Ask HN: Can Hacker News be considered a social network?

Social networks usually attract a wide range of people. However, LinkedIn is a great example of a social network that targets a more selective audience than other networks that preceded it. The people who use it are usually professionals looking to make connections online. Quora, StackOverflow, and other sites that started out as Q&A services have show potential in the social networking market as well.

So I was wondering if we could start calling Hacker News a social network. While HN has always been a place for inquisitive minds to share links and ideas, it has also become a place for people to connect with others who have the same interests. It may not be the social network most of us are used to, but it does provide the same uses (interacting socially with others) under a different context. One of the reasons why we can consider HN a social network is the fact that many of use use our real identities rather than anonymous ones (a group that I ironically don't belong in).

Anyways, I wanted to hear other people's opinions on naming HN a social network. While categorizing HN as a social network may not have that many applications, the discussion around it can help clarify the true purposes HN serves and new online areas the site can expand in to.