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So... the minute hand shows progression — apparently we think of time in wildly different ways

Technology Connextras3 HN recommenders · recommended in 3 months, 2022–2026
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explainer · general · evergreen · 2022–2026 on HN

A Technology Connections video essay on how analog and digital clocks shape different mental models of time, with the minute hand acting as a progress indicator.

HN points to it whenever analog versus digital clocks come up, as an idea that changed how commenters think about time perception.

6 comments from Hacker News

@operator-name2022-09 · in “Some things I realized about AI while contemplating slide rule prices on eBay”

I think the digital vs analogue clock is an adjacent, everyday example. On the human scale precise clock maths is rarely necessary, and conceptually thinking of time as a base 60 number can be more trouble than good. Technology Connections has a very good video on this, and completely changed thinking: ▶ this video

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@ajdude2026-07 · in “Show HN: Analog Watch”

Technology Connections did a really great video on this a few years ago. ▶ this video Apparently being raised with analog clocks vs digital changes how one intuits the passage of time.

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@saurik2024-08 · in “Designing my own watch (2020)”

I rather enjoyed the video essay Technology Connections did about the seemingly different mental models of tracking time that come from analog and digital clocks, and how a lot of people now have barely ever experienced analog clocks. ▶ this video

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@grishka2026-07 · in “Alternate Clock Designs and Time Systems”

Related: different people think of time different ways. I myself have never liked analog clocks because they require a conversion to make sense . Technology Connections made a video about this: ▶ this video And another thing: I considered trying 28-hour days because my sleeping schedule always drifts. A 28-hour clock that's in sync with me sleeping would be nice if I ever do try that.

@Telaneo2025-12 · in “Kids Rarely Read Whole Books Anymore. Even in English Class”

Not to other people I've talked to. I'm the wrong person to ask this about, since I prefer digital time, so time is just a number to me. But Technology Connections made a video atleast talking about it,[1] so hopefully that get part of the point across. To him and plenty of other analogue-first people, time is a progress bar, or a chart, or something along those lines, and that's the natural way to perceive time, and converting it to a number is meaningless beyond expressing it as digital time. [1] ▶ this video