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Major problem with it going offline, hence this new tool, which may or may not go offline at some point again. I am sure you could build an extension that polls

Major problem with it going offline, hence this new tool, which may or may not go offline at some point again. I am sure you could build an extension that polls the HN API every couple of seconds or so to check for replies and have it show a popup when you get a notification as well as send an email. https://github.com/HackerNews/API https://github.com/HackerNews/API

kbenson 11y ago
> Major problem with it going offline, hence this new tool, which may or may not go offline at some point again. I'm not sure I understand this sentiment. It's a tool that provides a capability that wasn't there before, so event if it goes away later, you still get the utility it provided while it worked. Since the cost is just providing and email address, that seems a worthwhile trade to me. If it was a trade between this and some other implementation that worked, and it's possible closure at a later date would force you to set up with another service afterwards and you wouldn't if you chose the correct service in the first place, then that's a different story. > I am sure you could build an extension that polls the HN API every couple of seconds or so to check for replies and have it show a popup when you get a notification as well as send an email. Well, I'm not sure it would be nice to HN to query them an extra time every few seconds X the number or people that might install the extension. If it's a query every 10 seconds, and 1000 people run it, you've just increased their load by 100 queries a second.
- striking 11y ago
  It'd be hitting Firebase, not HN.
  - kbenson 11y ago
    Which is a distinction I don't think really matters. They have an agreement, and firebase provides the API, but that agreement could become strained or need to be renegotiated if there's a feeling that the HN API is taking more resources than it's worth, or if HN pays directly for usage, then we're back at it affecting HN again. Ultimately, the bits we consume aren't free. Someone pays for them, it just commonly not the consumer in the current model. At the point where you make the person that is paying for them feel it, then the person who pays might end up shifting to you. Or the resource goes away, and everyone loses. I'm not saying that's likely in this case, but even if it isn't likely, doesn't mean we shouldn't think about it.

kbenson 11y ago

> Major problem with it going offline, hence this new tool, which may or may not go offline at some point again. I'm not sure I understand this sentiment. It's a tool that provides a capability that wasn't there before, so event if it goes away later, you still get the utility it provided while it worked. Since the cost is just providing and email address, that seems a worthwhile trade to me. If it was a trade between this and some other implementation that worked, and it's possible closure at a later date would force you to set up with another service afterwards and you wouldn't if you chose the correct service in the first place, then that's a different story. > I am sure you could build an extension that polls the HN API every couple of seconds or so to check for replies and have it show a popup when you get a notification as well as send an email. Well, I'm not sure it would be nice to HN to query them an extra time every few seconds X the number or people that might install the extension. If it's a query every 10 seconds, and 1000 people run it, you've just increased their load by 100 queries a second.

striking 11y ago
It'd be hitting Firebase, not HN.
- kbenson 11y ago
  Which is a distinction I don't think really matters. They have an agreement, and firebase provides the API, but that agreement could become strained or need to be renegotiated if there's a feeling that the HN API is taking more resources than it's worth, or if HN pays directly for usage, then we're back at it affecting HN again. Ultimately, the bits we consume aren't free. Someone pays for them, it just commonly not the consumer in the current model. At the point where you make the person that is paying for them feel it, then the person who pays might end up shifting to you. Or the resource goes away, and everyone loses. I'm not saying that's likely in this case, but even if it isn't likely, doesn't mean we shouldn't think about it.