@hn, since it's not the first time this question pops up, for increased "discoverability", what about making the black bar a <a> that links to the associated news? This, or pushing it even forwards, adding text?
I think that would take away a lot more than it adds. There's something poignant about a simple, unadorned 5px #000000 line. The lack of text or a link sends the message, "This person was significant enough that HN readers already know who it was, and why their life was so important."
It's like flying a flag at half-mast; you don't attach a sign with the person's name.
I visit HN every day and I am either dumb or missed something but I had no idea why the black bar was at the top. I assumed it was an error.
Unless you know what it is, it's really not obvious at all. A flag at half-mast is a commonly known thing, someone important died. A 5 pixel black bar at the top of a site is not used anywhere but here.
> A 5 pixel black bar at the top of a site is not used anywhere but here.
I recall black bars being used on various sites, although usually not for individuals. Similar to black mourning bands worn on clothing, or how sometimes newspapers will print black front pages. Black isn't a universal colour for death and mourning across cultures of course, but it is rather universal in western cultures at least.
At any rate, as I mentioned in another comment, I'm glad people ask when they don't know. And I'm not convinced having a link to an obituary wouldn't be a good thing, but apparently some people feel strongly against it.
>Unless you know what it is, it's really not obvious at all.
You either know what it means or you don't. Did you know what a flag at half-mast meant the first time you saw it too? You learn what it means and move on.
I noticed it and didn't know what it was. Now that I do, I feel that leaving it simple, akin to a flag at half mast, is more fitting than any functionality.
C'mon, "no idea"? There are three mentions of Andy Grove on the front page right now, and there's been at least one the entire time that the bar's been up.
I can assume lots of things raldi. I could also assume it's because of Brussels, but I would be wrong. I could assume it's because of a mudslid, still wrong.
Regardless of what you say it's not obvious... If it was there wouldn't be this thread.
I initially assumed the bar was for Brussels as well until reading further and then felt a bit silly.
I am aware of what the black bar represents however it is not always consistently used. for example, Ian Murdock who I consider to have a great impact on GNU/Linux in general was not given one after his passing.
I know that this site does not deal in current events outside the tech/startup community but my first thought was an error. My second thought was the Brussels bombings. I did not know who Andy Grove. I now know he was a significant figure in the community but the black bar did clearly state that to me. In general, I don't think that some background information on the person takes away from their significance.
The problem is that the black bar isn't always there when someone "significant to the HN community dies".
The black bar is an admin/moderator decision, and because it's not applied to all front page deaths, it's hard for headline skimmers to associate the black bar with a consistent pattern.
That is why the black bar confused me - it's when the black bar isn't there that throws me off, because it makes me doubt the assumption that someone died.
I just showed up, and I assumed it was due to the attacks on Brussels. Currently, the #5 post is "Safety Check for Brussels." It makes more sense that it's for Andy Grove, now that I think about it, but I agree with others that a small amount of text could help clarify things.
I also assumed it was related to Brussels. I did know Grove passed away, but I didn't notice the bar yesterday. I only noticed it this morning, so it was associated to Brussels in my mind.
Agreed, except when you have no idea what it's related to. Then there's nothing poignant because there's no message conveyed, the contrary of the initial objective.
Like an4rchy mentioned here in a comment, yesterday I thought it was "a styling issue or maintenance mode etc", and had to google it to learn about it. Not really intuitive.
EDIT to your EDIT: "a flag at half-mast" has shared meaning among sailors. I'm not so sure about an innocuous black bar on a website.
I just assumed it was a glitch somewhere. Never would have occurred to me it was meaningful - but then maybe it doesnt need to be? In the end this is about HN displaying something for themselves, I don't think my response matters.
In addition to sailors a flag at half mast has shared meaning to any American. When someone of national importance dies (former potus, sitting supreme, etc) the flag is lowered to half mast for a certain period of time.
No, but at least I'd know they intended a public display of mourning. Whenever I've seen the black bar before this thread, it's just been a black bar. I thought something was screwy with the CSS or maybe my version of Chrome.
The black bar is not at all obvious in its intent. I don't see why it should remain that way.
Except this is the equivalent of wearing a black hat. My father used to occasionally do it when the mood struck him and nobody bothered to think it signified anything.
If I'm in that family and I have no idea who died and why they dressed me in black, absolutely!
The fundamental problem with the non-discoverability is that it means that you're either one of the in-group people who knows who Andy Grove is and that he died yesterday, or you're an outsider and not a real Hacker News family member. If that's the approach to community HN wants to take, that's fine, but then why are there three stories about Andy Grove's death if all the real HN commenters already know that?
