I guess it all depends on the person, but optimizing the optimal application of two one dollar bills is unlikely ever to be an optimal optimization of most of the target demographic's time, whether they realize it or not.
If I try it now, I get to see four articles for free. If I try it in two months (if it's still around), I get 16 articles for free. That seems like a much better sample of the content -- especially since if I was the publisher I would use my best articles for the launch and they might not be typical.
Indeed the full rate is close to a couple of ad-supported-magazine subscriptions, or less than 1 hour of pay for most of HN. My point was more about the confused wording of the value proposition than the value itself. Confused people spend money less than confident people.
Having just built a bathroom, I can say that in my situation, confused people spend way more money. Certainty with decisions is way cheaper in a building scenario.
A bathroom is a necessity, or a project where you have a definite end goal in mind. An entertainment magazine can simply be ignored in favor of other content.
This is neither here nor there, but I don't understand your "1 hour of pay" comment. Although it was ambiguous, I'm going to interpret it to mean that "most of HN" makes more than 24$ (equivalent to a one year subscription) per hour. I think that this is a gross exaggeration and fairly presumptuous. It find it doubtful that the majority of people on HN make such a sum.
Most people don't pull in money hand-over-fist. For many, 24$ is a non-trivial expense. If not in actuality than in perception.
