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Ask HN: Did anyone notice GitHub removed project search from index page?

12 points by dragonsh ↗ HN
It was strange today when went to GitHub, found they removed project search from home page. Now the front page wants you to register. To go to search need to go to explicit url. Is it only me or others also have the same feeling that GitHub degraded the interface to promote more signups.

10 comments

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girkyturkey
Unfortunately, I believe that this is the case. GitHub was once a great place where signing up was your choice but it looks like GitHub has fallen prey to the "We need to get more signups" fad that a lot of companies are following.
seiji
Protip: don't take hundreds of millions of dollars from VCs if you care about your users.
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joeclark77
Interesting. I'm almost certain there also used to be an "Explore" link at the top of the page you see when signed in (which is sort of a news feed and list of repositories). Now the link to "Explore" is in an almost-hidden menu (click on your profile icon). Or was it always like that?
dragonsh
No it wasn't like this before. The search page was on main home page, explore and on top of user repository list. It encouraged checking projects without unnecessarily signing up or register for GitHub. This was quick, they removed it and kept it in a hidden link. I always checked projects by search and then activity level in those repository.
sytse
Coincidentally at GitLab.com we just openend up the project search to logged out users https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/issues/13676
abdelhadikhiati
I got my main interest only from seeing your comments on every thread related to Github, Bitbucket, Gitlab, it was worth a try and I moved all my projects there, I hope nothing will change on long term to be like Github now, Great job.
jobvandervoort
Thanks! Let us know if there is anything you'd like to see different. It's the community (of which we're a part of) that keeps us sharp.
hardchiu
They also removed the repository search box at the top of project page. It slow me down when learning/discovering new project. Good news is that, GitHub don't require login to access the search page.

TIPS: append /search or /search?q=QUERY to the URL for accessing the repository search page.

hardchiu
UPDATE: The search box is now back. On top right next to "Sign in" button.