Interesting idea, but using columns for nested threads is too clever by half. Have two columns, one for the main page, on for the thread, and display nested threads normally.
I really like this navigation model - it reminds me a little of the Panorama control [1] that Windows Phone attempted or the column-based, horizontally scolling UIs of the infamous Windows 8 Metro apps [2].
Sadly these more creative approaches seem to be forgotten in place of lazy hamburger menu/pages with back-stack style approaches.
Probably from users of more classical UI, this feels really unpleasant to me, like putting a tshirt backward. (not that it's a bad UI or anything, says more about me than your website)
Good job. I hope you expand on it more. Maybe consider a browser extension to convert other comment sections that arent hn. I always thought replies to parent comments shouldn't be prioritized over top level parent comments and this layout pushes that idea.
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[ 3.4 ms ] story [ 41.0 ms ] threadSadly these more creative approaches seem to be forgotten in place of lazy hamburger menu/pages with back-stack style approaches.
[1] https://www.minddriven.de/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/wp7_pan...
[2] https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ytfp8btYCkR2rCpW9WS9u3.jpg
edit: Suggestion: add the domain information to the hover message.