[psyc]

I don't believe lack of notability needs any explanation at all. It's the default. I have plenty of [anecdotal] evidence that exceptional skill is one of many factors that might contribute to notability. Other factors include networking or self-promotion, timing, and chance. Being a lurker type myself, I've encountered many fellow lurkers in forums over the last 20 years, who demonstrated astounding expertise, but are afaik almost completely unknown in my industry. I can think of many more people who actually are at the top of the industry, but are relatively unknown simply because they do not give talks, blog, or write books. In case it wasn't obvious, my personal hypothesis is that SN was simply a very skilled lurker in the cypherpunk scene. I doubt he was Finney, Dai, or Szabo, but I suspect he was someone who, like myself, was well aware of them and hung out in the same forums and lists.