I have a question ... why can't a Hacker News button be done entirely in Javascript? If only HN would incorporate CORS file. Even if it doesn't, there could be a way to approximate it by checking if you are logged into HN, and if you are, doing a cross-domain POST via a form.
"But how do you know if you're logged into HN?" Ah, that's the hack.
The question -- for all the hackers here -- is, what resource can we request via Javascript on HN that will return a different status code (200 or another one) depending on login state?
For example, maybe posting a blank password to "change password" form will return a non-success status code when you aren't logged in, and be an innocuous post (since it results in an error).
Of course, the trouble with these techniques is that the site can disable them at any time.
"But how do you know if you're logged into HN?" Ah, that's the hack.
for example: https://hacks.mozilla.org/2011/02/an-interesting-way-to-dete...
more in depth: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5233560/possible-to-find-...
The question -- for all the hackers here -- is, what resource can we request via Javascript on HN that will return a different status code (200 or another one) depending on login state?
For example, maybe posting a blank password to "change password" form will return a non-success status code when you aren't logged in, and be an innocuous post (since it results in an error).
Of course, the trouble with these techniques is that the site can disable them at any time.