Another approach is to limit submissions via some manner. Metafilter still retains a similar level of content as it did when it started around 12 years ago, and they accomplished this by a) Requiring signups to pay $5 b) Maintaining strong, public moderation where deletion reasons are clearly shown and frequently discussed ad nauseum on a section of the site clearly designated for talking about the site itself.
It may not be everyone's cup of tea but the site has grown leaps and bounds and hasn't yet strayed from its original goal, which is albeit more open-ended than HN. I'm not suggesting users pay $5, but there are more nuanced approaches than trying to squash the problem with the math hammer.
It may not be everyone's cup of tea but the site has grown leaps and bounds and hasn't yet strayed from its original goal, which is albeit more open-ended than HN. I'm not suggesting users pay $5, but there are more nuanced approaches than trying to squash the problem with the math hammer.