Hacker News Reader

Comment by chuckmeyer | Hacker News Reader

Algolian here -- We were rolling out a new version of the HN search but accidentally swapped over the DNS before we were ready.

I've got a group of folks over here working to restore the search. Sorry for the downtime, but it's nice to know the search is useful to so many!

View on HN

> "it's nice to know the search is useful to so many!"

Well, this is basically how I do all my reading (books) now. See: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37761636

I also search here before I start learning something new. Resources recommended on HN are almost always great!

tell me more about your searching process here

One of the best features of the site. Thanks for your service.

Thanks for providing the search functionality. I always use it before submitting something, in case someone else has already posted it recently.

@dang It would be great if this duplicate search functionality was embedded in the HN submission form ;-)

It actually is, for exact URL matches: if you try to submit a URL that has a recent exact match, it will just redirect you to that submission instead of creating a new one.

Does it do any URL cleaning, removing fragments, maybe normalizing shortlinks?

No idea, I haven't ever intentionally tried to break it, I've just noticed it redirect me sometimes. I always clean my own links before attempting to submit.

Except when it doesn't and people submit the same link several times a week

It is very useful, I use it at least once a week.

I even use it for more organic product research. “What have people on HN said about _____ over the years?”

hugops engaged, thanks for your efforts running that for us!

Out of curiosity, what functionality is forthcoming with the new version?

It's mostly a tech-stack update, but it resolves some longstanding edge cases in the search UI as well. I'll try to get a changelog when we have it up and running.

thanks for the answer, there are some here that seem to have problems with questions, about why, the update.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37822329

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37822423

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37822897

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37823190

I would guess it's not that people have "problems with questions", but are downvoting you for one or both of a) using multiple comments to ask the same question, and b) coming across as using a badgering tone, sounding entitled and complaining when you're talking to people who provide a free service to you, and acting like they owe you a comment reply rather than waiting for the change log they've said will be released when they're ready.

thanks for the answer. there seem to be assumptions

>>coming across as using a badgering tone, sounding entitled and complaining when you're talking to people who provide a free service to you<<

but your answer is genuinely more informative, and intellectually mature than a DV based on assumption of bad faith

+ it probably would have been usefull to let HN know that a maintainence cycle was incipient, this entire submission would probably not exist, and no left field attributions made.

Thanks for being on top of this. I just came to the site to search for something and noticed no DNS found, then saw this post on the front page!

That's how I learned about Algolia!

> Algolian here

Is that just a way to identify you are affiliated with it or do you guys actually call yourselves algolians inside the company? Nonetheless, good work on the update and fixing it.

Yes we call ourselves Algolians within the company.

> it's nice to know the search is useful to so many!

I use it every few days. It's exceptionally useful. Thank you for providing it.

I use it all the time :)

It's ALWAYS dns :D

what does algolia search do now that it didnt do before; what does it no longer do; and how does this version change influence UX on HN ?

How does this stand to benefit algolia ?

i for one, was having no problems with the search, what made this nessecary ?

The HN search is a demo/advertisement of Algolia search engine that they run for free. They can update it even if you didn't need any updates.

so what i want to know in basic language is, why was the update nessecary?

security holes?

new features?

new shiny version, is better by default?

previous version was deficient with respect to 'modern' tech?

You are erroneously assuming that the update was for reasons visible to end users like you.

I am sure that Hacker News commenters are a vast mine of "Well, one day we were updating to the new machine to finally get rid of the one with the knackered RAID controller …" type anecdotes illustrating not only the other reasons that upgrades happen but also what can occur when they are performed.

>>You are erroneously assuming that the update was for reasons visible to end users like you.<<

asking about something, is not assuming it is true.

asking is about receiving information to clarify murk.

there are a lot of others comments, that are accusations of bad faith, and seem to be doing well.

Surprised to see from your LinkedIn that you are US based. I thought from browsing Algolia's hiring page the other day that they're strictly European.

Are they nixing all US-based roles now to cut costs?

https://www.algolia.com/careers/

He doesn't need to answer that question

I never said he did. Everyone is welcome to answer or not answer any question posed to them by strangers over the internet. I'm just curious and probably won't have a better opportunity to ask. It wasn't intended to be hostile

Nope -- we're global. Paris, Sydney, SF, London, Austin, NYC, Belarus -- and lots of remote rolls. Send me a resume if you're looking!

Reply on news.ycombinator.com