[ColinWright]

This isn't really an answer to the question of influence, but it gives you a start on the question. There's the list of the top 100 people ranked by karma - that doesn't mean they're influential, of course.

So, maybe you should define "influence".

[schusterfluke]

Aight: How about "The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of [the collective mind of the people who read HN] ...something like that.

[ColinWright]

Hmm.

* How would you measure that?

* How would you get everyone to agree?