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I think it's a reaction to the shift in focus to startups and VC/buisness in general. Slashdot got mean[er] when that happened there, as did proggit. HN was always there. Anecdotally, I and most of my coworkers get grouchier when we have to spend a lot of time talking to the suits. It's easy to be enthusiastic about technology, once the conversation shifts to commerce and competition it's hard not to see everything through shit-colored glasses. That stuff is a necessary evil, of course, because we all need to eat, but letting it into all of our conversations ruins the party.