The problem with that model is that there are too many competing companies. As it is, you have to subscribe to half a dozen online publications if you don't wan

The problem with that model is that there are too many competing companies. As it is, you have to subscribe to half a dozen online publications if you don't want to hit a paywall for every other link posted to HN. But even if there were a single service to manage those subscriptions, I would lament the monopoly. Honestly, I think ads are the solution, but only if they drop all the anti-consumer BS associated with them.