I know this comes up a lot, but please do consider it, it shouldn't be such a big ask to modernize the HTML and CSS a bit to improve the readability, usability and portability.
Not saying that I think this design is perfect, just that in general a little bit of an update would go a long way.
Except this design isn't better; it makes scanning many headlines more difficult and the typeface is harder to read. Anyone who reads much on the web is used to sans-serif, and it is, in face generally more legible because on low resolution devices (ie. screens), the larger counters are easier on the eyes.
White space for the sake of white space isn't an improvement, and doesn't always help consumption of dense amounts of information. Consider a book -- would you arbitrarily increase the line spacing to double spaced? No, because it doesn't actually help.
The part of HN that matters is the headlines, and scanning them looking for things that interest you. Good design isn't about being pretty, its about being pretty AND useful -- this design does not succeed at that second test.
I once made a Safari extension that cleaned up the front page and prevented me from seeing HN comments or getting past the first page so that I couldn't waste time on HN.
I ended up gaming my own system by going to HN in Chrome instead.
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[ 3.0 ms ] story [ 14.7 ms ] threadNot saying that I think this design is perfect, just that in general a little bit of an update would go a long way.
White space for the sake of white space isn't an improvement, and doesn't always help consumption of dense amounts of information. Consider a book -- would you arbitrarily increase the line spacing to double spaced? No, because it doesn't actually help.
The part of HN that matters is the headlines, and scanning them looking for things that interest you. Good design isn't about being pretty, its about being pretty AND useful -- this design does not succeed at that second test.
I ended up gaming my own system by going to HN in Chrome instead.