> The basic algorithm divides points by a power of the time since a story was submitted. Comments in threads are ranked the same way.
> Other factors affecting rank include user flags, anti-abuse software, software which demotes overheated discussions, account or site weighting, and moderator action.
Honestly HN is more hermetic than it would otherwise seem. People tend to instantly upvote their pet topics and idols. I've seen many actually interesting stuff on /new flying below the HN hivemind's radar.
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[ 0.16 ms ] story [ 1004 ms ] threadFrom the FAQ:
> How are stories ranked?
> The basic algorithm divides points by a power of the time since a story was submitted. Comments in threads are ranked the same way.
> Other factors affecting rank include user flags, anti-abuse software, software which demotes overheated discussions, account or site weighting, and moderator action.
It's mostly a lottery. But if you post regularly and the URL is interesting, expect some of those URLs to grace the frontpage.