it's funny you say that, considering HN is a breeding ground for shady marketing techniques. The most common kind here seem to be these generic "how to" articles that briefly mention some obscure product as an essential part of one's workflow (but maybe only by name so as to seem like it's an established product). That's usually followed up by someone in the comments asking about the product and -- wouldn't you know it -- the product owner showing up to give an elevator pitch along with a few satisfied customers.

I mean, consider where you are: a forum that's owned by a tech incubator. I'm not suggesting a mass exodus or anything, but I'm just saying that tech-savvy people have been marketed to for a while now, and it's up to you to recognize when you're getting played.