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Virus Stole a Human Gene and Won't Let Go of It

101 points · 41 comments · gumby

  1. odmcownckexnn · · focus · HN ↗
    Can we please start banning articles with paywalls from being posted at all?

    If I cannot read without a subscription (or a damn paywall removed), it shouldn’t be posted here. This is tantamount to posting an ad for an NYT sub.

    1. creatonez · · focus · HN ↗
      The HN rules are that paywalled content can be posted only if it's trivially bypassable via a free tool. The NYTimes links work on fresh IP addresses as part of a free allowance for new readers, which is why the proxy-based archive website archive.today is able to get through. I'm not a big fan of this being allowed, but there is some thought to it at least, they aren't just allowing anything.
      1. ojihgfhoniyfc · · focus · HN ↗
        That’d be sensible reasoning IF the articles were already posted with a paywall-free url, but they are not, so as it stands these are essentially just ads.
        1. creatonez · · focus · HN ↗
          IIRC the staff will usually intentionally elevate bypass links to the top whenever they see them posted in the comments. (And when a link has already been posted they tend to sink comments like yours that complain without providing a link, lol)
          1. kdkdkdkwkd · · focus · HN ↗
            Again, why not require the bypassed link right from the gate, then? You’d sidestep people complaining about it and wouldn’t little the comment section with people posting alternative links or asking for them.

            NYT is the only one profiting getting free publicity for their subscription service here.

            1. Aquitard · · focus · HN ↗
              Did you create three accounts just to reply? And if so why not stick to just one?
            2. gumby · · focus · HN ↗
              I speculated in a different reply that it’s to reduce dups. Two people could post the same article, but if they used different paywall-bypassers they would appear as separate submissions.
              1. _ifton · · focus · HN ↗
                Link the original article with a paywall flag. If paywall, require paywall-bypasser, and link both articles to submission.
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