Ask HN: What do you read - the article or HN thread?

6 points·bo_Olean··4 comments

I am usually more inclined to thoughts shared here in HN than in the article under discussion. Sometimes, i completely ignore articles and satisfy myself with HN discussion on that topic. How do you do it ?

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I check the source of the article. I'm almost always interested in reading the article if it's from a professionally edited news media website. I'm often much less interested in reading the article if it's from some random blogger, especially a blogger I've never heard of before using a cheap blogging platform, or from a press release service. The best new news will be reported in multiple sources, and I prefer the most thorough and well informed sources.

I almost always at least scan the article for context at least. Even when the HN thread veers, which is often.

I tend to be more interested in the discussion here but frequently read at least part of the article to better follow the discussion. If I want to reply, I often feel obligated to read at least part of the article. Some of my favorite links, that I try to keep track of, appear in the body of the discussion.

FWIW: I'm a demographic outlier in quite a lot of ways. So I would tend to assume that my methodology/preferences are as well. It will be interesting to see if other remarks fit with that assumption.

I read the article, roll my eyes, then read the HN discussion and roll my eyes again.

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