hot =
sign × log
10
|ups − downs|
+
seconds since 8 Dec 2005 ÷ 45000
log10
every tenfold jump in net votes adds 1
45000 s
= 12.5 hours of newness adds 1
sign
a net negative score counts against the post
These four posts are equally hot
1,000
=
votes, posted 37.5 h before the 1-vote post
100
=
votes, posted 25 h before
10
=
votes, posted 12.5 h before
1
=
vote, posted last