I forget if PG started HN before or after YC funded Reddit. It's best to think of the two in an evolutionary sense, meaning, HN intentionally remained simple as

I forget if PG started HN before or after YC funded Reddit. It's best to think of the two in an evolutionary sense, meaning, HN intentionally remained simple as opposed to Reddit. This was a prudent choice and many have complained about it, but I feel that otherwise HN would have ended up with the problems Reddit is facing now--specifically, where subs turn sour once they reach peak population in size. Ultimately, it's not a difference in features or lack therein that make Reddit and HN different, but the purpose they serve and the types of users they attract; PG made HN as a selection mechanism for YC candidates whereas Reddit is more of a social media platform and as such is focused on selling ads.