No, editorial independence means that it's up to Dan to decide whether Michael's unbanned presence makes HN more like the site he wants to create, or less like

No, editorial independence means that it's up to Dan to decide whether Michael's unbanned presence makes HN more like the site he wants to create, or less like the site he wants to create. I don't know Michael, but my impression from his writing is that if one could pick and choose just his best comments, he'd be a valuable asset to the site. But if it's "all or nothing", I'm not sure. I am getting to know Dan a bit, and I feel confident that his choice will be based on what he feels best for the site and the users as a whole, and that he will neither accept nor reverse previous decisions simply due to failure to reconsider.