If you won't take Dan's word for it, maybe you'll take mine?

I spend a lot (too much) time here, I've been quite critical of PG, a fair number of YC investments that I think behaved in an un-ethical way, and have read most of what Maciej has written through HN (and the associated comment threads).

When PG was still at the helm I would not have come out in support of the balance in the moderation and some of what you wrote would have stuck but those times are gone (at one point he called me a 'concern troll' for raising a legitimate issue which I haven't forgotten about).

But Dan and Scott have been as clean as could be in running the site, the only link there is is that YC still pays their salaries but afaik they have a completely free reign to moderate as they see fit and if you're going to make claims like the ones above then you probably should back those up with specific cases where you feel the moderation wasn't even handed. I know of no such cases off hand.

Same!

I sure don't. But see that word 'patently'.

It would not be wise to argue with someone who can hellban you. Even if it is purely logical and factual in nature.

Lobste.rs is also a good HN-alt. A bit more groupthink on common topics, and less groupthink on VC stuff.

No, we don't ban people for arguing with us.

Not anymore. :-)

Whatever faults dang may have, he's not a capricious moderator, and he works hard to be fair.

Since I got called out my name, let me say that no one has tried to "filter me out" of HN since Paul Graham stopped moderating the site.

If I get hellbanned for that, I'd prefer not to hang out here anyway.

edit: and thanks for lobste.rs! I've been looking for something similar to HN without all the SV gossip.