Ask HN: Do we (HN members) need a HN social network? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Do we (HN members) need a HN social network?

10 pointshajrice20 comments

Do you think we could use a social network, specifically for us, HackerNews members? If so, what features would you add?

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The hell is wrong with you!?

  Just kidding.

Seriously though I read a great little post the other day (on HN). For the life of me I can't remember the link. Essentially it said how the author loved certain magazines/forums because the people there discussed things they were DOING.

The author started getting into some other magazines/forums (i think) that had a lot of people talking about theory, concepts, dreams... i.e socializing.

I loved the post because the point was crystal clear. It was beautiful. HN is a community of doers. Everyone has their own passions for things they want to (and are) creating. This is not the American Idol forums. We aren't talking about all the things we wish we could do, "if only..." We are not in the clouds. Ok maybe some are, but this is not "the masses". HN is for creators, makers, doers, producers, builders - Not romanticists.

Ok maybe I am being romantic, but please for the love of all that is good, HN is not a social network., it does not need a social network, and, and, and ... just get to work!

Of course HN itself isn't a social network—but wouldn't creating a separate "socializing area" guarantee that it stays that way? People will socialize; it's simply a matter of where. Of course, it might be an irresistible temptation to constantly hang about on it and refresh it (I'd personally suggest that it would only allow 15 total page-views per user per day) but having it there will at least mean that it won't be here.

I regard HN as a successor to USENET (in its prime) with the quality of discussions and content. Not to Facebook. And I think adding friends in here won't help improve on that area much.

Agreed.

Why a new Network? personaly I think, that one shouldn't start a new social network but leverage an existing one. IMHO the community could already profit a lot from dedicated groups on Facebook, LinkedIn or another existing SN. The network would provide the "Infrastructure" to connect the people who visit and use this site regularly but want a more detailed overview about other people, want to be able to send messages etc.

for the learning experience?

hehe, do you read minds or something :) ?

that's what my question the other day

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=750597

was leading in to.

This being hacker news I figured hackability is the main thing that it should provide over other social networks. Otherwise why do it at all, then you might as well use facebook or something like it.

Oh, my bad. I didn't know. :)

No, don't worry about it, you couldn't :)

As with any idea I'm sure there are at least 10 people walking around with it.

It's pretty sketchy still but I think a social network that is basically just a database backend and a default front end that can be customized to the hilt should be a fun thing to build.

Yes, I think it would be great if we could proactively leverage our convergent social media 2.0 synergies.

Isn't this it?

If we could send messages privately/directly to each other through HN that's when it'd become 90% of what a social network is IMHO. Friending would take it to 95%.

Messaging is already implemented; it's just only enabled for conversations between us and YC founders.

One reason I haven't turned it on is that I don't want all the responsibilities that come with running a message service. But if a lot of people want this, I'd consider turning it on for everyone.

The "friending" should just be an asymmetric following system, like Tumblr of Twitter. I want to see a stream of stories that my "friends" have upmodded, with a stream of threads too. I find myself going to my threads, and editing the url to see other people I track, all the time.

I just found myself wanting this morning when I was reading through the comment threads of a friend of mine. I really wished that I had seen them at the time they were posted instead of 3 months after the fact.

I don't think this would be a particularly hard thing to build as a weekend hack...

I think it might be a good idea to have a social network to bring hackers/entrepreneurs/geeks together and to find others who would want to work together on projects.

like github?

Yes, and soon somebody will do it

(update) And when done in the spirit of HN it will become the best social engine ever .. As HN is for news/forum

I think Twitter's model (following and followers) is appropriate for HN. The traditional friend model (friendster, myspace, facebook etc.) is ugh.

isn't Hacker News a social network for us?

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