HACKER Q&A
📣 bookofjoe

Often HN changes original submission title–capitulate or change it back?


I've noticed that more and more frequently HN will alter the title of a submission.

Here is an original Popular Mechanics title:

>Will NASA's Next Super Telescope Finally Find Alien Life?

What HN just posted when I submitted that:

>Will NASA's Next Super Telescope Find Alien Life?

Usually any paper or study or article that uses the phrase "World's First" is automatically edited by HN to "First"— "World's" seems to be anathema.


  👤 nkurz Accepted Answer ✓
My impression is that these are simple regular expressions used to try to improve titles programmatically. On average, they probably make things better, but often enough they make things worse.

You are a conscientious poster with good instincts. You should consider the change as merely a suggestion, and change it back if you think it makes things better. It is not a final decision.


👤 night-rider
Yeah it omits things like 'Top 10', and words like 'Introducing'. I just add the words back in an edit.