YC is indeed different from VCs in this regard. VCs generally don't fund direct competitors to those in their portfolio, which I agree with you is a good thing

YC is indeed different from VCs in this regard. VCs generally don't fund direct competitors to those in their portfolio, which I agree with you is a good thing -- conditional on there being a lot of VCs out there (which there are). (Btw, in case any reader is not aware, dang is employed by YC to manage HN - and YC acts differently from VCs in many respects).