Ask HN: How often do you vote on posts in the “new” tab?

#1

Post by alexmint » Sat, Oct 12, 2019, 8:31 AM UTC

I am curious how posts from the "new" tab ever make it to the front page. Most posts there have 1 or 2 upvotes only and the posts disappear within an hour. With such low votes on the new posts, how do they ever come to the front page at all?

I see there are many interesting posts in the "new" tab. I vote on them but they don't stand a chance to come on the front page because I am the only one voting.

Do HN members really look at the "new" tab to see what interesting posts are there and upvote them? Or do you only see the front page and upvote posts there?

Re: Ask HN: How often do you vote on posts in the “new” tab?

#2

Post by keiferski » Sat, Oct 12, 2019, 9:09 AM UTC

As often as possible. Otherwise the front page is dominated by big media sites like The NY Times, which frankly is about as anti-“Hacker” as it gets.

Re: Ask HN: How often do you vote on posts in the “new” tab?

#3

Post by ColinWright » Sat, Oct 12, 2019, 9:10 AM UTC

Posts on the Front Page got there by being voted on when on the "newest" page, there is (almost) no other way of getting there. So everything you see on the Front Page was once taking its chances on getting noted on the "newest" page, and succeeded.

And to answer your question, I always visit "newest", and if there's something there I like, or that I think is informative, useful, or relevant, then I upvote it.

There must be others who do the same, otherwise nothing would reach the Front Page. They may be a minority, though.

Re: Ask HN: How often do you vote on posts in the “new” tab?

#4

Post by zeristor » Sat, Oct 12, 2019, 9:19 AM UTC

A couple of times a day I scroll down looking for the interesting things that might be lost, upvoting generously.

Perhaps you could double down and do a HN Poll post to find out?

Re: Ask HN: How often do you vote on posts in the “new” tab?

#5

Post by thenewnewguy » Sat, Oct 12, 2019, 9:20 AM UTC

To answer the question, I occasionally browse new and upvote posts. Probably around 30%-40% of my upvotes are from new.

However, my understanding was that newer posts got mixed in to the front page, so posts worthy of upvotes have a chance to receive them. Example: this very post, as of time of me writing this, has only 10 upvotes and was on the front page for me, in between two posts with hundreds of upvotes.

Re: Ask HN: How often do you vote on posts in the “new” tab?

#6

Post by hanniabu » Sat, Oct 12, 2019, 9:21 AM UTC

I usually read HN every day over breakfast. I only look at the new tab about once a month.

Re: Ask HN: How often do you vote on posts in the “new” tab?

#7

Post by miiiiiike » Sat, Oct 12, 2019, 9:23 AM UTC

ColinWright wrote: post #3

Posts on the Front Page got there by being voted on when on the "newest" page, there is (almost) no other way of getting there. So everything you see on the Front Page was once taking its chances on getting noted on the "newest" page, and succeeded. And to answer your question, I always visit "newest", and if there's something there I like, or that I think is informative, useful, or relevant, then I upvote it. There…

No. If someone submits a link that’s been submitted recently their submission upvotes the original. I’d wager that that’s how most links hit the front page.

Re: Ask HN: How often do you vote on posts in the “new” tab?

#8

Post by alexmint » Sat, Oct 12, 2019, 9:25 AM UTC

zeristor wrote: post #4

A couple of times a day I scroll down looking for the interesting things that might be lost, upvoting generously. Perhaps you could double down and do a HN Poll post to find out?

Can you tell me how to create an HN Poll?

Or if someone is familiar with creating an HN poll, would you please create it and share the link here?

Re: Ask HN: How often do you vote on posts in the “new” tab?

#9

Post by ColinWright » Sat, Oct 12, 2019, 9:34 AM UTC

miiiiiike wrote: post #7

ColinWright wrote: post #3

Posts on the Front Page got there by being voted on when on the "newest" page, there is (almost) no other way of getting there. So everything you see on the Front Page was once taking its chances on getting noted on the "newest" page, and succeeded. And to answer your question, I always visit "newest", and if there's something there I like, or that I think is informative, useful, or relevant, then I upvote it. There…

No. If someone submits a link that’s been submitted recently their submission upvotes the original. I’d wager that that’s how most links hit the front page.

> If someone submits a link that’s been submitted recently their submission upvotes the original.

I have done some experiments on that and it's not always the case. There have been times when I have an old version of "newest" loaded, inadvertently submitted the same link, been taken to the existing submission, and seen that the points on the submission haven't changed. So that's not the whole story, even for that part.

> I’d wager that that’s how most links hit the front page.

It would be interesting to know the statistics.

Re: Ask HN: How often do you vote on posts in the “new” tab?

#10

Post by tudorw » Sat, Oct 12, 2019, 9:35 AM UTC

I often start with the new page, I enjoy as much the flagged and dead links which can reveal some interesting tangential subjects to HN that piqued my interest :)