I can't help but feel that while the treatment is severe and terrible that this isn't an appropriate post for Hacker News. This type of thing is a shining example of something that belongs on Reddit, where there's greater exposure and it's more on-topic. Is it interesting, yes (to some, although I'm sure there's plenty that could say not on hacker news as it's tied to wikileaks).
I would say that while the treatment of him is terrible, it meets the off-topic criteria (crime, politics, TV news). I'm posting this separately to my engagement in the discussion.
I'm so so so tired of people complaining about what is and what isn't HN relevant. Yes maybe the topic is not technology but isn't this something that effects us (Americans mostly) regardless of whether or not it's HN news?
I welcome the news because how else would I have the time to find all these articles on my own? I wouldn't, so I actually appreciate that someone posted it here.
If you really don't have interest in the article then just don't click it, move along. It seems like you're putting in more effort complaining than it would take to just skip to the next HN news article.
The problem is that when a forum like Hacker News loses its focus, it loses its value.
I've observed this as Reddit has expanded. /r/programming used to be a good source for learning about neat new technologies and programming techniques. Now, in part because it's one of the default front-page subreddits for an expanding user base on Reddit that mostly aren't programmers, the programming content gets buried beneath jokes, general technology or computer related articles that aren't about programming specifically, and the like.
If Hacker News loses its focus on programming and startups, it risks this happening as well. The detention conditions of PFC Bradley Manning may be interesting, but they are not on topic for a site like Hacker News. There are many other places you can read about and discuss that topic. There aren't many places where I can read about and discuss a broad range of programming and startup related information like I find on Hacker News.
Let's have that discussion when it's actually a significant problem, but it's not right now. Every time I load HN I find 10-15 relevant tech articles and maybe 1-2 articles like this. I'm fine with that ratio. Everyone seems to be making a bigger deal out of this than is justified.
Just because I don't expect it to happen to me doesn't mean it isn't relevant. The actions of our government are relevant to all.
If WikiLeaks were around in 2001 do you think it would have been as easy for Bush to feed us lies to justify going to war in Iraq? I don't. I applaud the actions of WikiLeaks.
I think it's perfectly fine to see this on HN. Much better than endless TSA stories around Thanksgiving. Unlike these it actually provides some interesting detailed information about something from a person with intimate knowledge of the matter, with minimal amount of opinion.
And instead of endless anger and frustration it seems to generate healthy debate of whether some of the details seem appropriate, or at least makes reader think how would they cope with situation.
I think you raise some valid points and you articulate them very well.
To clarify, my points are that the on-topic nature is questionable (which you've responded to, thanks and I think you raise some points that challenge my view very well) but that I also think that reddit is a better outlet for this.
To expand, Reddit has a whole load of people who are in a better position to spread the word, evangelise and have a greater reach than HN. As PostOnce says, HN is like a single subreddit and while one post of this nature is fine, lots of them would devalue the site. Thankfully this doesn't appear to have happened.
I'm not sure I agree with your point about anger and frustration, someone vented at me earlier on another comment. It's clear this is an emotional issue for some, with facts that are less than clear.
But how would you deal with it? If it's not Wikileaks or TSA, there will be some other topic that is borderline offtopic to HN. It's not feasible to start implementing content-based filtering IMHO.
The HN will eventually devalue and be replaced by something else, like it happened to Reddit, Slashdot and Usenet if you will. That's just normal circle of life. Pointless to fight it IMHO.
I would say that while the treatment of him is terrible, it meets the off-topic criteria (crime, politics, TV news). I'm posting this separately to my engagement in the discussion.