[rahulcap]

Overall, I agree with this comment. (Y-meter is visually too complex, # comments too far right, etc.) One point not mentioned is that UX for viewing comments is much worse for web users, since the link is now so far from other links.

While I think hacker news could use a redesign, I think you focused on the wrong aspects. I think the #1 goal would have to be to make it responsive / mobile-friendly over any sort of new visualization of points. Beyond that, I think the question is more about typography than visual design. A single # seems the simplest/clearest way to represent points, but the question is just where it fits in the visual hierarchy, font, color, etc.

I would not put too much thought into a modern web design that does not consider different screen sizes.