When I'm browsing HN on an unreliable connection, I'm never sure if the page is fully loaded or the request is timing out. A footer at the end of every page would fix this.
Seconded. I like the simplicity with HN, but a footer would really help, especially on internet connections that time out.
Even something as simple as an <hr> would be nice at the end of a detail page. I'm a scroll wheeler, and I rarely pay attention to where the scrollbar is while I'm reading.