typically result in many contacts.
