This project presents a live, constantly updating version of the "What a week, huh?" meme. The website displays the phrase "What a week, huh?" followed by the current date and time, acknowledging the ever-changing and often chaotic nature of current events. The time updates dynamically, emphasizing the relentless passage of time and the continuous influx of new happenings. It's a simple yet effective way to capture the feeling of living in a perpetually eventful world.
The Hacker News submission titled "Show HN: Live-updating version of the 'What a week, huh?' meme" presents a web application that dynamically generates an iteration of the popular internet meme featuring a photograph of actor Jon Hamm. The original meme typically uses a still image of Hamm with a caption expressing incredulity or exhaustion regarding the events of a particularly eventful week, often incorporating humorous or ironic understatement. This live-updating version, hosted at tintin.dlazaro.ca, takes the concept further by automatically adjusting the caption to reflect the current date and time. Therefore, instead of a static statement about a past week, the image is accompanied by a phrase like "What a [current day of the week], huh?", followed by the precise current time down to the second. This constant refresh creates a perpetually up-to-date version of the meme, acknowledging the ongoing passage of time and implicitly commenting on the continuous unfolding of events, both mundane and extraordinary, that constitute our daily lives. The site itself is minimalistic in design, focusing solely on the image of Jon Hamm and the dynamically generated caption, ensuring the user's attention is drawn to the ever-shifting temporal element of the meme. This provides a lighthearted and perhaps even slightly absurd commentary on the relentless march of time and the perpetual feeling of a week being constantly in progress.
Summary of Comments ( 150 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43086479
Hacker News users generally enjoyed the "live-updating" What a Week, Huh? meme, praising its simplicity and effectiveness. Some appreciated the clean design and the way it captured the relentless news cycle. A few commenters suggested improvements like adding a date range selector or the ability to filter by specific categories. Others pointed out the technical aspects, discussing the use of
setIntervaland potential optimizations. One user humorously noted the meta-nature of the project, as it itself becomes another item adding to the ever-growing list of weekly news events. Several commenters shared similar "doomscrolling" type projects and resources.The Hacker News post discussing the "Live-updating version of the 'What a week, huh?' meme" project has a moderate number of comments, offering a mix of praise, critique, and playful observations.
Several commenters appreciated the project's simplicity and effectiveness in capturing the sentiment of the meme. One user called it "perfectly executed," highlighting how it successfully evokes the feeling of time dragging on. Another commenter praised the project's understated nature, saying it was "subtle and good." The clean design and clear focus on the core concept were also mentioned positively.
Some commenters focused on the technical aspects. One inquired about the specific technologies used to create the live-updating feature, showcasing an interest in the development process. Another commenter suggested a potential improvement, recommending the addition of a visual progress bar to further emphasize the passage of time.
The humor inherent in the original meme carried over to the comment section. One commenter jokingly suggested expanding the project to encompass longer timeframes, asking for a "What a year, huh?" version. This playful engagement with the core concept demonstrates how the project resonated with the audience.
A few commenters expressed a sense of weariness with the meme itself, reflecting the cyclical nature of internet humor. While acknowledging the clever execution of the project, they questioned the meme's longevity.
Finally, there were some practical comments related to accessibility. One commenter raised the concern about the lack of alt text for the image, impacting users with visual impairments. This highlights the importance of considering accessibility in web development, even for seemingly simple projects.
Overall, the comments reveal a generally positive reception to the project, with users appreciating its simplicity, humor, and technical execution. While some expressed fatigue with the underlying meme, the overall sentiment leaned towards appreciation for the developer's clever implementation. The discussion also touched upon important aspects of web development, such as accessibility and technical choices.