IMHO it's the content that is addictive rather than the gamification mechanisms (though they presumably serve to improve the content) I haven't found a better

IMHO it's the content that is addictive rather than the gamification mechanisms (though they presumably serve to improve the content) I haven't found a better source for interesting and relevant links And then because of HN's popularity you can often find relevant people (such as the author or noted experts) commenting in the threads (as well as the inevitable noise, such as myself)