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Ask HN: What tangible benefits did you get from spending time on HN?

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Re: Ask HN: What tangible benefits did you get from spending time on HN?

#273
Being exposed to new ideas and information outside of normal. In other types of social media, you curate your own feed, which limits what's seen because your network might not know or post about certain things. In other types of news-like feeds, the host uses ai-like prediction to show what they think you'll like. On HN, in addition to new subjects, there are varied opinions on all sides of an issue to consider Whether I like what I hear or not, I believe it's important to see other perspectives. I like to learn, so it can be fun and interesting.

Re: Ask HN: What tangible benefits did you get from spending time on HN?

#274
1) tried but no

2) tried but no

3) not tried but be cool :)

Thanks to HN, I gained knowledge of why iOS/Android platforms are separated with a dev and management stage. Founders who do not understand programming and technology always everywhere, hence the separation of various technological platforms by non-technological people. Here is something wrong and HN helps here I think. HN allows to improve the knowledge between non-technical and technical people about each other. I hope HN will continue to improve overall communication and accelerate and improve the next Starship

Re: Ask HN: What tangible benefits did you get from spending time on HN?

#275
post #269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But the assumption is that the US userbase is concentrated in the bay area. So its mostly people in or near SF and the like.

You're right that it's a common assumption! But that same analysis showed that only about 10% of HN users are physically near the Bay Area.

Is there a recent publish of that user base analysis for the public?

Re: Ask HN: What tangible benefits did you get from spending time on HN?

#276
post #242

For me, HN gives a sort of window into the American SF techno views and mindset about the world. It's quite interesting to read their ideas and opinions. It's a bubble like other places but it doesn't mean you won't learn something.

Last I ran the numbers (which was a couple years ago) the HN community was at least 50% outside the US.

how many of them are posting and who gets the upvotes?

Re: Ask HN: What tangible benefits did you get from spending time on HN?

#278

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m genuinely surprised (and a little disappointed) that this thread doesn’t have a single love story sparked on HN. I did once receive a bunch of shirtless bathroom selfies from a gentleman here when I included my twitter handle in a comment. Unfortunately, I blocked him before he had the chance to propose so I guess I’m doomed to forever wonder what could have been...

I think that's another reason I like HN. There is no direct messaging like other social media, so if someone wants to interact with you they need to reply publicly. It's a small thing, but I think it is an important part of HN.

Many commenters (myself included) include an email address in their bio to let people contact them.

Re: Ask HN: What tangible benefits did you get from spending time on HN?

#279
post #256

The value in HN for me lies in the comments. I mostly don’t read the articles because I feel the comment quality is often a lot higher. Here I have the unique opportunity to read what a significant number of very very bright minds with a lot of experience in tech have to say about a certain topic. Nowhere else in my life do I have the opportunity to hear what a so diverse, experienced, global and intelligent group of…

+1 exactly my thoughts do you have notes of these comments? Just for spaced repetition to make it stay in memory forever.

not really, I will just soak in all the comments on topics I find interesting and by repeatedly clicking comment threads to topics I find interesting, I kind of do that automatically, I guess. The HN people tend to repeat the same sentiment over time for each new link on a certain topic, so much even, that it is easy to assume what the top 5 comments will be, haha. however, sentiment can change over time. and sometimes a comment is so poignant or interesting that it will just stick in my brain immediately.
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