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Ask HN: Should HN users be incentivized to use/visit newest submissions?

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Ask HN: Should HN users be incentivized to use/visit newest submissions?

#1
I’m a HN user for 10 years, and I realized that I’ve newer used nor visit « /newest » page on HN. I always use the home page, where the top 30/60 upvoted submissions are. Quality submissions can only reach visibility if HN users upvote them from /newest so I wonder if we shouldn’t be incentivized in any way to do so?

Re: Ask HN: Should HN users be incentivized to use/visit newest submissions?

#5
So people visit new when they post a story, when I am on new I look over what is around and if there is anything I should upvote or flag if really bad obvious advertising. I guess it is probably the same for most users who submit things.

As it is submissions do show up on the front page, so it must be that some are getting upvoted, so I sort of think the system works good enough, despite my many quality submissions not getting more than one upvote.

Re: Ask HN: Should HN users be incentivized to use/visit newest submissions?

#9
Enough people visit the newest page such that that around 80% of the good stuff makes it to the front page, and about 5% of the bad stuff makes it (and then is quickly flagged to death).

I think it's working fine as things are now. Our information is imperfect enough as it is, even before taking into account the huge number of people trying to game the system to get their ph3r0mones to reach the front page (seriously, the new page can get pretty dismal). Complicating it further will give diminishing returns, and even risk backwards progress.

Re: Ask HN: Should HN users be incentivized to use/visit newest submissions?

#10
I sometimes use the search engine to filter popular topics from the last 24h. That often gives a good pre-selection of interesting newer topics. There is a lot that gets posted on HN and you cannot read it all.

Sometimes I look at newest too, but it is a lot to read through...

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