Thanks for the clarification on "ad hominem" versus personal attacks. Now I understand that it's only ad hominem if the basis of the argument relies on the personal attack.
All that aside, your comment above, reproduced here, is clearly a personal attack:
> Not only are you surprisingly easily manipulated, apparently, don't you have better things to hack on?
Yes. Try the following: "You are a moron who has no idea what they are talking about?", or an actual question "Are you a moron who has no idea what they are talking about?"
Both lower the tone. Both cause unnecessary battles and derail discussions.
All that aside, your comment above, reproduced here, is clearly a personal attack:
> Not only are you surprisingly easily manipulated, apparently, don't you have better things to hack on?