A little inefficiency—not much, just enough to be a speed bump—is a good thing on the HN front page, because it interrupts the usual internet reflexes. Reflexive responses, being predictable, are not interesting. What we want are reflective responses. Reflection is a slower process, requiring a pause. So I think it's good if we readers have to work a little: it slows us down, and maybe activates better circuitry.