Ask HN: Why is Ask HN only showing me 14 posts?

A curious user noted a sparse "Ask HN" page, sparking a meta-discussion about the inner workings of Hacker News's content curation. dang clarified that low upvote velocity on asknew leads to fewer posts making it to ask, revealing a subtle mechanism governing user-submitted questions. This exchange became a de facto user guide to HN's lesser-known corners and algorithms.

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Oct 6, 10:00 PM

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Oct 7, 1:00 AM

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The Lowdown

A Hacker News user, Gooblebrai, prompted a site-wide self-reflection by asking why the /ask page, dedicated to community questions, was displaying only 14 posts and lacked a "more" button previously available. This seemingly minor observation quickly escalated into a fascinating peek behind the curtain of HN's content moderation and a collective troubleshooting session among users.

The Query: The original poster noticed an unusually low number of "Ask HN" posts, implying a change from previous behavior.
The Official Word: HN administrator dang explained that the /ask page's content is populated by posts from /asknew (the firehose of new questions) that clear a minimal upvote threshold. The current paucity of posts is due to insufficient upvoting activity on /asknew.
User Discrepancies: Users reported widely inconsistent experiences, seeing anywhere from 14 to 30 posts, and some had a "more" button while others did not, regardless of login status or browser.
Community Troubleshooting: Many users offered advice, suggesting checking the /asknew page for a raw stream of questions or contacting HN admins directly.
Humorous Speculation: Some comments playfully suggested browser addons, paywalls, or even "vibecoding" as potential culprits for the observed anomaly.

Ultimately, the discussion transformed a simple query into an impromptu lesson on HN's internal content flow, revealing that the "bug" was less about a technical malfunction and more about the dynamic nature of community engagement and curation.

The Gossip

The Ask HN Algorithm Anomaly

The central discussion revolved around the discrepancy in the number of posts appearing on the `/ask` page. Users reported seeing inconsistent counts (from 14 to 30) and varying presence of a "more" button. `dang`, an HN administrator, clarified that the low count is due to a lack of upvotes on new "Ask HN" posts in `/asknew`, which prevents them from graduating to the main `/ask` page. This sparked debate over whether it was a bug, an intended feature, or simply a reflection of community activity.

Navigating Nooks and Crannies of HN

The discussion naturally branched into the discovery and utility of less-trafficked Hacker News URLs and features. `dang`'s mention of `/asknew` introduced many users to this "uncurated slushpile" of new questions. Commenters also shared other obscure links like `/noobstories` and how to find one's own comment history, highlighting a general thirst for understanding HN's broader structure beyond the front page.

Whimsical Wonderings & Witty Wit

Amidst the technical troubleshooting, a number of users injected humor and speculative theories. Jokes ranged from blaming a "Hacker News without AI" addon to suggesting the user had "reached the end of the internet" or encountered a "paywall." One particularly evocative comment jokingly attributed the issue to "vibecoding" by a developer, showcasing the community's playful side when faced with perceived anomalies.