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How many karma points do I need to vote down something?

Presently 500, but you can't downvote stories.

I have had an account for 4 years and have never managed to hit the magic number. I swear it always goes up just as I get close.

Not that it matters, it just always feels just out of reach.

4 years? I would suggest being more involved in articles...

I prefer only to comment when I have something useful to add, which given my non-programmer background isn't always that often.

If an article on HN was interesting enough for you to click on it, I would bet that you have a comment that would contribute to the story.

Your non-programmer background is most likely an asset on HN, simply because you can offer a point of view that most others here can't.