Ask YC: Add a 'non-hacker news' tab?

#1

Post by demandred » Sun, Nov 02, 2008, 1:02 AM UTC

Even PG could be accused of violating the cardinal rule of posting only 'hacker news.'

I really don't feel like going to another site like http://newmogul.com or http://nonhackernews.com to see non-hacker news. The discussion by the users here is what makes that news valuable.

For sure, feature suggestions might have another place, but perhaps this kills two birds with one stone. 1) Keeps the current HN front page focused on hacker news to the pleasure of all in the community and 2) provides an outlet/resource for those of us too busy to comb RSS feeds, et. al & looking for intelligent discussion on political, economics and all other varieties of non-hacker news.

Re: Ask YC: Add a 'non-hacker news' tab?

#2

Post by thwarted » Sun, Nov 02, 2008, 6:54 AM UTC

If you're not seeing intelligent discussion on other sites, that may have more to do with the discussers than the sites.

Seeing as how nonhackernews.com has pretty much the exact same format and interface as news.yc, what makes you think that having a walled off area on this site for non-hacker news would either 1) provide discussion that is more intelligent than on other sites, or 2) encourage intelligent discussers to contribute to it? In the latter case, it will just make it easier for smart people to better avoid those topics anyway. In both cases, those topics don't get intelligent discussion because the topics are hot-button topics that can't be discussed intelligently anyway, and smart people realize that (ie, we all know that discussion of X here is not going to sway anyone's opinion on it). Additionally, they distract from the REAL topics that are considered more meaningful to discuss.

Re: Ask YC: Add a 'non-hacker news' tab?

#3

Post by jhancock » Sun, Nov 02, 2008, 8:09 AM UTC

I understand the "cardinal rule". But I think HN users should allow for "blips" like "oh shit, we may be heading for economic Armageddon" or "how does this election effect us".

Although as a 40 y.o. American, I can't say I've ever seen democracy practiced well enough to receive the supposed benefits, I'm a firm believer none the less. If the majority of people on HN can't keep the blips to a acceptable dull roar, what's the purpose of having voting and karma in the first place?

I say, let it go as is and lets hope for the best; that HN doesn't devolve into reddit.