Definitely, specifically concerning subjects that are high level such as crypto, compilers, language design etc.. There are subject matter experts here who give a trove of information for free on HN that I would easily pay money to hear at a conference or lecture. I particularly enjoyed the recent "Rust vs. GO" thread where local folks broke down the advantages/disadvantages of both languages without dissolving in a flame war. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13430108