Past related threads:
Learn how to design large-scale systems - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17522362 - July 2018 (185 comments)
The System Design Primer - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13823979 - March 2017 (57 comments)
Learn how to design large-scale systems - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17522362 - July 2018 (185 comments)
The System Design Primer - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13823979 - March 2017 (57 comments)
No, not really. It shows a list of past submissions, which of course include the corresponding discussions.
Take a look: https://hn.algolia.com/?query=System%20Design%20Primer%3A%20...
HN already provides a link to profile bios. Check out the %username% link on top of the comment. /s
Oh and there's no implication that the story shouldn't be reposted—reposts are fine after a year or so (https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html).
Btw, the 'past' link in the top bar shows you (more or less) what the front page looked like on a particular day. To find threads about specific past stories, it's best to use HN Search at the bottom of the page.