Readit Newsr_a_d commented on Forecasting News Survey docs.google.com/forms/d/e... · Posted by u/r_a_d
We're trying to figure out whether people would use a news website with built-in prediction markets.
r_a_d commented on Oliver Burkeman on the flaw with productivity geek thinking thebrowser.com/notes/oliv... · Posted by u/ubac
can't remember where it is but there's an amazing pg quote somewhere wondering whether the net effect of hn has been positive or negative on account of the time-eating aspect. (I think his conclusion was "almost certainly very positive, but I have moments of doubt....")
There's a bit in 'What I worked on' where he says
"Hacker News is definitely useful. I've learned a lot from things I've read on HN. I've written several essays that began as comments there. So I wouldn't want the site to go away. But I would like to be sure it's not a net drag on productivity. What a disaster that would be, to attract thousands of smart people to a site that caused them to waste lots of time. I wish I could be 100% sure that's not a description of HN."