[rauljara]

Explanation for the site being invite only:

"Not for exclusivity, but rather, invitations will be used as a spam-control mechanism. New users must be invited by a current member and invitations will be unlimited (unless scaling problems temporarily prevent new accounts). If spammers are invited to the site and banned, the user that invited them may also be banned, going up the chain of invitations as needed."

Seems basically sane, though I imagine the site would be pretty cliquish at first. You do have a pretty strong disincentive for inviting people you don't know.

Any member want to break up the cliquishness by inviting me? If you trust metrics, my high average karma means I'm probably less of a risk. Probably.

[veyron]

"my high average karma means I'm probably less of a risk. Probably."

If anything all this means is that you conform to the culture of HN, precisely what (it would seem) Lobsters is trying to break from.

[roryokane]

https://lobste.rs/s/bkeYe9/about_lobsters says nothing about trying to break from the culture of HN. Lobsters differs from HN in features, moderation transparency, and spamming-prevention techniques, but it doesn’t say it tries to have a different user culture. So rauljara conforming to HN culture would not be a reason to avoid inviting him to Lobsters.

[JohnsonB]

Seems like the cost of slower adoption isn't worth the upside to spam control, given that that's a relatively small problem for sites like these with proper IP control and user moderation. Lower quality comments is the bigger problem and that wouldn't easily be solved by being invite only.

[jsnell]

Slower adoption? By default a site like this is going to have no traction, since there are a gazillion other reddit clones around. But make it appear exclusive, and you immediately have people begging for invites.

(Edit: I don't mean to imply that hype-generation was the real reason to make it invite-only. I'm sure that the stated reasons are the real ones. The interest generated by exclusivity is just a nice byproduct.)

[JohnsonB]

However people are hearing about the site to even care about getting an invite, or know what it is, those are the same circumstances that they could happen upon the site and want to register. I don't think I've ever heard of a principle that stated invite only leads to greater adoption for a new site than open register, it's rather done to retard growth so the new infrastructure can keep up, or in this case to control spam. I believe slow growth, in absence of traction, is a perfectly valid way for many sites to grow and eventually gain traction.

[SoftwareMaven]

I can't imagine that making an echo chamber at all. The likelihood of me getting an invite is next to nil, as I don't really fraternize with people around here. Guess I'll stick around here.

[roryokane]

I’ll invite you, but you’ll have to put your email address in the “about” section of your HN profile first. (The address in the “email” section of your profile is not publicly viewable.) Or you can just write your email in a comment reply if you’d prefer.

[losvedir]

I'd be grateful for an invitation, too. My email is in my "about" section. Feel free to peruse my comments here to see if you think I'd add any useful perspective. (I say this without reviewing my recent comments first, but my impression is that I generally say relevant things...) Thanks.

[rauljara]

I updated my profile. Many thanks. You are a scholar and a gentleman.

[carlesfe]

Hi, if you have any left, I'd very much appreciate one.

carlos.fenollosa at gmail

Thanks!

[mtarnovan]

I'd like an invite. My email address: mihai dot tarnovan at cubus dot ro.

Thank you

[FR6]

Is it possible to have an invitation too? colt450 on Gmail. Thank you roryokane!!

[mquander]

I'd appreciate an invite. My email address is in my profile for the moment.

[gmcabrita]

If you're willing to toss out another invite my e-mail is on my profile.

[milkmiruku]

If per chance anyone has a free invite, it would be greatly appreciated!

[adam-a]

I would also like an invite. If they are being given.

[c-oreills]

I'd really love an invite, please =)

[nostradamnit]

I'd like an invite as well please :)

[naitbit]

I would like an invite too please :)

[eloisius]

May I? zgstewart from gmail dot com

[ajdecon]

I'd love an invite, if available.

[Hates_]

Anyone able to invite me?

[Hates_]

Thank you, I now have an invite :)

[sandGorgon]

could I have an invite as well ? My email is in my profile.