[jmnicolas]

Never heard of this site before, but if I could hazard a guess to why they're shutting down, who nowadays has the time to read a long text for leisure? Not many people I guess.

My opinion is that the information loop has entered hyper velocity and anything long form cannot be mainstream anymore.

If I take my case as an example, the only activity where I focus for more than 5 minutes is coding. I skim news just reading the titles, occasionally reading an article, I can't watch a full length movie without opening a browser on the second screen, I listen to audio books while driving.

[otabdeveloper4]

Really?

The short story is now a dead artform. Even 'trilogies' aren't a thing anymore - anything less than five thick tomes doesn't sell.

Movies are now three hours long, but even that seems to be a half-measure and the cinematic form is now being replaced by miniseries.

(I remember when a 90 hour movie was considered long.)

[brnt]

> (I remember when a 90 hour movie was considered long.)

I think we all still agree on that!

[ratww]

Yep. The fact most of my friends binged the Beatles 9 hour documentary in one or two days still surprises me. I also did the same. People do have time.

[aligray]

> (I remember when a 90 hour movie was considered long.)

Thank you very much I needed a good laugh this morning!

[tangjurine]

90 minutes?

[rvieira]

The unit is called "1 Woody Allen".

[defaultname]

The recreational consumption of content of all sorts is, I suspect, at a historic high. We watch hundreds of hours of movies and limited series and shows, watch YouTube and Twitch and TikTok, and browse Facebook, Reddit, and Hacker News for hours a day. Even the most active programmer -- if they're being honest and not just preening for hopeful bosses to nod in praise -- spends a significant amount of time not programming.

Yes, most people have enormous amounts of discretionary time. Long form content has a pretty large base that enjoys the content, and it's some of the best content that appears on HN.

To condense, I find the notion that no one has time simply ludicrous. As otabdeveloper4 mention, it's remarkable how content has grown and grown rather than the opposite.

Having said that, I don't understand the site. By appearances some people post some links of some content that they enjoyed? What is there to "shut down"? Are we to believe this was some sort of business or something?

[TimWillebrands]

I get what you're saying, but long form podcast type of content seems to be somewhat mainstream?

[ejoso]

Personally, I listen to podcasts and audiobooks at 2X. Otherwise I’d be swallowed by the torrential wave of content. I still am at that, to some extent.