I understand complaints for "not new or current" if the reader is expecting hacker _news_. But unless the expectations changed too much in last years this site

I understand complaints for "not new or current" if the reader is expecting hacker _news_. But unless the expectations changed too much in last years this site is not necessarily about _news_ as it is about _information_. If the link is worth it then the year is irrelevant. If it's not worth it, the year won't save it. Thus, adding the year just satisfies our appetite for novelty.