LinkedIn is ignoring user settings • Hacker News Board

Re: LinkedIn is ignoring user settings

#41

Post by vanderZwan » Sun, Jan 14, 2018, 4:05 PM UTC

As a UX guy I have noticed so many dumb quirks, tiny inconsistencies and flat-out design errors like:

- URLs not being clickable or selectable in many contexts for no good reason

- icon positions/sizes being off by a pixel between different pages

- if you're typing a message in their mobile app, and the text input field loses focus for whatever reason, everything you typed in so far is erased (this was true a few years ago and I essentially "rage-quit" the LinkedIn app after that)

... that I am absolutely convinced that their technology stack is a Frankenstein's monster of different chunks of code and logic, with a similar-enough skin on the outside for all of the parts to fool the managers (both inside and outside LinkedIn) into believing the website works.

(I know, I know: in a way all software projects relying on other libraries are Frankensteins, but you know what I'm talking about here: the parts don't even fit together properly)

These kinds of "ignores its own rules" bits fits perfectly with that.

I really wonder what the internal culture of that company is. I bet there's a lot of turnover, leading to this mess.

Re: LinkedIn is ignoring user settings

#42

Post by paulddraper » Sun, Jan 14, 2018, 4:06 PM UTC

jstanley wrote: post #31

fineng123 wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

LinkedIn (i.e., data.com) is far and away the best tool for recruiting/accessing GTM professionals. And it's in China. That doesn't sound like that bad of a niche to me.

I spent some time searching but still can't find out what a GTM professional is. What is it?

GTM is an automotive company, though it's European, so IDK why the OP would be recruiting in China.

(Though my initial tech-centered recognition was a common reference to Google Tag Manager :)

Re: LinkedIn is ignoring user settings

#43

Post by robinhood » Sun, Jan 14, 2018, 4:07 PM UTC

I've hated Linkedin for years, but what's interesting is to understand why. I think it's a mix of - really, really bad UX resulting in an ugly product - the level of emptiness of the news feed, full of people talking about respectful bosses and good work condition while quoting Steve Jobs (oh, the irony) - seeing people becoming apparently more successful than me (if I have to be honest) - the level of intrusiveness of the platform in general

Despite all that, I've been afraid of missing job opportunities if I left the platform. And I don't know why, because I've only found one job through Linkedin in 10 years.

I wish I had the guts to leave it entirely.

Re: LinkedIn is ignoring user settings

#44

Post by geekamongus » Sun, Jan 14, 2018, 4:08 PM UTC

fineng123 wrote: post #34

jstanley wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I spent some time searching but still can't find out what a GTM professional is. What is it?

Go To Market, so sales and marketing and everything that hangs off that

That explains why LinkedIn feels so "salesy" and "markety."

Re: LinkedIn is ignoring user settings

#45

Post by WrtCdEvrydy » Sun, Jan 14, 2018, 4:10 PM UTC

chimen wrote: post #30

2 months ago I signed up for a 30 day trial to search for people to hire and then 140 eu/mo if I decide to continue using it. Of course I forgot to stop it (they were pretty quiet also) and they charged me 1400+ eu for a full year because...why not - no refunds (that's what their page says). I know, I know...should have read the whole shebang. Lost 1400 euros for something I didn't really use. I was about to pay for…

Call your CC, tell them they charged you incorrectly, include the page saying 140/month.

Re: LinkedIn is ignoring user settings

#46

Post by icebraining » Sun, Jan 14, 2018, 4:11 PM UTC

detaro wrote: post #38

kevinconaway wrote: post #36

The issue at hand is how LinkedIn defines “public”. From the public profile settings page the author linked: > Select what shows via searches on Bing, Google, etc. as well as on public profile badges and permitted services like Outlook, when the viewers are not logged-in members or did not bind their LinkedIn account to their account on such services. Its not anyone who isn’t logged in but rather a subset of unauthen…

I just tried googling the authors profile and got a login-wall coming from Google though.

Are you sure you're not running any browser extensions that might be blocking the Referrer header? On fresh Chrome profile, I didn't get a login-wall from Google, but I did get one coming directly to the URL.

Re: LinkedIn is ignoring user settings

#47

Post by pavel_lishin » Sun, Jan 14, 2018, 4:12 PM UTC

I just ran into this, and it's weird, because it's not consistent. I tried to look up someone's profile, and saw the same paywall page - but accessing it from a different browser profile (or maybe Incognito - I forget) showed the profile to me.

Re: LinkedIn is ignoring user settings

#48

Post by pmlnr » Sun, Jan 14, 2018, 4:13 PM UTC

kuschku wrote: post #24

visarga wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I deleted mine too, but recently I wanted to see someone else's page and was not allowed. Not even a detail shown without login.

If your referrer is from Google, they actually do allow you to see public detail. So just override referrer header, and you'll see a lot more.

Doesn't work for me either, at least not with cURL.

Re: LinkedIn is ignoring user settings

#49

Post by jdhn » Sun, Jan 14, 2018, 4:13 PM UTC

vanderZwan wrote: post #41

As a UX guy I have noticed so many dumb quirks, tiny inconsistencies and flat-out design errors like: - URLs not being clickable or selectable in many contexts for no good reason - icon positions/sizes being off by a pixel between different pages - if you're typing a message in their mobile app, and the text input field loses focus for whatever reason, everything you typed in so far is erased (this was true a few yea…

Another UX guy here. Right after they did their redesign, I had an initial phone screen where the interviewer asked if I had a portfolio. I told them that it was on my Linkedin profile, and the interviewer said that he had looked there first, but couldn't find it. I knew that I had put it on there, so I went to LinkedIn to see if the recruiter had made a mistake..

About 2 minutes later, I figured out what had happened. The redesign had moved the Contact & Personal Info section to the side of the screen, and by default it was collapsed. Originally it was right under your profile picture & job title, but for some reason they decided to move & hide it. Very strange.

Re: LinkedIn is ignoring user settings

#50

Post by fartcannon » Sun, Jan 14, 2018, 4:14 PM UTC

chimen wrote: post #30

2 months ago I signed up for a 30 day trial to search for people to hire and then 140 eu/mo if I decide to continue using it. Of course I forgot to stop it (they were pretty quiet also) and they charged me 1400+ eu for a full year because...why not - no refunds (that's what their page says). I know, I know...should have read the whole shebang. Lost 1400 euros for something I didn't really use. I was about to pay for…

Was this before or after Microsoft bought them? It would be extremely unpleasant if that behavior was outwardly supported by Microsoft.

Edit: 2 months ago! Microsoft needs to fix LinkedIn. They bought them 6 months ago, if they dont change this dark pattern behvaior, they appear to be sanctioning it.