I think this is inevitable. If I want people to read something, I have to tell them that it is good. They can check for themselves if they like what they find and want to keep reading.
Was it so off-putting that it made you avoid the site? If yes, then what do you suggest? The site is designed to grab people’s interest. If I start acting all humble, I think it would be worse at doing that.
Note that while I’m posting here first, the site is not specifically aimed at your average LWer. I want to capture a broader audience (and possibly make them LWers).
Also, I find the combination of a tiny default font and off-black text to be hard to read.
14px is a pretty standard size I believe (LW uses 13), and the contrast is good. I know there are people who would prefer if bigger fonts were used, but there are also those of us that dislike them. Given that, I went for an average size. I’ll experiment with larger sizes, but I’m not promising anything.
I think this is inevitable. If I want people to read something, I have to tell them that it is good. They can check for themselves if they like what they find and want to keep reading.
You need to give me a reason to trust you even for that one thing, or I will just go elsewhere. For example, when I was getting into anime I used Gwern’s MAL for suggestions (among other sources) because his posting here and on gwern.net convinced me that he was intelligent and reasonably similar to myself. And that worked out well. But for some random guy, I’m not going to place much weight on what he thinks until I have a reason to.
Was it so off-putting that it made you avoid the site? If yes, then what do you suggest?
Well one thing that put me off a bit is that the Gwern essay you excerpted is actually one of his that I don’t agree with—but that presumably wont’ affect the average reader. Also all the “Linux is the most important thing ever ” stuff comes across as very, for lack of a better term, neck-beardy. Which is an issue if you’re going for a broad audience. Like, just having “Linux: Why it’s so important” as a top-level heading alongside stuff like “Books” is a really terrible signal to send unless you only want to appeal to people who really like Richard Stallman.
14px is a pretty standard size I believe (LW uses 13), and the contrast is good.
I have to Ctrl-+ several times on LW to make it comfortable for me.
You need to give me a reason to trust you even for that one thing, or I will just go elsewhere.
I’m afraid I don’t have anything to show in that regard (also, I want to remain anonymous), and I’m not gonna wait until this changes to publish the site (Actually, I’m not comfortable publishing the site in its current state, but I figured I should follow my own advice). I hope to get some endorsements from other people at some point, which should help a little.
I doubt this will be an issue though. I mean, if the content itself is really good, it will attract an audience.
Well one thing that put me off a bit is that the Gwern essay you excerpted is actually one of his that I don’t agree with—but that presumably wont’ affect the average reader.
I think a lot of people won’t agree with the conclusion, but they don’t have to as long as they think along the lines of “Yeah, there’s a lot of stuff. I should be more picky with my content consumption. Now where do I start?”
Like, just having “Linux: Why it’s so important” as a top-level heading alongside stuff like “Books” is a really terrible signal to send unless you only want to appeal to people who really like Richard Stallman.
Good point, though the problem is that it is that important. What I’m going to do is separate it a little, along with harmful, from the other three. And maybe add a short paragraph about the importance of technology in modern society.
I think this is inevitable. If I want people to read something, I have to tell them that it is good. They can check for themselves if they like what they find and want to keep reading.
Was it so off-putting that it made you avoid the site? If yes, then what do you suggest? The site is designed to grab people’s interest. If I start acting all humble, I think it would be worse at doing that.
Note that while I’m posting here first, the site is not specifically aimed at your average LWer. I want to capture a broader audience (and possibly make them LWers).
14px is a pretty standard size I believe (LW uses 13), and the contrast is good. I know there are people who would prefer if bigger fonts were used, but there are also those of us that dislike them. Given that, I went for an average size. I’ll experiment with larger sizes, but I’m not promising anything.
You need to give me a reason to trust you even for that one thing, or I will just go elsewhere. For example, when I was getting into anime I used Gwern’s MAL for suggestions (among other sources) because his posting here and on gwern.net convinced me that he was intelligent and reasonably similar to myself. And that worked out well. But for some random guy, I’m not going to place much weight on what he thinks until I have a reason to.
Well one thing that put me off a bit is that the Gwern essay you excerpted is actually one of his that I don’t agree with—but that presumably wont’ affect the average reader. Also all the “Linux is the most important thing ever ” stuff comes across as very, for lack of a better term, neck-beardy. Which is an issue if you’re going for a broad audience. Like, just having “Linux: Why it’s so important” as a top-level heading alongside stuff like “Books” is a really terrible signal to send unless you only want to appeal to people who really like Richard Stallman.
I have to Ctrl-+ several times on LW to make it comfortable for me.
I’m afraid I don’t have anything to show in that regard (also, I want to remain anonymous), and I’m not gonna wait until this changes to publish the site (Actually, I’m not comfortable publishing the site in its current state, but I figured I should follow my own advice). I hope to get some endorsements from other people at some point, which should help a little.
I doubt this will be an issue though. I mean, if the content itself is really good, it will attract an audience.
I think a lot of people won’t agree with the conclusion, but they don’t have to as long as they think along the lines of “Yeah, there’s a lot of stuff. I should be more picky with my content consumption. Now where do I start?”
Good point, though the problem is that it is that important. What I’m going to do is separate it a little, along with harmful, from the other three. And maybe add a short paragraph about the importance of technology in modern society.