HN is Becoming 2005 Slashdot

#1

Post by uuilly » Sun, Aug 04, 2013, 11:15 PM UTC

I never left slashdot. I just stopped going there. HN was a big part of that. I wanted my tech news to be thought provoking, funny and innocent. I had plenty of sources for "real world" news and I wanted tech to be an island away from that.

Slashdot became more about the legal issues surrounding technology than about technology. It had a militant, fanatical vibe that soured the taste of its brilliant gems.

HN is starting to feel like a place where activists hang out. The topics are certainly important and worth discussing - but the tone takes away from the lightness and fun of technology. It's like eating cheese and drinking orange juice at the same time. The two are good on their own, but they don't go well together.

Re: HN is Becoming 2005 Slashdot

#2

Post by m1k3yboi » Sun, Aug 04, 2013, 11:20 PM UTC

Totally agree. HN is kinda like Digg in the early days, but the signal to noise ratio is on the up and the 'New' section is almost shambolic.

Re: HN is Becoming 2005 Slashdot

#3

Post by WestCoastJustin » Sun, Aug 04, 2013, 11:30 PM UTC

I do not think anyone will disagree with you, but what do we do about it? If you look through PG's comment history, you will see that it is indeed on his radar [1, 2], and as recently as a last couple months.

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5935190

[2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5926081

Re: HN is Becoming 2005 Slashdot

#4

Post by anigbrowl » Sun, Aug 04, 2013, 11:31 PM UTC

Some of this is because the HN demographic is young enough that many readers have never seen anything like this before, and thus think it's the Worst Thing Ever. I base this on the numerous counterfactual statements showing a lack of historical awareness in discussions on contentious topics.

Of course, I think this is partly the result of not teaching civics in schools.

Re: HN is Becoming 2005 Slashdot

#5

Post by t0 » Sun, Aug 04, 2013, 11:33 PM UTC

WestCoastJustin wrote: post #3

I do not think anyone will disagree with you, but what do we do about it? If you look through PG's comment history, you will see that it is indeed on his radar [1, 2], and as recently as a last couple months. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5935190 [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5926081

I think someone was working on an extension that filtered out stories with certain keywords.

Re: HN is Becoming 2005 Slashdot

#6

Post by taproot » Sun, Aug 04, 2013, 11:38 PM UTC

Im tired of sentiment like this. I havent been here long but ive had the same feelings about multiple communities as they mature. Its part of them growing up and has a lot to do with the members growing up.

In this situation however i get the feeling it has more to do with the industry than anything else. I dont think tech can be what it was or at least ever will ever again. On the sidelines you see the news changing i believe the industry changing has more to do with it than the community.

If you have these feelings about the industry and no longer want to be part of it either take a break and come back like i did or start thinking about a new career. Tech computers and internet going mainstream is exactly what we all aimed to do. I get that you dont like the current state of things maybe you should become one of these activists you mentioned?

As for the rest of us i think were just fine being advocates of how it was and should continue to be.

Re: HN is Becoming 2005 Slashdot

#7

Post by ihsw » Sun, Aug 04, 2013, 11:41 PM UTC

anigbrowl wrote: post #4

Some of this is because the HN demographic is young enough that many readers have never seen anything like this before, and thus think it's the Worst Thing Ever. I base this on the numerous counterfactual statements showing a lack of historical awareness in discussions on contentious topics. Of course, I think this is partly the result of not teaching civics in schools.

I've never had an easier time getting karma, so that certainly drives my latest interest in HN.

Re: HN is Becoming 2005 Slashdot

#8

Post by cpayne » Sun, Aug 04, 2013, 11:41 PM UTC

anigbrowl wrote: post #4

Some of this is because the HN demographic is young enough that many readers have never seen anything like this before, and thus think it's the Worst Thing Ever. I base this on the numerous counterfactual statements showing a lack of historical awareness in discussions on contentious topics. Of course, I think this is partly the result of not teaching civics in schools.

It would be interesting to know who remembers the days when Slashdot was good

Re: HN is Becoming 2005 Slashdot

#9

Post by lsc » Sun, Aug 04, 2013, 11:43 PM UTC

WestCoastJustin wrote: post #3

I do not think anyone will disagree with you, but what do we do about it? If you look through PG's comment history, you will see that it is indeed on his radar [1, 2], and as recently as a last couple months. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5935190 [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5926081

Hacker news has never been 100% technical; part of why I'm here (and involved in the Hacker Dojo) is to hang out with those skinny-jean wearing hipsters who have, you know, social and business skills, as well as some technical skill. Broadens my mind, you know? but the thing is, there is something of a filter there; you need to be 'this technical' to enter, as it were.

How do you enforce this? I don't know. It seems to be... subtly enforced in person. How do you enforce it on a website?

I think we have a broader problem with politics; There are many people that I have a lot of respect for technically, who have political ideas I can only describe as 'kooky' - I mean, that's okay, but I don't really want to hear about it, you know? I /really/ don't want to get sucked into that discussion.

I am just as susceptible to the siren song of a political discussion as anyone else; I often find myself writing two-page rants, only to save myself at the last minute by hitting the delete button.

But this might be part of how this is enforced in person. In person, well, the level of vitriol that political discussions have is just not acceptable.

Re: HN is Becoming 2005 Slashdot

#10

Post by badman_ting » Sun, Aug 04, 2013, 11:43 PM UTC

That is an interesting take on what happened to Slashdot. I guess I just assumed that the world passed by Slashdot's cohort, that the currents governing our industry changed but they mostly didn't. The "iPod lame" post gets harped on, but it's a good illustration of that dynamic, I think. But you were probably much more familiar with it than I was.