>What exactly is the connection between Assange and Stallman? Why does Stallman turning out to be "right" have anything to do with Assange's future?
Both are activists, who have warned us (and are still warning us) about the consequences of letting those powerful in the world of atoms exert their power in the world of bits. Their causes are distinct, but are two facets of the same object. I highly recommend reading this essay by Assange: http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/the-internet-is-a-threat-to-hu...
>What does this mean? Hacker News isn't unique in any relevant way.
I'm saying "we" as in "we who work in technology and program for a living", not as in "we on HN". The latter is a subset of the former, and a somewhat representative one in my experience. Hence my phrasing.
Hope that clarifies my original points a bit :)