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It can be both. An AMA is "Ask me anything" which is more focused on somebody (Or something that happened).. which is very different than the same person posting a meaningful comment on a discussion. As far as I know, PG regularly comments on HN and there are often links to his essay or interviews. An AMA isn't so much different than an interview...

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To me, it would be ideal if AMAs were split off into their own site, rather than piggybacking off HN or Reddit. Same with ELI5.

(Also, the meta-implications of the fact that this poll is asking about AMAs rather than ELI5 amuses me.)

ELI5: what are the meta implications that amuse you - for someone that just had to google "ELI5" :)

(explain like I'm 5)

I too had to lookup ELI5 and am at a complete loss regarding any implications, meta or otherwise.

The implication is that HNers are more interested in Q&A sessions over what amounts to a lecture. You could frame that as positively or negatively as you like: a fixation on fame and fortune over substance; a disinterest in having someone else explain what you could learn on your own; a preference for an interactive setting rather than a receptive one; etc.

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