Hacker News has removed all counters, replies, following/ers, and timestamps from its textlog. Profile pages are now cleaner, a change users describe as a good reasoned choice. The rationale is that numbers confuse, create bias, and foster competition. By removing these metrics, the platform forces users to judge content based on quality rather than quantity.

Some users found total-post-counts useful for avoiding those who favor volume over substance. Others argued that relative timestamps provide critical context for current events and help determine if a post is fresh. Without them, scanning feeds might show many back-to-back posts from a single user. However, proponents believe this reduces pressure to reply quickly and encourages engaging with older, interesting discussions regardless of when they were posted.

While some view the removal of timestamps as breaking the fundamental nature of microblogging logs, others appreciate the shift away from metrics-driven behavior. One user noted that hiding time helps avoid ignoring posts simply because they are not recent, such as responding to a "good morning" message. The platform aims to see how this number-free approach works over time.

The decision aligns with a broader goal of avoiding features that lead to a strive for more. Users expressed appreciation for removing elements that encourage quantitative comparison. This experiment invites reflection on what other default or normal features in social media could be removed to improve the overall experience.