Any community that gains a critical mass of users will change. The interrogatory form of the headline isn't really necessary. HN will change as it grows, just

Any community that gains a critical mass of users will change. The interrogatory form of the headline isn't really necessary. HN will change as it grows, just as did Slashdot, or Reddit, or Digg. It doesn't have to be a bad thing. YC can try to shape this growth by introducing features and changing algorithms, and the userbase can try to shape it through submissions and voting. As with many things, it's all a question of balance. You don't want to tip things too far in favor of preserving the old culture lest you scare off newcomers and stagnate (perhaps Slashdot at some periods in its history), nor do you want to tip the other way and lose your core users (Digg). Only time will tell how HN navigates these waters.