How many of you look at http://news.ycombinator.com/newest?
wglb: I check newest when waiting for a compile.  Thanks to the speed of today's computers and languages, that check is not a very long one.Also, when I submit something, i check down the resulting page for interesting items.I occasionally have a browser open on another computer on the newest and refresh that if i am out of HN stuff to read.And while I don't ask friends to vote, it is very time-of-day sensitive.  If it gets a few votes in the first hour (just guessing here) then it is quite possible for it to land on the front page.  Once it lands on the front page, it is going to see a secondary effect, which is more likely to be on the merits as judged by a larger audience.Beyond that threshold (hour? two?) no votes means it will be off the "newest" page, likely to never be seen again.Except if someone else posts the same article, RiderOfGirafefes will find the dup.