I'd much rather if the FanChatters (and other YC groups) would just share what they were working on via the site. Using TechCrunch as a middle man in exchange for perceived authority is lame, and I think HN would develop a much stronger community and culture if we all just shared what we were working on directly and asked each other for help.
They do it for the publicity, not the authority. Only a small minority of people read HN. (And let's hope it stays that way.)
I understand the value of TechCrunch to get publicity with the general (tech) public. I just meant that within HN, I think sharing directly with each other would create a stronger community.