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Time-travel Spammer Strikes Back
HopToit writes "Robby Todino is apparently upset about being outed a couple months ago as the source of all those wacked messages about 'Dimenstional Warp Generator Needed.' According to Wired, someone has pulled a major joe-job spam attack (forged 'From:' lines) on three popular sites in retaliation for making fun of Todino's goofy search for alien technology. Robby, if you're out there, you have ceased to be amusing."
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Eric S. Raymond, self-appointed historian/custodian of hacker culture and inventor of the "official" logo for said culture, a libertarian, "gun nut", neo-pagan, musician, open-source developer, fetchmail maintainer, LARP-er, warblogger, and anti-censorship activist. Surprising however is the claim to be a libertarian, and yet at the same time praise both Bush, the war on terror, and the blatant violations of international law in pursuit of the WOT.
Certainly an accomplished and diverse resume. Certainly an unconventional person by anyone's measure. I for one appreciate and commend ESR for his many contributions to the "hacker" culture that I consider myself to be somewhat a part of, although I disagree with the terminology and some of the widely held beliefs of said culture. There is no doubt that Eric has been a valuable member of our community, certainly The Cathedral and the Bazaar and his lobbying of Netscape were large steps forward for the open-source movement. There are those who view these important contributions with less appreciation than I, and ESR has his foes among our movement, of that we can be certain, but the general consensus is that he has added greatly to that which we cherish.
Now however, even more than ever we have begun to see Raymond take the path of those who seek fame and power more than the ability to serve and contribute. Claims of egotistical behavior and power-hungry publicity tactics are more the norm than the praise of the past. Resentment and revulsion have become the typical reactions among many here and elsewhere. Why is it that we are more likely to see unchecked trolling against ESR than any other in our community save perhaps Stallman? I will present the facts and background that will inform you the reader of the self-absorbed and uncompromising views of Eric S. Raymond. To take a cheap and easy shot, I would say that it is an ugly picture, even more so than the portrait of the man himself.
Let us begin with what seems to be the most specific and common complaint against the man, his usurpation of the Jargon File, the dictionary of hacker culture. Disregarding those who are angered merely at the fact that ESR has taken the Jargon File as his own and removed some of the older terms, many have railed against him for molding the File in his own image. We will also disregard terms such as "Aunt Tilly", that although not used widely if at all by any hackers at all save Raymond and a handful of others is not an entirely unfit term for the File, as it originated on the LKML and some feel it is fit for inclusion. Instead I will cite the three massively unfit terms that Raymond has chosen to enter into the "offical" lexicon of hacker-dom, "GandhiCon", "anti-idiotarianism" and "fisking". GandhiCon - 386 hits on google. I have found that ESR is the main user of this term, and seems to be it's originator. Other than ESR this term seems to be limited to those who have read ESR's writings on the subject and wish to imitate him. Hardly a widespread "hacker" term by anyone's measure. However I am willing to concede this addition on the basis that at least it deals with issues central to the open-source movement, others are more up in arms over it's usage than I, but I appreciate that this particular term actually could be a candidate for inclusion in the Jargon File.
The other two additions are more troubling, and are nothing more than pet terms of ESR himself and his personal ideology and habits, which I will delve into further into this post. Anti-idiotarianism - supposedly "very common" according to ESR's entry. This entry is far beyond gripes with things like "Aunt Tilly". Anti-idiotarianism refers mostly to ESR's own screed on the subject, "The Anti-Idiotarianism Manifesto". A document that highlights ESR's own personal politics and attempts to bash multiple groups of people. Simply search for this term to find out the depths of of his political views. This political term that describes ESR's own writings has no place in the Jargon File, as is the case for fiski
When you have historical revisionism and enough eager sheep to lap it up and repeat all of the claims that you disseminate to your news outlets?
13 dead and 20 injured in Iraq this morning as a Chinook helicopter was shot down near Fallujah.
Another soldier killed in the bombing of a US convoy.
Rumsfeld being pushed out of power after the failed defense policy in Iraq and his leaked memo that was too truthful for those in the Administration.
Hundreds of militants pouring into Iraq, ready to fight and die to oppose our country.
We have failed in Iraq, of that we can be certain.
Support the troops, bring them home.
The mods suck today... modding this guy who's trying to make a joke troll is just wrong. His posting history looks decent enough and this is moderation abuse plain and simple. Perhaps overrated would be allright, but even that is a bit harsh, it's just a joke.
Then you have lamers getting funny mods for the usual garbage, and modding down the one guy who's trying to spread the truth on ESR.
Hell all I have to do is make some lame Simpsons reference, or maybe a Duke Nukem Forever/Hurd being late joke and some luser will waste mod points on modding it up to funny.
Try and mod people up unless it's obvious garbage, like GNAA, a bunch of swearing/insults, crapflooding, goatse links, etc.
Insightful and interesting mods for the people who deserve them are much more important in my view, reading at +4 or 5 is usually just a collection of a few good points and a lot of bad jokes... of well. Waste another point on modding this offtopic too, since that's the way you handle things like this. WTG.
I forgot to mention this - these unfair troll mods will be corrected in m2, of that you can be certain. Trolls are not semi-decent posters making lame unfunny jokes.
This is THE most interesting thing I have ever read, thankyou for bringing it to my attention. I'm in your debt.
When anger rises, think of the consequences.
Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC)
Ah, thanks. That never went anywhere because it all got too complicated for me. Didn't even know where to start.
-- Even if a god did exist, why the fsck should I worship it?
not by any of the recent pateNTdead eyecon0meter readings, he hasN'T?
.conpairabull to an older model hoot DeVille, or a fudsell co-op?
although heis scoring a mynuts won: ?i have no choice?, in regards to pretending to ignore his owned 'stuff that matters' mandate, we still think heis
everyone becomes their own reward based on their motives/intentions/behaviours?
consult with/trust in yOUR creator.... get ready to see the light.
you won't be needing any phonIE alien devise, or even a model rocket cam, to smell which way the winds of change are bullowing, at gale force.
Stop defending your own (rightfully) modded-down post as AC, you flaming retard.
I, (the AC you are referring to) am the ESR "offtopic" poster, not the grandparent. I also bitched about the redundant mod for the first "on-topic" post in this story.
Right on my tivo remote.
who are those slashdot people? they swept over like Mongol-Tartars.