There’s always going to be people gaming the algorithm. YouTube aides and abets this by including its “si” parameter in the link which arc forum treats as a different post.
Any any changes in the algorithm I would suspect as temporary. Measures only to spur discussion and avoid “tumbleweed” posts that briefly appear on the front page and then sink back into obscurity. If the community ever attracted a “cult of rust” like you see in HN that post and upvotes anything Rust. We would have a problem. Such a faction with its enthusiasm would be able to squeeze out anything else. Amiga. Nintendo. Atari. As examples.
Yeah, exactly this. Lazy "bump" comments could and should be moderated away. It would be fine for comments-by-submission-author to not bump a submission in this way.