4chan has an equally simplistic layout with arguably more of a learning curve than here, yet its culture doesn't have the qualities you describe.
The inverse correlation you're trying to draw between the simplicity of a site's layout and the intelligence of its userbase appears to be contradicted by lobste.rs, a more deeply technically oriented forum than Hacker News, which uses tags. Also by simply reading most threads here, you'll find little more depth or intellectual insight to them than a similar thread on Reddit might provide.
The same thing goes for HN. Why would you go through the effort to make an account for an ugly site when there are better looking options available (Reddit, Facebook, etc)?
Yes, it doesn't have much to do with intelligence, but it certainly drives away many of the people who would otherwise make low-effort submissions. In fact, I wish it were even _more_ barebones (e.g. remove the user points in the corner).
I used to think HN should have more features, but then I used Reddit and came back wanting fewer features. I like how it's simultaneously inclusive (anyone can create an account) and exclusive (somewhat ugly, no memes).
The effort is minimal, and I don't think most people choose whether or not to join a site based on how pretty it is. Just look at Craigslist for instance.
>but it certainly drives away many of the people who would otherwise make low-effort submissions.
I don't think there are actually a lot of people being turned away from Hacker News because of the layout who otherwise might join if it had more features. Remember that the entire pool of potential users for Hacker News includes anyone who even knows that it exists -- this is not a mainstream site and it doesn't have a lot of exposure outside of technical circles. No one browsing the main subreddits or Twitter or Facebook is likely to ever see it even mentioned.
That an "ugly" layout keeps low-effort users away seems to be a common belief and I think it's one espoused by pg, but the claim seems a bit like that made of a tiger repelling rock ... the only "evidence" that it works being the absence of any tigers.
Although... Hacker News has plenty of low-effort submissions, and people who complain about it "turning into Reddit," which was once cited as a "common semi-noob delusion" in the site guidelines, it's such a common occurrence.
IMHO HN looks and feels a way better than Reddit and Facebook is just complete crap.
You have no idea how much this compliment means to me.
I have a bad habit of being long winded in the way I write and speak.
Part of it is learning English as a 2nd language (only sort of), and using it mainly during class speeches and debates.
I am glad my writing style isn't a road block to getting my point across. :)
Thank you.
The implication here is there are certain well intentioned people who the community would rather not have on HN.
Clearly only tech-savvy people and those with a knack for sticking with things with a learning curve would stay on HN.
This makes the nature on discussion here wired towards people of that kind. These people (for better or for worse) on an average tend to take questions at face value and answer them than assume an ulterior motive behind an opinionated comment.
I like that about HN, and would not want it to become like other internet comment threads.