I think that article was treated so harshly, because it was a genuinely bad fit for the tastes of the HN community. Given this community's preferences, I don't really understand how it got so many upvotes and stayed up on the front page for a while. I thought it was bizarre.
>genuinely bad fit for the tastes of the HN community
Suited me just fine. Whether or not I agreed with the design conclusions they came to is not the point. They gave something a try - good on them. Maybe it sparks ideas for someone else.
Failing or succeeding aside, surely the spirit of this whole community is about trying ideas and getting constructive feedback.
