[bliving]

It's not obvious to an outsider that "Hacker News" is Paul Graham's playground and that he is the one "you are having a problem with". As an outsider, I would have assumed as the poster did, that the community would be supportive in resolving what seems to be a reputation issue. But it's not plain that it's a reputation issue, as it seems (to me) that HN-based reputation doesn't map to relationships the same way it does in Real Life; the written rules are not all of the rules.

I do believe that you should be careful about asking stupid questions in public. But I don't think this was unexpected.

[thaumaturgy]

More to the point: I don't think it's obvious that HN is relatively unimportant.

There are people here now who are here primarily for what passes for intelligent discussion these days -- myself among them. But, that doesn't quite match this site's original intended purpose, which was to become a point of community for potential YCombinator applicants.

So, if someone gets banned by mistake, or if there's some imbalance or some feature or tweak that HN maybe should have ... as long as it isn't negatively impacting YCombinator applications, then it really isn't worth a terrible amount of pg's time or attention.

[sailormoon]

I think you've hit the nail on the head here. There is basically an existential conflict between the stated goals of YC in running HN, and the expectations of the community that has formed. A bit of collateral damage here and there does not impact YC's goals at all, as you have said, although it does rattle the community.

It's an interesting situation - I don't blame PG or YC for their occasional failings. I expect they are surprised, and perhaps not in a 100% comfortable way, at the way the community, and expectations, have grown. Arguably HN is now too large to fulfil its purported function of screening YC applicants prior to interview.

That said, doesn't matter if you wanted the kid - once it's in your arms and screaming, a kid you have. I hope that PG is at least considering anointing some more moderators - "community selected" would be best - to take up the mantle when he doesn't have the time or inclination to take an in-depth interest in things. I certainly have some people in mind that I would gladly support being moderators, and I think they would gladly accept.

The HN story is quite fascinating, really. It's still the best we've got, seemingly completely by accident. Quite inspirational.