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Ask HN: Why doesn't HN alert users in some manner to new replies?

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41–50 of 239 posts

Re: Ask HN: Why doesn't HN alert users in some manner to new replies?

#41
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Obviously GP comment is saying you don't notice because the changes integrate so well into the existing system, not saying it's desirable for users to literally not notice the features. Otherwise the maintainers of HN are morons introducing features that no one will use. Honestly... nitpicking comments with some dumb hyper-literal interpretation to find something tiny and pointless to disagree about is an aspect of H…

> Obviously he's saying you don't notice because the changes integrate so well into the existing system. Yes, to the point that people literally never notice them, which is (or should be considered) a problem. People still complain that HN lacks thread folding, even though the feature's been deployed for months. They don't see the links or never bother clicking them. People have been here for years and never noticed…

> People still complain that HN lacks thread folding, even though the feature's been deployed for months.

how many people complain versus how many complained before the feature was introduced? That some people don't notice a change means not so much.

Re: Ask HN: Why doesn't HN alert users in some manner to new replies?

#43
post #30

Honestly I’m glad it doesn’t. Reply notifications may increase engagement, but I’d argue they reduce the quality of discussion, since such notifications would encourage rapid back and forth arguments.

The problem is that old discussions become effectively invisible. If I reply to a post or comment that's over several days old there's almost no chance the author will ever see it.

As an ccasional replier, that's a plus for me. If I am interested in the past, I can go look (and I have done), and then reply. Look forward to reading your reply....perhaps in a couple of months.

Re: Ask HN: Why doesn't HN alert users in some manner to new replies?

#45
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just remember to check the comments in my profile page and see how much my past comments have been replied to.

I used to do that, but you can just click "threads".

How does that differ from the "Comments" link in the user profile page?

Re: Ask HN: Why doesn't HN alert users in some manner to new replies?

#46
Like the other comments, I also feel that would be a bad idea. I have seen, like, two of my submissions hitting the home page. I then jump in and start commenting. It is all over the place and I would NOT want any notifications for that frenzy.

Most of the times, I just quietly read the comments and try to converse where it makes sense -- either I'm getting something or giving something in return.

Re: Ask HN: Why doesn't HN alert users in some manner to new replies?

#49

Honestly I’m glad it doesn’t. Reply notifications may increase engagement, but I’d argue they reduce the quality of discussion, since such notifications would encourage rapid back and forth arguments.

I'm more interested in replies to replies to my comments anyway most of the time.

Re: Ask HN: Why doesn't HN alert users in some manner to new replies?

#50

Honestly I’m glad it doesn’t. Reply notifications may increase engagement, but I’d argue they reduce the quality of discussion, since such notifications would encourage rapid back and forth arguments.

They could do delayed notifications. Not having them at all sucks because you are pretty much guaranteed not to see replies to older comments.

you are pretty much guaranteed not to see replieds to older comments.

I consider this a feature, not a bug. IMO, it's good to let older conversations just kinda "run out of steam" as attention moves elsewhere. In my experience, extended discussions here tend to be unproductive flame-war level discussion. I don't see any value in making it easier to sustain that.

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