I'm used to seeing the "correct" answers on top at SO and since the first couple with many upvotes had deficiencies, I assumed that there were no better solutio

I'm used to seeing the "correct" answers on top at SO and since the first couple with many upvotes had deficiencies, I assumed that there were no better solutions (for my personal definition of "better" apparently!). Most of the people who posted on HN probably did the same.