Poll: Do you visit the 'new' section of Hacker News?
Have been wondering this for quite a while, do people visit the new section, and what their reasons for going/not going are.
34 comments
I wish the new page had two columns. The right column would contain posts that have been flagged, the left column would contain unflagged posts. This would free up space for more valid posts to get looked at by allowing spam posts to be quickly moved aside. The posts could be moved aside when some threshold of people had flagged, and any post I flagged would be moved aside in my view of the new page.
Also, it would be good if posts that have made it to the front page were removed from the new page freeing up even more space.
Also, it would be good if posts that have made it to the front page were removed from the new page freeing up even more space.
The column approach seems to make things clunky to me. From my viewpoint it would be better to see flagged posts grayer - just as comments with negative points, possibly with setting threshold in preferences (since it would be quite stupid to see eg. all page of 'grayed' posts).
How about giving the option of a two column view for users with a high enough karma. 'Top HN' on the left and 'New HN' on the right. As a result, the people with high enough karma to flag would be more inclined to scan the 'New HN' pages and further improve the quality of HN.
Even given to everyone it could still be beneficial.
I personally simply forget there's a /new/ much of the time, having the option to have new posts passively presented while I'm skimming would be tremendously helpful.
I personally simply forget there's a /new/ much of the time, having the option to have new posts passively presented while I'm skimming would be tremendously helpful.
"Also, it would be good if posts that have made it to the front page were removed from the new page freeing up even more space."
I would really dislike it if those stories were removed. If it's only been an hour or two since I've gone through the front page then it's unlikely that there will be more than a couple of new stories there. Instead of rereading every title on the front page I can just go to the new page and scan for articles with scores above whatever threshold I'm in the mood for until I recognize one of them. Giving some indication that a post has been flagged might be nice but I don't see why having the new front page stories on the new page is a bad thing.
I would really dislike it if those stories were removed. If it's only been an hour or two since I've gone through the front page then it's unlikely that there will be more than a couple of new stories there. Instead of rereading every title on the front page I can just go to the new page and scan for articles with scores above whatever threshold I'm in the mood for until I recognize one of them. Giving some indication that a post has been flagged might be nice but I don't see why having the new front page stories on the new page is a bad thing.
Only when everything on the news page is marked as read and I'm in hyper-procrastination mode.
I do it rarely - once in a 2 weeks I think - but if I do I do the first thing (flag bad posts, vote good). I think that how often you visit 'new page' has some significance in this poll, too.
I agree - though since it's now made the front page I hope that I get a wider cross section of users - but I know I'll miss a lot of people who just lurk and/or don't vote/don't take part in polls.
Yes, every so often, mainly to vote up "Show HN" posts - at peak times I think a lot of very valid Show HN posts never see the light of day, sadly.
It's worth noting that this poll has dramatically increased the vote diversity of the new page. I hope that the increased attention will continue -- the new page needs lots more flagging & voting than it currently receives to keep the front page high-quality & diverse.
I only visit the new page if a) I've already read what piques my interest on the home page or b) nothing piques my interest on the home page.
Sometimes there are very interesting posts there that never make it to the home. Perhaps the function that gives a post the score (something like a * voting + b * comments + c * total-comment-karma - d * age, I guess - never got to look into the code) could receive some adjustment, mostly in the age-related factor.
I chose "No - I don't have time" but the real reason is more "No - I forget to/don't bother to/I do but get bored after a few bad links and leave, and anyway I'm only there once a fortnight".
Incidentally, this poll has guilt tripped me into checking the new page again.
Incidentally, this poll has guilt tripped me into checking the new page again.
I would love to see if there was an uplift in people visiting the newest section after this poll, and how long it lasted.
I read the front page and when the More link fails me I check http://www.hnjs.dotcloud.com/ for top new links from the last 3 hours.
I used to go there and help curate by flagging off topic posts but the flagging feature seems to have been removed, for me atleast.
So I no longer visit the new page very much any more.
So I no longer visit the new page very much any more.
I spend most of my time in new. I'd spend even more time there if the pages didn't time out so quickly.
I've started to look at the new section more and more. I find the front page is becoming a bit dry. For me, the new section contains a lot more gems that get ignored.
Mainly when I want to drive more technical/hacking posts up to the front page. It's too time-consuming to do a good job though.
How about changing the home page into a two column layout with the new items on one side and the popular items on the other?
Check out https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chngbdmhgakoomomnn..., which just does just that.
I use the Hacker News UX which keeps the New listen open to the right -- I read the top news and scan through the new : https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chngbdmhgakoomomnn...
ADD: No, I just never think about it.
I usually hit the site, and there are 4 or 5 stories that interest me. I check them out, comment, and then by that time my mind has moved on to something else.
Too bad I can't display HN in 2 columns, top stories on the left, New on the right.
I usually hit the site, and there are 4 or 5 stories that interest me. I check them out, comment, and then by that time my mind has moved on to something else.
Too bad I can't display HN in 2 columns, top stories on the left, New on the right.
Mostly to flag bad/spam posts, for the good ones the HN crowd is a good filter for the worthy stuff.
I do visit 'new' section to see if there's something worthwhile and upvote accordingly, but only if I'm procrastinating so badly that I've read everything even remotely interesting on the main page and started to see submissions I've read two days before.
Only when there is nothing interesting for me on the front page. But then I first go to the Ask section, if nothing interesting there only then venture to the new section.
I don't always check it, but I tend to look later in the day when I've read everything that seems interesting on the home page.
Only when I really want to waste time; No.
Needs new option: "No, I follow the main RSS in Google Reader only. Going directly to websites is so 2003."
It should actually be "somewhat" since the RSS feed is what /newest shows.
When I'm on the website I do, otherwise I pick up the front page posts from Google Reader.
What is this "'new' section" of which you speak?
What is the "'old' section" implied?
What is the "'old' section" implied?
http://news.ycombinator.com/newest
The submissions go there first, and bubble up to HN main page only if they get enough upvotes.
This kind of question is pretty useless as a poll, if pg shows actual statistics I think it would be pretty far off.
The submissions go there first, and bubble up to HN main page only if they get enough upvotes.
This kind of question is pretty useless as a poll, if pg shows actual statistics I think it would be pretty far off.
Oh, there it is. I simply visited the main page and never really scanned the tool bar up there. Cool!
I tend to read the new page more frequently than the default landing page.
yes, since the community is more cohesive/engineer/enterpreneur than reddit that has lots of noise/funny/look_at_me these days. So in Hacker News, the news tend to be "faster".
Rarely (only if there's nothing interesting on the main page)
Yes - to read new posts after i checked all the top posts.
yes
Yes
I look there for a number of reasons:
1. Sometimes I've read a few pages of popular articles and I want something fresh.
2. To be weird and observe spam. I get sad when I see spam on HN and do my best not to comment on spam posts just like I have to try very hard not to reply to email spam with some choice words.
3. Upvote the gems I find in the new section.
I must say I do a lot of lurking... more lurking than up/down voting but those are my reasons for visitng the New section.
1. Sometimes I've read a few pages of popular articles and I want something fresh.
2. To be weird and observe spam. I get sad when I see spam on HN and do my best not to comment on spam posts just like I have to try very hard not to reply to email spam with some choice words.
3. Upvote the gems I find in the new section.
I must say I do a lot of lurking... more lurking than up/down voting but those are my reasons for visitng the New section.
Reading through the new section of news.ycombinator reminds me of reading through digg or reddit.
The front page reminds me more of Reddit now. I have been spending less time on HN overall for weeks, and a larger proportion of what I do on the New pages. A lot of good and interesting comp sci posts don't get voted up any more.