This solution is already functioning (via self-selection), and without need a top-down "you are only allowed if you meet X criteria" administrative layer. It sh

This solution is already functioning (via self-selection), and without need a top-down "you are only allowed if you meet X criteria" administrative layer. It should keep working this way (hopefully) so long as we keep the front page entirely boring to anyone but he or she who has the mind of a hacker. It all relies on perceptions -- our own (those who participate in this community), as our perceptions create the atmosphere of this site, and those of the outsiders (both the outsiders we'd like to join, and those we'd like to keep out), as their perceptions determine whether they decide to join and participate here or not. As has been stated more simply by PG, we want to maintain the perception to unwelcome outsiders that this site will be a waste of their time, and one very good way to do that is for our active participants to keep the front page on-message and full of considered, reasonable words, which most 14-year-olds avoid like leprosy. One thing I really like about this site is its lack of flashy headlines. As soon as people start screwing with post titles to make them juicy and full of the "10 secrets to X, Y, and Z", then we'll get trouble, because the 14-year-old minds won't even realize that they have no interest in what we think and write about. They'll just jump in and turn this calm abode of thoughtfulness into a garbage pail of dandruff.