I've found HN better in the last year or so than at any point since its inception
FWIW, I never really saw it that way... my perception was that it was more of an "anti BIG business" and "anti proprietary / locked-down / walled garden ecosystem" sentiment. But that's not the same as business per-se. Lots of hackers started businesses and even rms says that selling software for money is fine, so long as user freedom is preserved.
That said, you have a fair point about the startup/hacker "thing" being a little more modern. Then again, 1994 was a pretty long time ago now. So I guess one could argue the point about whether that should be accepted as part of the hacker ethos or not at this point.
The early days of the computer industry, at least, are nothing like that. The founders of Microsoft were hackers of the highest order, but weren't "anti BIG business" or "anti proprietary".
Likewise with the founders of Apple, HP, and countless more.
IOW - it's growing. That is neither good nor bad on its own. It just is.
Communities change through time - for better, worse, and neutral.
Also, his last essays that I can remember, defending wealth inequality, were uninformed rbagege and (rightly) excoriated on HN and the wider media.
Incidentally, your comment seems rather hostile towards the man who founded YC, created HN, and set the original quality and tone of this online community.
My comment certainly is hostile toward PG. He isn't God. I don't have to worship him, even if I'm on his site. Do you think reddit has no discussions critical of its founders?.
PG or the mods are free to kick me off if my comments about him bother them.
but it hasn't mattered to me :)