Tech-oriented internet commenters have very different behaviors and spending patterns than typical consumers. We occupy a unique position in that so many of our tools and technologies are freely available on the internet. Many people also grew up during periods where piracy was rampant and even the paid tools and media could be acquired (illegally) for free if you knew where to look. People stuck in this bubble tend to resent any requests for paid software, especially when it goes beyond one-time payments of nominal amounts.

It’s a bubble. Outside of the bubble there are quite a few people who don’t mind paying subscription fees for software that delivers value. HN is not a good place to gather market sentiment or perform product research for this reason.