As a long-time user I’ve seen the most change around “What to Submit”:
> Off-Topic: Most stories about politics
> If they'd cover it on TV news, it's probably off-topic
The guidelines haven’t changed but it feels like the enforcement of it has.
For example, the US government shutdown is currently on the HN top 20: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45434146
While a mainstream newsworthy story, I fail to see how it “gratifies one's intellectual curiosity” or is “Anything that good hackers would find interesting.”
I feel like enforcing the TV news rule better is probably the best bang for the buck.
This doesn't mean all government related stuff, for example, chatcontrol is kind of tech-relevant, so makes sense to talk about it. But really? did we need to discuss charlie kirk here, or gaza/ukraine/pahalgam/what have you? Multiple times too.
but the primary use of the site should be for curiosity.
HN sometimes feels more promotional and like an extension of /r/apple and people playing silicon valley sportsball.
I like the posts about curious things, not so much press releases, new product announcements, and people carrying water for trillion dollar companies. I don't exclude myself from this, my high horse is a donkey on stilts.