21 hours ago
- Hacker News started as a side project to test a new programming language and for Y Combinator founders, but grew faster than expected.
- Growth is a concern: the site aims to grow slowly to preserve its character and avoid scaling issues, unlike Digg or Reddit.
- Dilution is tackled by focusing on behavior rather than users, applying the broken windows theory to discourage bad behavior.
- The Fluff Principle explains that easy-to-judge links dominate unless prevented; HN uses banning off-topic content and editing titles.
- Bad comments are harder to control than bad submissions; meanness is easier to regulate than stupidity, which often comes as short jokes.
- Technology mainly prevents bad content; the most important factor is attracting the right users through plain design and neutral link titles.
- Addictiveness of social applications remains an unsolved problem, and HN may waste users' time despite its usefulness.