I'm a latecomer to HN and I remember wondering at first how such a 'basic' site could possibly be so popular. After a while, it was clear that something was rea

I'm a latecomer to HN and I remember wondering at first how such a 'basic' site could possibly be so popular. After a while, it was clear that something was really very right about the design of the thing, but I hadn't ever bothered to put into words just what that was. Now I don't have to.