why does this website need an app?

Do you read it on your phone? This website's (lack of a) mobile design makes it really hard to read. If I don't use my mobile app of choice (Harmonic), I have to zoom in really close and scroll all over the place. It's really annoying. The font is way too small, and it's hard-coded.

This looks fine to me? In long threads it gets a bit hard to follow, only thing I'm missing is a jump to next root comment. https://i.imgur.com/8e1Syyf.jpeg

> only thing I'm missing is a jump to next root comment

That's a two step process currently when you are just going through the comments you click "root" on any sub-root-comment and then "next" on the root comment. Next will always take you to the next sibling comment (called a sibling, because it's a tree data-structure basically and sibling comes from a family tree. In fact where I said sub-root-comment I could have said descendants or children.)

EDIT: I just realized that the first child of the root doesn't have the "root" button so you have to click "parent" on it and then "next".

Do you up or downvote? The icons are very small on mobile.

I have been using an app on my phone (HACK) for a while. The content is way more readable with the app. And the interactions (voting and replying) are much more native. Navigating the comments (collapsing and expanding) are way easier

Also on the iPad, the two column view is nice too

If it is not the data collection, then it is always the UX. Seems to be UX on this case. But highly opinionated, some people like the old feel here.

Strange question to ask on a forum where people seem intent on showing their new “I used AI to build something completely useless that will be forgotten in a matter of minutes” and the vast majority of people think it’s the next coming of Jesus.

It doesn’t need one, but now the option is there.

To "delve into comments" (quoting from the app's website).

it's a perfectly cromulent word!

Why does any?

Web HN is almost perfect, but an app is nice for offline caching of threads and potentially hide and favorites made while without internet access (that could eventually be synced as idempotent ops once connectivity is available again).