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For anyone expecting the clickbait headline to lead to an article containing some useful undocumented Google Maps tricks, let me save you the time. This is jus

For anyone expecting the clickbait headline to lead to an article containing some useful undocumented Google Maps tricks, let me save you the time. This is just that boring old story about a bloke wheeling a handcart full of mobile phones around to fool Google Maps into thinking there was a traffic jam. It's not even a single "hack" never mind plural "hacks"

emptybits 4y ago
OP here. I submitted this with what I felt was a good headline and it lived with this for a while (less than an hour, I reckon): "99 phones in handcart make Google Maps traffic jam, turn green street red (2020)" Then someone changed it to the IMO vague and less informative: "Google Maps Hacks (2020)"
- mcqueenjordan 4y ago
  It's just the rules: "Otherwise please use the original title, unless it is misleading or linkbait; don't editorialize." The original title (on the page linked) is "Google Maps Hacks".
- bambax 4y ago
  Title moderation is the one thing that really irks me on HN. I really wish it would go away. The main problem is that there's no reference to the original title, which is usually much more informative. I've been complaining about it for about ten years now (!), to no avail. So yes the shruggie's in order... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
  - Namari 4y ago
    I didn't even know there was title moderators ... why does it even exist! Are they suggesting a new title or forcing their title over yours? (which I found unacceptable if it's the case)
    - bambax 4y ago
      They just write a new title and it erases the previous one. The idea is to prevent "clickbait" titles. In practice it mostly destroys information. It would be kind of acceptable if it was done immediately after posting, or if there was some kind of time limit. But it can happen at anytime, and sometimes links that have been upvoted for half a day suddenly change titles, which is infuriating.
      - Namari 4y ago
        Oh that sucks, there should be some sort or immutability after x amount of view/time/likes.
  - aflag 4y ago
    If moderation will just change the title to whatever is in the original article, why not just automate it? I'd hope that moderators would be able to decide whether or not the original title was better. In this case it clearly wasn't.
- miroljub 4y ago
  Title moderation on HN is very misleading, implemented as is. I don't have an issue with changing title, but the problem is that the name of the original submitter still stays next to the modified title, without any sign that title has been changed by someone else. Feels a bit like impersonation :) If the title is changed, there should be a visible remark saying "title redacted by dang" or something similar. Or include the original title below the new one.
  - is_true 4y ago
    Moderators should include a TL;DR to provide value
- bardan 4y ago
  dang!
- ClapperHeid 4y ago
  >OP here. I submitted this with what I felt was a good headline... >I didn't even know there was title moderators... I didn't know there was title moderation either. My instinct is to be against it and just go with the original article title. BUT... this case is a weird one. If OP is to be believed, he actually changed the original title to make it LESS click-baity, but the mods changed it back to the original, which WAS click-baity. Hmmm... That's a tough one!
- rldjbpin 4y ago
  i was not aware that this happens. too bad for the hate you might have gotten in this thread, but this taught me something today.
bambax 4y ago
> This is just that boring old story Yes it's an old story but it's not boring. It's a great illustration of people messing with automated "smart" systems.
- ClapperHeid 4y ago
  It's not borning per se. But it's boring because it's old and well-known. The linked to version is from 2020 and I'm not even sure that was the original. I first read it quite a while ago and have seen it crop up several times since. This site is called Hacker NEWS. With the word NEWS implying er... "new" things. It's also boring because the clickbait title [used on the linked to version] is misleading and suggests the article is about something else. ie. "hacks" [plural!] for Google Maps. When it is about nothing of the sort. It's an oft-repeated story about a bloke who once tricked Google Maps into thinking there was heavy traffic somewhere by wheeling a handcart full of phones, with Google Maps installed, down that street. It's about as much of a hack as me throwing my phone off a cliff to try and fool Strava into thinking I can fly.

emptybits 4y ago

OP here. I submitted this with what I felt was a good headline and it lived with this for a while (less than an hour, I reckon): "99 phones in handcart make Google Maps traffic jam, turn green street red (2020)" Then someone changed it to the IMO vague and less informative: "Google Maps Hacks (2020)"

mcqueenjordan 4y ago
It's just the rules: "Otherwise please use the original title, unless it is misleading or linkbait; don't editorialize." The original title (on the page linked) is "Google Maps Hacks".
bambax 4y ago
Title moderation is the one thing that really irks me on HN. I really wish it would go away. The main problem is that there's no reference to the original title, which is usually much more informative. I've been complaining about it for about ten years now (!), to no avail. So yes the shruggie's in order... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- Namari 4y ago
  I didn't even know there was title moderators ... why does it even exist! Are they suggesting a new title or forcing their title over yours? (which I found unacceptable if it's the case)
  - bambax 4y ago
    They just write a new title and it erases the previous one. The idea is to prevent "clickbait" titles. In practice it mostly destroys information. It would be kind of acceptable if it was done immediately after posting, or if there was some kind of time limit. But it can happen at anytime, and sometimes links that have been upvoted for half a day suddenly change titles, which is infuriating.
    - Namari 4y ago
      Oh that sucks, there should be some sort or immutability after x amount of view/time/likes.
- aflag 4y ago
  If moderation will just change the title to whatever is in the original article, why not just automate it? I'd hope that moderators would be able to decide whether or not the original title was better. In this case it clearly wasn't.
miroljub 4y ago
Title moderation on HN is very misleading, implemented as is. I don't have an issue with changing title, but the problem is that the name of the original submitter still stays next to the modified title, without any sign that title has been changed by someone else. Feels a bit like impersonation :) If the title is changed, there should be a visible remark saying "title redacted by dang" or something similar. Or include the original title below the new one.
- is_true 4y ago
  Moderators should include a TL;DR to provide value
bardan 4y ago
dang!
ClapperHeid 4y ago
>OP here. I submitted this with what I felt was a good headline... >I didn't even know there was title moderators... I didn't know there was title moderation either. My instinct is to be against it and just go with the original article title. BUT... this case is a weird one. If OP is to be believed, he actually changed the original title to make it LESS click-baity, but the mods changed it back to the original, which WAS click-baity. Hmmm... That's a tough one!
rldjbpin 4y ago
i was not aware that this happens. too bad for the hate you might have gotten in this thread, but this taught me something today.

bambax 4y ago

> This is just that boring old story Yes it's an old story but it's not boring. It's a great illustration of people messing with automated "smart" systems.

ClapperHeid 4y ago
It's not borning per se. But it's boring because it's old and well-known. The linked to version is from 2020 and I'm not even sure that was the original. I first read it quite a while ago and have seen it crop up several times since. This site is called Hacker NEWS. With the word NEWS implying er... "new" things. It's also boring because the clickbait title [used on the linked to version] is misleading and suggests the article is about something else. ie. "hacks" [plural!] for Google Maps. When it is about nothing of the sort. It's an oft-repeated story about a bloke who once tricked Google Maps into thinking there was heavy traffic somewhere by wheeling a handcart full of phones, with Google Maps installed, down that street. It's about as much of a hack as me throwing my phone off a cliff to try and fool Strava into thinking I can fly.