If Doc Brown's time machine was real and posted here, HN would be complaining that it's noisy, unimpressive, not street legal, uninsurable, and attacking Brown's personal character because he's a dangerous nutcase.
Not sure there would be a distinction.
Remember concept cars? Companies have been doing gimmickey shit forever and nobody expected those things to make it to production.
What a well-thought out comparison. You've definitely got something, here.