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Show HN: Wikipedia as a doomscrollable social media feed (xikipedia.org)

441 points by rebane2001 · 170 days ago · 142 comments on HN

Article summary

Xikipedia is a website that presents Wikipedia content as a doomscrollable social media feed, using a non-ML algorithm to suggest similar content based on user engagement. The algorithm runs locally on the user's device, and no data is sent to the server. The website requires a 40MB download to function, which has led to loading issues for some users. The creator of the website aims to demonstrate how a basic algorithm can learn user preferences without relying on machine learning or user data.

Main themes

  • Doomscrolling
  • Wikipedia content
  • Algorithmic suggestions
  • Data privacy
  • Loading issues
  • Web development

What commenters say

  • The website's loading time is too long due to the large 40MB download required to function.
  • The creator's decision to run the algorithm locally on the user's device is motivated by a desire to protect user privacy.
  • Some users believe that the website's design is flawed and that a more efficient approach would be to load content on demand or use a content delivery network.
  • Others argue that the website's simplicity and lack of scalability are acceptable trade-offs for the creator's goal of demonstrating a basic algorithm's capabilities.
  • Some users have suggested alternative approaches, such as using a CDN or hosting the content on a server, to improve the website's performance.
  • The website's large JavaScript bundle size has been criticized as excessive, with some suggesting that it could be optimized to be smaller.
  • The creator has pushed back against some of the criticism, arguing that the website is a proof-of-concept and not intended to be a scalable or commercial product.
  • Some users have expressed appreciation for the website's unique approach and the creator's commitment to privacy and simplicity.