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This is almost always how it is sadly. Either this or you have to know someone that can submit it for you etc. It’s sad but it’s how it is.

dang 5y ago
That's not true! Of course it can be frustrating to try to get attention when so many other things are competing for it, and when randomness plays a large role. But it's simply not the case that most things make the front page as a result of vote manipulation, or similar things.
- 0des 5y ago
  I think part of this is due to the way sometimes ycombo endorsed projects can get special treatment, and sometimes come pre-loaded with canned comments that all show up at once. (There is one on the front page right now that I suspect is up to something like this). Perhaps that can be worked on from the HN-side to make a better appearance that all submissions are treated equally.
  - dang 5y ago
    We need to make some clear distinctions here! You're partly right and partly wrong, and it's important to understand how. Launch HNs (and also job ads) for YC startups are special mechanisms that get special front page treatment. This is in the FAQ: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html#yc https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html#yc. In that sense, but only in that sense, submissions are not treated equally. We do those things so HN gives something back to YC in exchange for funding it. That's important for a balance of giving and taking, and for HN's long-term future. I believe the bulk of the community understands this and is ok with it. The important thing to understand is that these are specific, clear exceptions to HN's general practices. Other than that (plus orange usernames for YC alums), there are no such exceptions. In particular, what you describe here is absolutely not ok: > sometimes come pre-loaded with canned comments that all show up at once. We tell all HN users, including all YC founders, never to do that. Not only that, but I tell YC founders that it's the fastest way for them to get flagged and flamed by this community, and that there will be little we can do to salvage their thread if it happens. Basically I try my best to terrorize them about this. You'll notice that it's the only bold text in the Launch HN instructions: https://news.ycombinator.com/yli.html https://news.ycombinator.com/yli.html. It's also one of the few things that appear both in the FAQ (https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html: "Can I ask people to comment on my submission?") and in the site guidelines (https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html: "Don't solicit upvotes, comments, or submissions"). The rules are clear and they're the same for everybody*. > There is one on the front page right now that I suspect is up to something like this What is the link? Even when non-YC startups or projects do this, I often tell them not to and explain why it's not in their interest. * That doesn't mean we automatically ban people for breaking them; there's a gradient of punishment. A lot of the time people have no idea that they're breaking rules or local conventions. That's different from hardened manipulators trying to game the site, people buying upvotes or comments from spammers (<-- do not! that will get you banned!), and so on.

dang 5y ago

That's not true! Of course it can be frustrating to try to get attention when so many other things are competing for it, and when randomness plays a large role. But it's simply not the case that most things make the front page as a result of vote manipulation, or similar things.

0des 5y ago
I think part of this is due to the way sometimes ycombo endorsed projects can get special treatment, and sometimes come pre-loaded with canned comments that all show up at once. (There is one on the front page right now that I suspect is up to something like this). Perhaps that can be worked on from the HN-side to make a better appearance that all submissions are treated equally.
- dang 5y ago
  We need to make some clear distinctions here! You're partly right and partly wrong, and it's important to understand how. Launch HNs (and also job ads) for YC startups are special mechanisms that get special front page treatment. This is in the FAQ: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html#yc https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html#yc. In that sense, but only in that sense, submissions are not treated equally. We do those things so HN gives something back to YC in exchange for funding it. That's important for a balance of giving and taking, and for HN's long-term future. I believe the bulk of the community understands this and is ok with it. The important thing to understand is that these are specific, clear exceptions to HN's general practices. Other than that (plus orange usernames for YC alums), there are no such exceptions. In particular, what you describe here is absolutely not ok: > sometimes come pre-loaded with canned comments that all show up at once. We tell all HN users, including all YC founders, never to do that. Not only that, but I tell YC founders that it's the fastest way for them to get flagged and flamed by this community, and that there will be little we can do to salvage their thread if it happens. Basically I try my best to terrorize them about this. You'll notice that it's the only bold text in the Launch HN instructions: https://news.ycombinator.com/yli.html https://news.ycombinator.com/yli.html. It's also one of the few things that appear both in the FAQ (https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html: "Can I ask people to comment on my submission?") and in the site guidelines (https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html: "Don't solicit upvotes, comments, or submissions"). The rules are clear and they're the same for everybody*. > There is one on the front page right now that I suspect is up to something like this What is the link? Even when non-YC startups or projects do this, I often tell them not to and explain why it's not in their interest. * That doesn't mean we automatically ban people for breaking them; there's a gradient of punishment. A lot of the time people have no idea that they're breaking rules or local conventions. That's different from hardened manipulators trying to game the site, people buying upvotes or comments from spammers (<-- do not! that will get you banned!), and so on.