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Auto Accident at SANE Conference Kills One

Several people have submitted news from SANE 2004 that a car crash involving several Free Software developers has killed one and injured two others. Richard Stallman was in the car earlier but apparently had been dropped off prior to the accident.

285 of 542 comments (clear)

  1. Simply one thing to say by FunWithHeadlines · · Score: 5, Insightful

    My deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the loved one they lost.

    1. Re:Simply one thing to say by fitten · · Score: 1

      My sympathy as well. This is a trajedy that is beyond the bounds of any computer/software politics.

    2. Re:Simply one thing to say by r3jjs · · Score: 1
      Donning my kilt and reaching for the pipes...

      Sometimes words aren't enough...


    3. Re:Simply one thing to say by Rallion · · Score: 1

      Family.send(deepestSympathies); (Fitting?)

      As a way to die, it doesn't seem so bad compared to many alternatives. For that, like networkBoy, I'm glad.

      As a way to lose somebody, it's devastating. For that, I'm sad.

    4. Re:Simply one thing to say by fitten · · Score: 1

      So... two people getting killed is worse than one? What's your number of people getting killed before it becomes a tragedy? Do you think his family and friends feel less bad because more people didn't die? Why would it have to be Linus or RMS before it's a tragedy? Do you have to have a certain amount of fame or money when you die for it to be a tragedy? Do you have to actually know someone who died before you can feel sympathy for his family and friends?

      Really... I'm curious as to what your metrics are before someone's death becomes a tragedy. Maybe you can demonstrate it for us in the form of a graph of deaths vs. degree of tragedy just to be simple.

  2. In case of /. effect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative
    Report as of 10:56 EDT:

    Car accident details

    There have been a bunch of rumours about a car accident involving some free software folks today. Since there seems to be no central place for all information I am trying to gather all information here.

    If you have any other information please drop me an email at wichert@wiggy.net

    All mentioned times are in CEST (UTC +0200).

    • There has been a car accident returning from a trip to bring Richard Stallman (RMS) from SANE 2004 to Paris. (confirmed by several sources)
    • they collided with a truck which merged onto their lane while driving in fog (unconfirmed)
    • Exact time of the accident is unknown. It was on the morning of September 30th before 09:00.
    • Richard Stallman was dropped off in Paris and no longer in the car (confirmed by Rop and Richard).
    • At the time of the accident Hans Bakker (mclightje), Edwin Hermans (madeddie), and Sebastian S. (webmind) were in the car. (confirmed).
    • The car belongs to Rop Gonggrijp, who lent it to the travelers. RMS was staying with Rop during SANE. (confirmed by Rop)
    • Hans Bakker (photo, homepage) did not survive the crash. (confirmed by girlfriend)
    • Edwin Hermans has a broken hip and has been transfered to a different hospital for surgery. Sebastian is (or was by now) in surgery for broken bones but is not in critical condition.
    Bad information Press
    1. Re:In case of /. effect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      As reported by Webwereld, the site http://www.ne2000.nl/ has been switched to black after the loss of Hans Bakker.

    2. Re:In case of /. effect by boa13 · · Score: 3, Informative

      The Yahoo France accident report appears to be the correct one, but it is missing one line, the time of the accident: 30-09-2004 06:48, which is consistent with what is reported by Wichert. The time you see on Yahoo (13:50) is the time the road was cleared, and the traffic jam dissolved.

      All other informations in the accident report (highway, location, direction, vehicles) is consistent with what has been reported here.

      The fog condition is not unlikely early morning in that area, at this time of the year. Unfortunately, many others have died in similar crashes (sometimes dozens of cars crashing one after the other).

      Here's a more complete and hopefully stable URL to Infotrafic web-site: http://www.infotrafic.com/perturbations.php?Region =NORD&AC=1774966287.

      (Note: it appears that when Infotrafic is under heavy load, they redirect to a single summary page of traffic condition around Paris - try again later, then.)

    3. Re:In case of /. effect by linzeal · · Score: 4, Insightful
      It is our responsibility as engineers, scientists and technologists to work on solutions to these problems.

      Recently we had a story about a camera technology that could see even through smoke and there are places online where we can work on an open source solution to this problem that would be more likely implemented than if some company sold them exclusively.

      A majority of people on the planet live near water and a cheap enough technology or system that could help people drive safer could save hundreds of lives per year.

    4. Re:In case of /. effect by imroy · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Forget putting fancy cameras in cars. Just put a damn divider down the middle of the highway so that vehicles can't cross over and hit on-coming traffic.

    5. Re:In case of /. effect by nacturation · · Score: 1

      Also information on Newsforge. The Newsforge web admins might want to somehow exclude the Sybase ads from accompanying that story. It was a tad surprising, to say the least, to see the Sybase "monster" slamming the guy's body from side to side or (on subsequent refreshes) pounding his head down with a club. Perhaps a neutral ad would be much more appropriate in such unfortunate circumstances.

      --
      Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
    6. Re:In case of /. effect by CoolVibe · · Score: 1
      Some of Hans' closest friends at klaphek is black too. He used to come to the meetings, and that's where I've met him a couple of times and spoke with him.

      He was a pretty cool guy. I'll miss him.

    7. Re:In case of /. effect by linzeal · · Score: 1

      I'm pretty sure that would take decades to accomplish whereas a fog-cancelling technology could be adopted much more quickly. What are we going to do with the roads when we have flying cars though?

  3. Somebody dies in an accident by SocietyoftheFist · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ..and the first 3 posts I see are jokes about it.

    1. Re:Somebody dies in an accident by RLiegh · · Score: 1, Insightful

      ..and the first 3 posts I see are jokes about it.
      That's nothing; what's really something is if it had been Bill Gates instead of Dick "-smoker" Stallman those jokes would be +5 right now instead of -1 troll.

    2. Re:Somebody dies in an accident by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Maybe first two ports *YOU* see. I read at +2 and I don't see any jokes.

    3. Re:Somebody dies in an accident by lukewarmfusion · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I don't see any jokes right now...

      But I can understand. My first reaction to bad news, once the shock begins to fade, is to crack jokes. That's my way of dealing with stuff like this. My brother was in a horrible accident and I was the first person to find out and meet him at the hospital. The first words out his mouth, while lying on the emergency room table, were "Sorry about your car, man."

      Yes, it's sad. Yes, it's awful that such things happen. But laughter is another way of coping with tragedy... don't rush to condemn the jokes.

    4. Re:Somebody dies in an accident by SocietyoftheFist · · Score: 5, Insightful

      When it's personal or when it is your job to deal with anothers death I can see it. I have friends that routinely recover bodies, they are volunteer rescuers. Together when they are retrieving victims they'll make jokes but are sure to not say anything in public. The anguish I've seen on their faces when talking about things later belies the jokes during the recovery. I know laughter helps us cope but the jokes I saw were not of a coping nature.

    5. Re:Somebody dies in an accident by lukewarmfusion · · Score: 2, Informative

      I took a look at -1.... those aren't funny and you're definitely right that they're "not of a coping nature."

    6. Re:Somebody dies in an accident by a_nonamiss · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh."
      - George Bernard Shaw

      I'm not defending morons, just trying to lighten the heavy mood.

      --
      -Arthur
      Cave ne ante ullas catapultas ambules
    7. Re:Somebody dies in an accident by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Please shut the fuck up. You know that if news broke that Bill Gates or Steve Ballmer was killed in a similiar accident, you Open Source morons would have first posts akin to "ding dong, the wicked witch is dead!"

      Slashdot has more double standards than my ex-girlfriend.

    8. Re:Somebody dies in an accident by lbmouse · · Score: 1

      I agree. Many people laugh at and euphemize about death.

    9. Re:Somebody dies in an accident by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Perhaps I know why it is man alone who laughs: He alone suffers so deeply that he had to invent laughter. - Friedrich Nietzsche

    10. Re:Somebody dies in an accident by _KiTA_ · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I don't see any now. Your moderation system at work. It's not immediate but it does it's job very well.

    11. Re:Somebody dies in an accident by ticklemeozmo · · Score: 1
      ..and the first 3 posts I see are jokes about it.

      Here's another one:

      /kline *!~mclightje@hans.cx
      --
      When modding "Informative", please make sure it both has a source and IS actually informative.
  4. I'd like to joke about this, but by grunt107 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I'd like to send condolences to Mr. Bakker's family and friends for their loss, and hope the others recover quickly.

    Now post a story I can make fun of, quick!!!

  5. I'm shivering... by smari · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Shit. I know one of those guys. It's messed up to read something like that on /.

    1. Re:I'm shivering... by Omnifarious · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yeah, Slashdot isn't the real world. None of the things you say in these forums are ever supposed to have actual consequences anywhere. People online aren't really people.

    2. Re:I'm shivering... by plover · · Score: 1, Insightful
      People online aren't really people.

      I know what you're saying, but fortunately I broke myself of that misconception 25 years ago. I met my wife on line 25 years ago, and I'm constantly reminded of just how "real" online people are.

      Constantly.

      --
      John
    3. Re:I'm shivering... by DAldredge · · Score: 1

      Yes it is. /. is how I found about about 9/11

    4. Re:I'm shivering... by maelstrom · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Where did you meet "online" 25 years ago? I'm very curious. Thanks.

      --
      The more you know, the less you understand.
    5. Re:I'm shivering... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I found out about it when jet fuel and plane wreckage started falling from the fucking sky and me and the bagel vendor guy took off running.

      To everyone who is using 9/11 as some kind of emotional excuse I say, "Fuck you!"
      Unless you were actually there or lost someone close please shut the fuck up about it scarring you mentally or some bullshit like that. I lost friends and co-workers and damn near fucking died.

      Find some other buzzword to cling to and stop using others pain for your own personal ends.

    6. Re:I'm shivering... by BrianH · · Score: 2, Interesting

      We had these things called modems and telephones. And we logged on to Bulletin Board Systems. Lemme tell ya son, the world didn't start in 1990.

      I was once in a CS class where a student stated, in all seriousness, that "there were no home computers before the Internet because there was nothing to do with them". It turned out in the ensuing discussion that the majority of the kids in the class had never even HEARD of BBS's and were under the impression that the term "online" was synonymous with Internet. *sigh* Kids today...

      --

      There is nothing so pathetic as seeing a beautiful young theory roughed up by a tough gang of facts.
    7. Re:I'm shivering... by DAldredge · · Score: 1

      How do you know that I didn't know anyone who died that day?

    8. Re:I'm shivering... by jandrese · · Score: 1

      That is only surprising if you were working in the WTC at the time. As I recall Slashdot was one of the first places to report it (although at first the post was lacking a lot of details).

      --

      I read the internet for the articles.
    9. Re:I'm shivering... by flosofl · · Score: 1

      BBS. I'm guessing you're too young to remember them, but that is how most people met "online".

      --
      "This calls for a very special blend of psychology and extreme violence" - Vyvyan "The Young Ones"
    10. Re:I'm shivering... by plover · · Score: 5, Interesting
      [ Warning: never ask an old guy about the past, he's likely to answer you. ]

      My mistake, we met 24 years ago, not 25. It was on the Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium's (MECC) mainframe. It was a CDC Cyber 72 that was operated on behalf of all the schools in Minnesota. We had 110 baud modems with acoustic couplers and teletypes. Many (all?) of the community colleges, public high schools and even some of the elementary schools had a terminal or two tucked away in a math or science room somewhere. MECC also had an email application, and the "list" command would list all of the email accounts. (Just picture typing "list" and getting a list of all valid email addresses today!)

      MECC was huge in Minnesota schools in the 1970s. Today, they're probably best remembered for having produced educational games such as Oregon Trail and Odell Lake. But back then, having computer access in public schools was a novel concept, and most of those of us who became computer nerds have all done quite well for ourselves. There are even a few MECCies here on Slashdot.

      One day, I found an email from someone named "SWEETHEART" (we didn't have lower case back then :-) who found my username funny. We began exchanging emails, we moved our conversations to some of the "talk" programs (these programs were the great-grandparents of IRC, only with nicer interfaces) and exchanged phone numbers. Eventually, we met, started going out, and now we've been married 20 years with a 16-year-old hacker son to show for it.

      It was a different time; definitely a more innocent era. The only people with access to the computers were students -- we didn't worry about predators or pedophiles.

      --
      John
    11. Re:I'm shivering... by plover · · Score: 2, Informative
      And BBSs didn't really catch on until after the rise of the PC. MECC predated PCs by about 8-10 years. There were a few Apple II based BBSs that existed a little earlier, and even a few BBSs built on other, older gear, but they were pretty inconsequential as far as I was concerned.

      All us MECCies were really spoiled. After having spent so much time with so many people on the big cyber at MECC, BBSs absolutely sucked. A lot. They were tiny, overcrowded, noisy places that I never cared much about, and we couldn't ever get more than a few people together at one time to chat or game. It was like going from a coach-seat party bus to the back seat of a Ford Escort.

      --
      John
    12. Re:I'm shivering... by advocate_one · · Score: 1

      walking the fields around Lockerbie the morning after, marking where the dead bodies were, wasn't a picnic either...

      --
      Donald 'Duck' Dunn: We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline.
    13. Re:I'm shivering... by ImaLamer · · Score: 1

      To everyone who is using 9/11 as some kind of emotional excuse I say, "Fuck you!"
      Unless you were actually there or lost someone close please shut the fuck up about it scarring you mentally or some bullshit like that. I lost friends and co-workers and damn near fucking died.


      Wait one minute. We all had to watch those horrible events over and over and some of us are still having a hard time realizing that it even happened. I know some people who lost no one but still don't believe the buildings are gone.

      You must remember that no one woke up that day expecting that. Most of us had no idea that there were people out there that could and would do such horrible things. You can say what you want about their naivete, but that doesn't give you the right to slam them. Many times when people see images of that day they just break down, even if they live in middle-America.

      Why? It's called empathy. Try it some time. If you can feel 1% of what someone else feels then you are on the right track to being a better person.

      I don't sit with those who break down, and I knew there were "evildoers" out there... but even I still shake my head in disbelief when presented with the footage.

    14. Re:I'm shivering... by darkmeridian · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I saw a woman fall down and cry when the South tower get hit. She dropped her bags and called her husband. He didn't pick up.

      I heard firetrucks scream down Broadway. I saw dust-covered firemen drive out silently an hour later.

      I didn't lose anyone personally on 9/11, but it doesn't mean it didn't affect me.

      Get some appreciation for empathy, you Coward.

      --
      A NYC lawyer blogs. http://www.chuangblog.com/
    15. Re:I'm shivering... by thogard · · Score: 1

      I would says BBS's went downhill after the rise of the PC and cheap modems. You didn't get crud on Ward and Randy's BBS in the early days because if you weren't in Chicago, then you were calling long distance before the breakup of AT&T so the rates were high and the high speed modems were 300 baud. Their BBS started in early 1978 about 26.6 years ago.

    16. Re:I'm shivering... by Dun+Malg · · Score: 2, Insightful
      To everyone who is using 9/11 as some kind of emotional excuse I say, "Fuck you!" Unless you were actually there or lost someone close please shut the fuck up about it scarring you mentally or some bullshit like that. I lost friends and co-workers and damn near fucking died.

      Your 9/11 experience is not the baseline against which all other 9/11 experiences are measured. The severity of your trauma does not render trivial the experiences of those who suffered less than you. You are not the center of the universe.

      --
      If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.
    17. Re:I'm shivering... by op00to · · Score: 1

      Now now, we're the US of A over here. We get to use 9/11 for anything. Ooh, free bagel. 9/11!

    18. Re:I'm shivering... by byolinux · · Score: 1

      That's a real nice story :)

  6. Condolances by TheFlyingGoat · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Condolances to the family and friends of the individual killed. Good luck on a quick recovery to the injured individuals.

    It's always sad when people die, but when they're connected to you in some way (even an abstract way), it hits a little harder. Any Christians (or other faiths, for that matter) should say a quick prayer for everyone involved.

    As for the /. crowd that needs to try making a joke out of it (Gates/MS jokes), try and imagine if the individual who died was your father, or brother. If you can still make a joke about it, you're sick.

    --
    You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. --Winston Churchill
    1. Re:Condolances by ajk · · Score: 5, Insightful
      As for the /. crowd that needs to try making a joke out of it (Gates/MS jokes), try and imagine if the individual who died was your father, or brother. If you can still make a joke about it, you're sick.

      Some people deal by making jokes. That's quite normal.

    2. Re:Condolances by Tassach · · Score: 1
      If you can still make a joke about it, you're sick.
      Laughing at death is one way of dealing with our own inevitable mortality.
      --
      Why is it that the proponents of "one nation under God" are so eager to get rid of "liberty and justice for all"?
    3. Re:Condolances by spakka · · Score: 1, Insightful
      Any Christians (or other faiths, for that matter) should say a quick prayer for everyone involved...... If you can still make a joke about it, you're sick.

      Sicker than using it to push religion?

    4. Re:Condolances by iso · · Score: 4, Insightful
      If you can still make a joke about it, you're sick.

      Personally I would rather have someone make an innocent joke at a time like this than ask me to "pray." Different things offend different people. I personally find public displays of religion offensive (seriously), especially if it's stated that others should join in, as you did.

    5. Re:Condolances by lachlan76 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Imagine if your father or brother or best friend died, and you see all these jokes. Would that be a good thing?

      Take a look at -1. Those aren't people dealing, they're people who don't care about the lives of other people.

    6. Re:Condolances by TheReckoning · · Score: 1

      He's not pushing religion on anyone, you're just being oversensitive. He's saying anyone following a faith should say a quick prayer. If you don't follow a faith, grieve in your own way (or not).

      Why deaths make people so hypersensitive is beyond me.

    7. Re:Condolances by jemfinch · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Some people deal by making jokes. That's quite normal.

      And some people are just irreverent, insensitive dorks. That's quite normal as well, but its normalcy doesn't mean we should encourage or otherwise condone their social incompetency.

      Jeremy

    8. Re:Condolances by JamesTRexx · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I agree.
      If I can't find some way to joke and laugh about things, they really pull me down in a depression.
      For that reason I want the people that know me to have a good laugh and party when I die, and not mourn or feel bad because I should be at a much better place.

      Besides, they'll just be too happy to finally be rid of me anyway. :-P

      --
      home
    9. Re:Condolances by Loco3KGT · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Let me introduce you to my family...

      My grandmother recently passed away. While at the funeral home reviewing the work of the embalmer (or whoever puts on the makeup/etc) the funeral director asked what they thought. My Mother made the comment that they had done an excellent job and that she looked wonderful. My Uncle said, and I'll never forget it...

      "Yes, she looks great. So great that I'm thinking of bringing my wife down here."

      Sometimes you just have to make light of the situation if you're going to try to get through it. I don't think there's a single /.er on here that is happy because this event happened and of the few jokes I've seen have none have been negative/insensitive.

      --
      Blessed be he who reads this post, Cursed be he who tells my boss.
    10. Re:Condolances by goatan · · Score: 1
      Some people deal by making jokes. That's quite normal.

      Perfectly normal but there are jokes and then there is insults most of the "jokes" have been insults. Jokes are funny because there true not because of people's prejudices. If you can't tell the difference don't try to be funny or joke about something else unconected which is what most people do anyway.

      --
      Saying Apple is better than MS is like saying Botulism is better than rabies.

    11. Re:Condolances by Atzanteol · · Score: 1

      And some people are just assholes. Guess which are more likely to be making jokes on slashdot?

      --
      "Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge"

      - Charles Darwin
    12. Re:Condolances by plover · · Score: 1
      As a matter of fact, sharing a private joke with my mom was part of the way I reacted to my father's unexpected death. Making jokes is a part of who I am, and one came out that afternoon. We both chuckled for a moment, a welcome bit of relief as we began to come back to the land of the living.

      Losing a loved one hurts more than anything, and people don't necessarily react rationally to pain. Perhaps I really am sick. Or just maybe your expectations of what other people should be on the inside is skewed.

      I'm not going to make a joke in this topic, since I find none of it to be particularily funny. Just realize that not everyone is going to react the way you might want them to.

      --
      John
    13. Re:Condolances by ajk · · Score: 1
      Take a look at -1. Those aren't people dealing, they're people who don't care about the lives of other people.

      I took a look at -1 before posting, and I agree. However, the post I replied to said that one who makes jokes about the death of a close relative is sick. I felt it was time to add a reality check.

    14. Re:Condolances by TheFlyingGoat · · Score: 2, Insightful

      That's fine. You can be oversensitive about it. A few notes, though:

      1. You misused "quotes". I believe I may have spelled "condolances" wrong, so I'll ignore this.

      2. Mentioning that people of faith should pray is not a public display of religion no more than mentioning homosexuality is a public display of man on man or woman on woman relationships. It's a public comment about a private activity.

      3. You'll note that I said "Christians" or people of other faith. If you are neither, then the comment didn't really apply to you and you shouldn't feel like I was trying to push religion on you or whatever you think my purpose was.

      4. Many of the jokes were not innocent. They were insensitive. I have no problem with people using humor to cope with loss, but that wasn't the case here.

      Freedom of religion goes hand in hand with freedom from religion, so your comment about public displays of religion strikes me as offensive. What gives you the right to say what I can or cannot do when it comes to religion (as long as I'm not forcing it on you)? Just like I can't force you to "pray".

      I have no problem with people that don't believe in God (dated an atheist for 2 years), or don't practice religion actively. I only have a problem with people who try to make me feel bad for saying something heartfelt that they can just ignore if they don't like. Go back under your bridge.

      --
      You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. --Winston Churchill
    15. Re:Condolances by DrSkwid · · Score: 1

      If you can still make a joke about it, you're sick.

      you are so wrong

      it even has a name, "black humour"

      if you can't deal with it, I'm afraid it is you who need treatment.

      --
      There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
    16. Re:Condolances by jwbozzy · · Score: 2, Insightful

      And whose job is it to decide which category someone falls into? Certainly not yours.

      --
      perl -e 'printf("mmm %x\n", 3735928559)'
    17. Re:Condolances by TheFlyingGoat · · Score: 1

      I'd be willing to bet that none of the people that posted jokes in the main thread knew the individual that died. I agree that humor is a way of coping with loss, but that doesn't fit with posts like:

      1. "First Assasination Attempt?"
      2. "Pot and Hippies.. What do you expect?"
      3. "was the car's onboard navigation system running windows? apparently..."
      4. "Looks like the pidgeon got /dev/null"
      5. "RMS survives... isn't that inSANE?"

      Those are just the first 5 I found. I had to make a joke when my last dog had to be put to sleep, so I understand the whole coping thing perfectly. There's a big difference between coping and being insensitive.

      --
      You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. --Winston Churchill
    18. Re:Condolances by IncarnadineConor · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Why should people censor themselves because you can't deal with what they say? I thought we liked freedom here on /. How silly of me.

    19. Re:Condolances by BrokenHalo · · Score: 1

      Your uncle sounds really cool... :-)

    20. Re:Condolances by GbrDead · · Score: 1

      Any Christians (or other faiths, for that matter) should say a quick prayer for everyone involved.

      What if Hans Bakker wouldn't like someone praying for him? Did you asked him?

    21. Re:Condolances by TheFlyingGoat · · Score: 1

      If he, or the injured people, don't believe in God or prayer, then to them it wouldn't make a difference if I prayed or not. They would view it as irrelevant and pointless.

      The only situation I could see it really mattering is if they believed in God and prayer, but WANTED to die or be injured (doubtful).

      People are hypersensitive about religion. Did my post REALLY step on anyone's toes? I've known a good number of agnostics and atheists (both pleasant people and mean people), and the only ones that would get offended if I had a silent personal prayer before a meal are the same ones that were looking for ANY reason to start an arguement.

      --
      You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. --Winston Churchill
    22. Re:Condolances by fscking_coward_2001 · · Score: 1

      Someone says, "if you're of a religious bent, say a prayer," and you see that as "pushing religion"? That's not overly sensitive. It's bald-faced nonsense.

      I suppose you think McDonalds is responsible for making people fat. After all, they *do* suggest you eat it.

    23. Re:Condolances by GbrDead · · Score: 1

      As you have observed by yourself, there are many agnostics and atheists who just don't care about religion. But (again observed by you personally) there are some which would mind being prayed for.
      Do you know if Hans was an atheist, or if not - which religion did he believe in? Do you know if he would mind a christian/whatever prayer? I strongly suspect that you don't.
      It is much better to do nothing than to do something good (in your views) but possibly offending. Especially when the person involved cannot object.

    24. Re:Condolances by plover · · Score: 1
      There's a big difference between coping and being insensitive.

      That's very true. And no, I wasn't browsing at -1 reading some of those insensitive clods' posts. (Man, some of those are really awful.)

      --
      John
    25. Re:Condolances by radish · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I have no problem with people that don't believe in God (dated an atheist for 2 years), or don't practice religion actively. I only have a problem with people who try to make me feel bad for saying something heartfelt that they can just ignore if they don't like. Go back under your bridge.

      Which is fine. Except that's exactly what you did - try to make someone feel bad because of what they said. Maybe they meant to be cruel, maybe they were trying to lighten the mood, maybe that's their way of dealing with sadness. Whatever - it's not your place to judge. Freedom of expression is just that, and it applies to all people and all messages.

      If you want the freedom to ask others to pray (which I, although a devout atheist, support), then you have to allow others the freedom to make bad jokes.

      --

      ---- Den ene knappen er powerknapp, den andre er Bender voice knapp "Bite My Shiny Metal Ass"

    26. Re:Condolances by Loco3KGT · · Score: 1

      I blame him for an adolescence spent playing computer games instead of chasing girls :-)

      I got all but stood up at my HS sophomore Homecoming dance and what'd he do? Sat up with me until like 7am playing Duke Nukem 3D .. remains as my favorite game ever .. I can't wait for when my grandkids get to play Duke Nukem Forever..

      --
      Blessed be he who reads this post, Cursed be he who tells my boss.
    27. Re:Condolances by Lord+Omlette · · Score: 1

      I'm sorry, but just because you don't have a sense of humor doesn't mean the rest of us are "insensitive". I can't promise that I won't make fun of you when you die, but we live in a world of uncertainty.

      --
      [o]_O
    28. Re:Condolances by DunbarTheInept · · Score: 4, Interesting


      Any Christians (or other faiths, for that matter) should say a quick prayer for everyone involved.

      Why? Being an outsider to religion, this is one of the notions about it that always seemed self-contradictory to me. The god as described by most religions wouldn't re-assign his distribution of benevolence based on a popular vote. To say that a lot of people praying for someone else has an effect on that person leads directly to the conclusion that god cares more about famous sufferers than anonymous ones. And that doesn't fit the personality most religions ascribe to their god. It just doesn't seem consistent at all to me.

      Now, praying about other people's misfortunes might be a way to demonstrate to your god that you aren't selfish, but according to the tenets of most religions, it really shouldn't have any effect on them at all, but maybe it would have some effect on you, and make *you* feel better about it.

      --

      Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.

    29. Re:Condolances by DunbarTheInept · · Score: 1

      "If you are in group X, you should do Y" - It might not make sense for someone who is not in group X to be offended by this, but it does make sense for someone who is in group X to be offended if they don't think they should do Y - why assume "being religions" equals "you should pray"? That command is not appropriate to all religions.

      Frankly I don't understand why a Christian would think that God would alter his behaviour based on them praying for someone else - Do they believe that their god's love is affected by popularity, or that their god cares more about famous sufferers than anonymous ones?

      --

      Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.

    30. Re:Condolances by r_j_prahad · · Score: 1

      And whose job is it to decide which category someone falls into? Certainly not yours.

      It certainly is when I've got mod points!

      In all seriousness, let me add my heartfelt condolences to those of others here. I lost a son last year to an accident, and I know firsthand what a tragedy it can be.

    31. Re:Condolances by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      A Biblical explaination can be found if you do a search for Intercessory Prayer.

      For me it also comes down to the Golden Rule (do unto others...). Jesus' remarks in Matthew 7:7-12 are about prayer, and then immediately about the Golden Rule, which would imply that they're somehow (even loosely) related.

    32. Re:Condolances by DunbarTheInept · · Score: 1

      Thanks for making me waste my time reading that. The question it answered is "WHAT is intercessory player", which I already knew. It doesn't address the issue of WHY people feel it is worthwhile to do it, given the very important objection I raised. Do you believe in a god that would give less attention to someone who had less friends praying for him? Saying your prayer makes a difference equates to saying god favors popular people.

      --

      Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.

    33. Re:Condolances by apankrat · · Score: 2, Insightful


      And some people are just irreverent, insensitive dorks. That's quite normal as well, but its normalcy doesn't mean we should encourage or otherwise condone their social incompetency.


      And there are also dorks of a different kind - they storm to offer public condolences because an OpenSource (ah!) developer, whom they neither know nor even heard of before, rode in a car with RMS (oh!) and lost his life to a car accident. If you are such a good hearted person, go and email relatives, don't show it off here.

      Every death is tragic, but it barely makes sense to make it a discussion topic. Seems to me that /. stories like this are better be posted read-only.

      --
      3.243F6A8885A308D313
    34. Re:Condolances by Reteo+Varala · · Score: 1

      Such prayers are like funerals. The dead's not going to care if he's buried in a box or in a cherrywood coffin. He's dead, and he's either In some afterlife or just doesn't exist consciously anymore.

      Death is a tragedy for everyone but the deceased. If it makes a person feel better to make some spiritual note of respect for the deceased, why not allow for that? Whether prayers for the deceased do anything for his soul or not (and I'm sure there are religions out there that DO, in fact, believe this is possible), they do affect the person practicing that in much the same sense as donating to a charity or helping a little old lady across the street. It's an act of kindness that makes one feel better.

    35. Re:Condolances by geogeek6_7 · · Score: 1

      For Christianity at least, prayer is a way of petitioning God. It is meant to be a selfless plea for the strength of those affected.

    36. Re:Condolances by DunbarTheInept · · Score: 1

      Yes, I read that. It does nothing to address the question. Why is it that person A, who doesn't have people praying for him, is less likely to repent than person B, who does have people praying for him? Why is it that this is considered a system put in place by a fair and just God? Basically, there are two possibilities: 1 - the prayer has no effect on the person's likelyhood to repent, in which case why bother, or 2 - the prayer does have an effect on the person's likelyhood to repent, in which case this is a system that assigns benefits to popularity, and thus is against the alleged goals of this alleged god.

      That's why this type of prayer makes no sense at all - its not even internally consistent within the bounds of its own belief system.

      --

      Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.

    37. Re:Condolances by DunbarTheInept · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I know. But if it actually has any effect at all then that means god alters how helpful he is based on this. Think about what that means for the anonymous sufferers who don't have people praying for them - "I'm sorry, I would have helped ease your suffering more, but you didn't have petitioners praying for you like that one famous guy who died did."

      The only way for me to imagine a benevolent god is to imagine one for whom this sort of prayer has no effect because he's *already* doing all he can to help and the interceeding prayers aren't adding anything on top of that.

      --

      Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.

    38. Re:Condolances by DunbarTheInept · · Score: 1


      It's an act of kindness that makes one feel better.

      If it has no effect on anyone but the pray-er, then to whom is this "kindness" being given? Yes, it maybe makes one feel better, but the only reason it makes people feel better is because they believe it has an effect on the person being prayed for. If it doesn't, then it's all a hollow meaningless gesture.

      --

      Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.

    39. Re:Condolances by fscking_coward_2001 · · Score: 1

      Your second argument makes sense. I suppose it would be better to narrow the "religious" to "Christian". But I still don't see any "pushing" of religion and instead see some knee-jerk anti-religious whining.

      Good point about the effect of prayer. I think you'd have to believe in extreme omnipotence to think that your plea on behalf of yourself or another would be heard and acted upon amongst the host of other pleas.

    40. Re:Condolances by DunbarTheInept · · Score: 1

      Christianity's stance on this is self-contradictory, such that one could be a Christian and still be offended by being ordered to pray like this, since this type of prayer is contrary to the Christian description of god's personality. To say that god needs your help to notice that a person is suffering and in need of help doesn't seem to agree with Christianity itself.

      This sort of thing happens a lot in Christianity - since the religion is self-contradictory there can, and do, exist people with very strongly opposed viewpoints who both think they are following the religion.


      I think you'd have to believe in extreme omnipotence to think that your plea on behalf of yourself or another would be heard and acted upon amongst the host of other pleas.

      Actually the problem is the exact opposite of that. By assuming God needs you to help remind him that there is someone in need of help, you would be assuming God to be *less* powerful than he's alleged to be.

      --

      Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.

  7. My condolence to the family... by Yaa+101 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Yesterday I was demonstrating on the dam square in Amsterdam with some of the people involved. I want to express my deepest respect...

    1. Re:My condolence to the family... by hak+hak · · Score: 1

      I probably saw you there then. I don't know you or any of the people involved in the accident personally, but I too want to express my sympathy. My condolences to his family, friends and others who knew Hans.

    2. Re:My condolence to the family... by Yaa+101 · · Score: 1

      Do normal... The Dam is a square in Amsterdam... Please you coward, try to make yourself look bad instead of another person...

  8. Coralize it first!!! by hacker · · Score: 4, Informative
    For those that want to see this article, please use the Coralized version:

    http://www.wiggy.net.nyud.net:8090/tmp/accident/

    1. Re:Coralize it first!!! by caluml · · Score: 2, Informative

      For those that wonder what this is about, like I did, this page explains it.
      It's bascially a distributed caching system that anyone can use.
      You just go to www.sitename.com.nyud.net:8090/rest/of/uri/

  9. Sigh. by Eeknay · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's really very sad and depressing to find that the first ten or fifteen comments of this article (yes, I browse at -1 level) are all offtopic and attempts at first post.

    My deepest sympathies to the family of that person killed.

    1. Re:Sigh. by Eeknay · · Score: 1

      Indeed, when I saw how I was moderated, I groaned in real life. Some people, really... the moderators are being way too assertive for this particular article.

    2. Re:Sigh. by ccp · · Score: 1


      (yes, I browse at -1 level)

      Big, big mistake.

      Try +2, with a -3 modifier for Funny.

      Best wishes,

      Carlos Cesar

  10. I don't understand by Dekks · · Score: 1, Interesting

    This is very sad and my sympathy goes out to the family but I don't understand why this is news? Were these important people or people I should of heard of? I'm not trying to sound trollish, I genuinely don't understand why this is news or what influence these people have as to why we should mourn them. Could someone enlighten me?

    1. Re:I don't understand by Marc+Desrochers · · Score: 1
      I genuinely don't understand why this is news or what influence these people have as to why we should mourn them.

      Because they were people...

    2. Re:I don't understand by ZZeta · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Of course you should have heard about .

      But anyway, this article isn't about him. Someone of our community just passed away, and we mourn him as one of us.

    3. Re:I don't understand by TheFlyingGoat · · Score: 4, Interesting

      In addition to the other responses you'll get, please check out this thread. You'll notice that a handful of the posts are from people that knew these individuals, or had been around them within the past few days.

      There's a good chance that 1 slashdot account will never be used again, which is a sad thing for us all. Not to mention that the individual that died wasn't just a member of the community, he was a contributor... something that makes him stand apart from most of us.

      --
      You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. --Winston Churchill
    4. Re:I don't understand by Martin+Blank · · Score: 1

      What about Zoe Chastain-Shannon? Chad Cook? Roger Edgell? Jeffery Brown?

      Those are people who have been killed in car crashes in the last day or two, but I expect that aside from a tiny fraction of Slashdotters who might have known them, they won't be mourned mostly because their deaths have no effect on us. The GP post is a very valid question -- the poster doesn't know who the person killed was, and so asks what made him so important in the community. He may not be mourned, but when a community suffers a loss, explaining what the loss is -- other than a person dying -- is helpful.

      --
      You can never go home again... but I guess you can shop there.
    5. Re:I don't understand by Dekks · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Thank you! You are one of the only people so far who has actually answered my question. Now it makes more sense to me why this was posted and why so many people are upset. Thank you for answering my question in the spirit in which it was asked and not jumping on me.

    6. Re:I don't understand by LilMikey · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I'm not meaning to sound cold hearted but yesterday alone 30 Iraqi's died, a US soldier was killed, and 50 civilians were injured in a single set of blasts. That didn't make slashdot. My wife's grandmother passed 2 months ago. A friend of mine's father died this summer. And just a few weeks ago a friend was diagnosed with Leukemia. Nothing on Slashdot about them nor do I expect there to be.

      These are all great tradgedies but if everybody was going to mourn every death that was barely tangental to their lives we'd never do anything but mourn. All due sympath to the family of the deceased but this is 'Slashdot News' because RMS was almost one of the guys.

      --
      LilMikey.com... I'll stop doing it when you sto
    7. Re:I don't understand by LnxAddct · · Score: 1

      Because this is a communtiy, and communities have to stick together.

      My deepest sympathy goes out to the family, friends, and loved ones of Hans. I also wish the best of health to the others involved.
      Regards,
      Steve

    8. Re:I don't understand by Halo- · · Score: 2, Interesting
      I think you've missed the point of Slashdot. This is a place for "nerd news" which traditionally is/was scattered all over the place. CNN et al do/should report on casualities in Iraq, and personal events are, well, personal.

      This is Slashdot news because a sizable fraction of the Slashdot community is aware of, or has benefited from, these people's work. RMS being almost one of the guys is of interest to some, but even if he had been uninvolved I suppect this would have made the cut.

    9. Re:I don't understand by harlows_monkeys · · Score: 1
      I'm not meaning to sound cold hearted but yesterday alone 30 Iraqi's died, a US soldier was killed, and 50 civilians were injured in a single set of blasts

      You can go farther along those lines. Just consider that if you have a world population of around 6 billion, and an average lifespan of under 70 years, it necessarily follows that 234k people die every day, or 9800 an hour, or 160 a minute, or 3 a second.

      And slightly more than those numbers are born every day, hour, etc. It would be very interesting, when world record keeping gets to the point where every birth and death is tracked, to put up two monitors somewhere like Times Square, one scrolling the list of deaths, and one the list of births. Both would be scrolling slow enough (3 lines a second) that you could read names, and the birth one would be slightly faster, with the "death" side occasionally getting a big jump due to accidents.

    10. Re:I don't understand by biff-mo · · Score: 1

      I agree. Every day in the US, about 110 people die from auto 'accidents'.

      The fact that we refer to them as 'accidents' and accept them as the norm is the true tragedy.

      cars-r-coffins

    11. Re:I don't understand by LilMikey · · Score: 1

      Hey, I'm agreeing with you. It's the parent that I'm disagreeing with. The fact that a person died doesn't make this newsworthy, at least here. The fact that one of the people in that car (although not at the time of the accident) was extremely influential to many of our lively hoods does.

      I suppose I should've quoted parent to put the comment in context.

      --
      LilMikey.com... I'll stop doing it when you sto
    12. Re:I don't understand by Halo- · · Score: 1

      Tsk, yeah... I see that now. I didn't quite go far enough up in the "parent" threads myself. :)

  11. Site is slow: text of the site by Saib0t · · Score: 3, Informative
    Car accident details

    There have been a bunch of rumours about a car accident involving
    some free software folks today. Since there seems to be no central place
    for all information I am trying to gather all information here.

    If you have any other information please drop me an email
    at wichert at wiggy dot net

    All mentioned times are in CEST (UTC +0200).

    * There has been a car accident returning from a trip to bring Richard
    Stallman (RMS) from
    SANE 2004 to Paris.
    (confirmed by several sources)

    * they collided with a truck which merged onto their lane while
    driving in fog (unconfirmed)

    * Exact time of the accident is unknown. It was on the
    morning of September 30th before 09:00.

    * Richard Stallman was dropped off in Paris and no longer in the car
    (confirmed by Rop and Richard).

    * At the time of the accident Hans Bakker (mclightje),
    Edwin Hermans (madeddie), and
    Sebastian S. (webmind) were in the car. (confirmed).

    * The car belongs to Rop Gonggrijp, who lent it to the travelers.
    RMS was staying with Rop during SANE. (confirmed by Rop)

    * Hans Bakker (photo,
    homepage)
    did not survive the crash. (confirmed by girlfriend)

    * Edwin Hermans has a broken hip and has been transfered to a different
    hospital for surgery. Sebastian is (or was by now) in surgery for
    broken bones but is not in critical condition.
    * This appears to be the traffic report for the accident, as taken
    infotraffic.

    30-09-2004 13:50 ACCIDENT MORTEL à ASSEVILLERS (80) sur A1 (sens SUD-NORD)
    ENTRE PERONNE ET ROYE
    Debut : 30-09-2004 06:48
    VICTIMES : 1 TUE(S)
    VEHICULES EN CAUSE : 2 POIDS LOURD(S), 3 VEHICULE(S) LEGER(S)
    OBSERVATIONS :SENS PARIS LILLE, SORTIE CONSEILLÉE A29 SAINT QUENTIN
    .BOUCHON DE 4 KM.
    Evenement termine depuis 30-09-2004 13:50
    Translation:
    30-09-2004 13:50 DEADLY CRASH at ASSEVILLERS(80) on A1 highway (SOUTH-NORTH)
    BETWEEN PERONNE AND ROYE
    Start: 30-09-2004 06:48
    VICTIMS: 1 KILLED
    VEHICLES INVOLVED: 2 TRUCKS, 3 CARS
    OBSERVATIONS: DIRECTION PARIS LILLE, EXIT RECOMMENDED A29 SAINT QUENTIN.
    TRAFFIC JAM 4 Km (2.5 miles)
    Event stopped since 30-09-2004 13:50
    --

    One shall speak only if what one has to say is more beautiful than silence
    1. Re:Site is slow: text of the site by pe1chl · · Score: 1

      >NORTH-SOUTH is the direction of the road. In french this is referred to from south to north, but is the same thing.

      No. It says "sens SUD-NORTH" which means "direction SOUTH-NORTH" and refers to the side of the road the accident happened: from SOUTH (Paris) to NORTH (Lille).
      So your NORTH-SOUTH is just a wrong translation, not "the same thing".

  12. Re:Tone of voice... by lpangelrob2 · · Score: 1

    Tone of voice probably didn't matter with regards to the sentence, as it was just a statement of fact. Any bias in this particular sentence would be introduced by the reader.

  13. RMS & comp. by Libor+Vanek · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Never put RMS & Alan Cox & Linus in the very same car/plane or even building (just for sure ;-))). If you are paranoid it doesn't mean they aren't after you.

    P.S.
    Deepest condolences...

    1. Re:RMS & comp. by robslimo · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Too true. For a period in the early 1990's at my old job, I was part of a core of 4 key people (company even had 'key man' insurance on each of us). No more than 2 of us were allowed to travel on the same flight on business trips.

    2. Re:RMS & comp. by Chess_the_cat · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I thought the whole point of Open Source was that it didn't rely on any one person. Or do you believe that when Linus dies Linux dies with him?

      --
      Support the First Amendment. Read at -1
    3. Re:RMS & comp. by Martin+Blank · · Score: 4, Interesting

      It used to be (before a new workload came crashing down on everyone) that occasionally a large group of us would go to lunch together in one guy's Suburban (nicknamed the War Wagon). The head of the division (who knows the network back and forth and one of two people with access to the firewalls and high-level ACLs), the head of security (the other guy with access to the firewalls and high-level ACLs and backup IDS man), the primary IDS guy, the head of the networking team, the head of the database team (and the only one who knows some of the more archaic systems), and the head of the remote access team, together with a couple of us peons, would all load up in the War Wagon. One day, the driver had to swerve to avoid what could have become a very bad accident, and we spent the lunch wondering how the rest of the division would recover from the loss of seven or eight people, five of whom were key to operations.

      --
      You can never go home again... but I guess you can shop there.
    4. Re:RMS & comp. by kbahey · · Score: 1

      Never put RMS & Alan Cox & Linus in the very same car/plane or even building (just for sure ;-))). If you are paranoid it doesn't mean they aren't after you.

      Conspiracy theories aside, indeed it is standard procedure for corporations to follow similar rules. For example, no more than 3 managers at a certain level on the same plane, car, ...etc. The concern here is the continuity of the company.

      I don't know about open source software. Part of me says do the same as companies, the other part says open software should be free from these limitations, and should continue by someone else picking the baton and running with it.

    5. Re:RMS & comp. by CoolMoDee · · Score: 1

      I don't think one has to worry about Linux dieing from Linus' death , but rather more of finding someone that has the leadership skills that Linus does to take over.

      --
      Jisho - A Japanese English German Russian French Dictionary for the rest of us.
    6. Re:RMS & comp. by BurritoWarrior · · Score: 1

      He said don't put THREE people in the same car, not just one.

    7. Re:RMS & comp. by wiredog · · Score: 1

      Wasn't there a scientific study up at segfault about what would happen if Linus were run over by a bus?

    8. Re:RMS & comp. by IANAAC · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yeah. God help us if we're left with Alan Cox and RMS to duke it out.

    9. Re:RMS & comp. by mbrett · · Score: 1
      we spent the lunch wondering how the rest of the division would recover from the loss of seven or eight people, five of whom were key to operations.

      The graveyards are full of indispensable men. - Charles De Gaulle

    10. Re:RMS & comp. by Martin+Blank · · Score: 1

      Oh, we knew we were replaceable. We just mused over what the first week would be like, and whether the incompetence of certain people would be made obvious as they scrambled to bring things back up.

      --
      You can never go home again... but I guess you can shop there.
    11. Re:RMS & comp. by Martin+Blank · · Score: 1

      It's more complex than that. You forget the eighth layer in the OSI model.

      Politics.

      --
      You can never go home again... but I guess you can shop there.
  14. A request for /. readers: take the high road by sczimme · · Score: 4, Insightful


    Please do not make any snarky comments about RMS getting out of the car before the accident. Regardless of your personal feelings, a person escaping potential serious injury or death should not be joke fodder - contrary to the first several posts.

    Condolences to the family of the deceased.

    --
    I want to drag this out as long as possible. Bring me my protractor.
    1. Re:A request for /. readers: take the high road by mike_mgo · · Score: 2, Insightful
      But jokes about jihads and holy wars in your sig are ok.

    2. Re:A request for /. readers: take the high road by SlashdotLemming · · Score: 1

      Right, and arrest people who wear anti-Bush t-shirts in a time of war. This is a very serious time and the country must stand together

      Freedom of speech must stand throught the good times and the bad. You'd like people to be thoughtful and couterous and think how you do, but with freedom comes the freedom to be an ass. I hope the asses speak loudly here and piss a bunch of people off. It's crude, but it's their right, and it shows the freedoms we have. On a brighter day, the views of Stallman piss alot of people off, so now is the perfect time to continue the tradition.

      So, you know what I say to all this? In a true Slashdot tribute to the guy who died, we killed his site too. Ha Ha.

    3. Re:A request for /. readers: take the high road by arcanumas · · Score: 1

      As long as he doesn't call this a Gnu/Accident or start singing the Free Software Song at the guys funeral, then i don't see why anyone make any negative remarks.

      --
      Slashdot Sig. version 0.1alpha. Use at your own risk.
  15. Respects and sympathies to the family... by jav1231 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's always tough to lose someone so young. May you find some peace in this time of sorrow.

  16. Re:FAA? by lachlan76 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Seriously. Someone is dead. Two others are injured.

    THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY???
    Wake up, go outside, and maybe you'll realise that this isn't the kind of thing to joke about.

    And whoever modded the parent funny is fucked up.

  17. Those are people who died, died... by WormholeFiend · · Score: 4, Informative

    Also, John E. Mack was killed earlier this week after being hit by a drunk driver while crossing the street on foot.

  18. Well you see buddy... by P-Frank · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Slashdot has a strange focus on issues of free software, an accident that killed one developer and could have potentially killed one of the founding fathers of the movement (Stallman aka Mr. GNU, Mr. GPL) makes it news. Even though Slashdot isn't generally an obituary site, I'd like to question why the person would have to be "important" for you to mourn them, a man with a girlfriend and a family passed away tragically. Do you need to know anymore to feel a pang of sorrow? Does he have to be a celebrity to make it important?

    Sorry for the moral/ethical tirade, but maybe it'll give the moderators of this post and the poster himself something to think about.

    1. Re:Well you see buddy... by Dekks · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I regretted using the words why should I mourn this person, I mean why is this one slashdot and not say kids in iraq or sudan, or the guy who was shot in the park the other day etc. And I don't mean that in these people aren't more important than others tone either, I just don't know who these people are. Its like if you burst into a room and said Fred Smith died yesterday!!, you'd probably be met with blank stares and then asked, just who was Fred Smith? I think it was a reasonable question, just maybe a little poorly worded.

    2. Re:Well you see buddy... by MvD_Moscow · · Score: 1

      Yeah, true there is no real point in life, but do you really expect the majority to agree with you?

    3. Re:Well you see buddy... by renehollan · · Score: 1
      I'd like to question why the person would have to be "important" for you to mourn them, a man with a girlfriend and a family passed away tragically.

      Well, many people die every day, and there's not many daily headlines available (hint: that's why they're headlines).

      If you don't like the editors' discretion as to what's newsworthy, start your own site.

      As for a living RMS being more important than a dead "unknown", well, he is: that's the definition of fame. A lot more people pay attention to what he has to say than what, I for example, have to say. When I had the honour of acting as his host for his visit to Teradyne in 2000, I put his comfort, convenience, and certainly safety ahead of my own as best as I could manage. I would think any host would do the same (otherwise, stand aside and let someone else do it).

      Shit happens. And, when it does, its awful. But, to argue that one particular unremarkable life is "more important" than a widely publicized one is hipocracy: there are millions of unremarkable lives snuffed out every day, and many of those under less pleasant than "no one saw it coming" accidental circumstances.

      So, note the tragedy, recognize and pay respects to the fallen, breath a sigh of relief for the spared, and be grateful for what was not lost.

      --
      You could've hired me.
  19. Deepest condolences by mattr · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What a terrible loss. My deepest sympathies to the bereaved family, and hope the survivors return to health quickly.

    This is a time to think about how much all of the wonderful work in the free software world is based on the unselfish actions of precious individuals. Perhaps someone would like to post an accepted, confirmed email or physical address for people to send condolences or offers of assistance.

    One question to slashdot, I did not see anything yet about drinking and driving. So maybe the "turn down a glass department" byline is, while a good idea in general when you are the driver, in this case perhaps inappropriate.

    Matthew Rosin

    1. Re:Deepest condolences by Wattsman · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I did a search on Google for "Turn down a glass" and didn't find what I was looking for, although I did find a link to the slashdot article when the Challenger space shuttle exploded.

      I don't think the byline "Turn down a glass" refers to drinking and driving. If you're at a restaurant where all of the glasses you may use for the evening are there (water, coffee, wine, etc), you turn down a glass (flip it over) to show that you won't be drinking any of it tonight. For example, I would turn my coffee cup over to indicate to the waiter that I'm not interested in having any coffee with my meal.

      If someone had a place reserved at the table for them, and they aren't able to make it for some reason, you turn their glasses over to show that they won't be drinking that evening (or rather, they won't be there at all). In this case, the byline indicates that there is a loss of someone close. You were expecting them to show up at the dinner table and they can't make it, so you turn down their glass.

  20. For anyone whom doesn't know... by Ramsey-07 · · Score: 2, Informative

    http://images.google.com.au/images?q=Richard%20Sta llman&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab= wi http://www.stallman.org/ Richard Stallman founded the GNU Project in 1984. He is the principal or initial author of GNU Emacs, the GNU C Compiler, the GNU Debugger GDB and parts of other packages. He is the President of the Free Software Foundation (FSF).

  21. Amen brother. by Luscious868 · · Score: 2
    This is very sad and my sympathy goes out to the family but I don't understand why this is news? Were these important people or people I should of heard of? I'm not trying to sound trollish, I genuinely don't understand why this is news or what influence these people have as to why we should mourn them. Could someone enlighten me?
    It is sad. That being sad, you don't see an article posted every time someone dies at Microsoft or some other software company or at some non-free software conference. If it was someone critical to the free software movement or something then it's one thing. That's not the case here, and thus this article really doesn't belong on this site. I read /. for interesting and informative stories, not to feel bad because someone dies in a car accident. I'm sure this post will get modded down as a troll, but somebody had to say it because trust me, I'm not the only one who feels this way. IMHO, it's an inappropriate article given the nature of this site.
  22. Open Source and accidents by vafada · · Score: 1

    What's with open source and accidents? one of the PearPC developer - died in a train accident one Apache guy died in an accident (can't remember what) now this...... :(

    1. Re:Open Source and accidents by thepoch · · Score: 2, Insightful

      First of all my condolenses to their family.

      What's up with open source and accidents? I'm thinking it's all because of the community spirit. These are people that are part of a global community. They are a part of everyone who uses Free Software and Open Source stuff. They are a part of the world, always believing in keeping things Free and Open to everyone. This affects everyone who believes in the same ideals.

      Whereas if someone died in Microsoft, those who would know about it would be those close to that person, and those in Microsoft. They would hurt the most. There are probably a few Microsoft people who have been killed, but have only affected those in the company and immediate family.

      I'm not trying to say anything against Microsoft here. I'm just saying since Free Software coders are a worldwide bunch, it will be news to the entire worldwide bunch, not a limited corner of a country. It's news like this that saddens me, but also shows that we're part of a group that encompasses the entire world.

      I hope I put all those words correctly and not offend anyone.

    2. Re:Open Source and accidents by hether · · Score: 1

      The larger our community grows, the greater likelihood that someone from our group will be affected.

      --

      Most people would die sooner than think; in fact, they do.
    3. Re:Open Source and accidents by DunbarTheInept · · Score: 1

      People die. Often enough that in a small city of, say, 50,000 people, there's someone dying once a day at least. The community of open source developers is large enough that, just like in the city of 50,000, by random chance someone important will die rather frequently.

      --

      Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.

  23. A great friend left us in a brutal way :( by dimmu · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Knowing hans since 1999 this is a real shock :( Condoleances to everybody who knew him :(

    We'll miss you!

    --
    -- Cliff Albert
    1. Re:A great friend left us in a brutal way :( by jrexilius · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I didn't know him but my condolances to his family, friends, and the people and projects that relied on him.

      I felt a little strange visting his personal site and reading his diary and seeing pictures knowing that those would be the last entries.

      Cheers to his life and the contributions he made to the world.

  24. Safe professions by the+frizz · · Score: 2, Interesting

    In 1980 I remember my computer science professor saying his profession was the safest in the world - since no Professor of Computer Science in history had ever died. I believe it was true at the time.

    1. Re:Safe professions by Lispy · · Score: 1

      Not to sound cynical but I prefer the quote from "Garp" where that plane hits the house and he instantly buys it because the chances of getting hit again are so incredibly small.

      We have a McDonals over here in munich that was involved in an airplane crash, from that day on I decided to prefer it to the BurgerKing around the corner because it felt "safer". Of course this is all Mambojambo. The statistical probabilty remains just as high, but it feels safer.

    2. Re:Safe professions by Lispy · · Score: 1

      But both attacks were not an accident. Of course this law of probability does not apply to such a prominent target of western culture as the World Trade Center.

  25. The worst part... by rwven · · Score: 1

    The worst part about this is that it's hard to know what to comment. It really sucks and there's nothing anyone can do about it... It's always sad when stuff like this happens...esp for no reason. It was foggy and a truck changed lanes into them....

    just sucks....

  26. Prayers by thefatz · · Score: 2, Insightful

    For those of us who hold onto our faith dearly, a simple prayer.

    "God, I ask you bless and comfort those who are grieving in this time of loss. I ask you bless the Bakker family, and be with the those who have lost a good friend. Allow the loved ones to seek closure for Mr. Bakker. In Jesus name, amen"

    --
    http://www.freebsd.org
    1. Re:Prayers by networkBoy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      For those of us who are not as religous:

      Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome.
      -Isaac Asimov

      In this case his transition was swift and for that I am happy. My condolances to his family and the community for our loss.

      --
      whois gawk date unzip strip find touch finger mount join nice man top fsck grep eject more yes exit umount sleep dump
    2. Re:Prayers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome.
      -Isaac Asimov

      In this case his transition was swift and for that I am happy.


      We only wish it could have been many, many years from now.

    3. Re:Prayers by real_smiff · · Score: 1
      If i could rewrite that, i'd make it:

      Life can be anything. Death is nothing. The transition is unpleasant.
      -Me

      May not be as catchy but it's what i believe. (Not sure how to reconcile death being peaceful with not being religious). In this case, these guys seem to have made their lives something, so the loss is sad.

      --

      This is my Sig, this is my Gun. One is for Slashdot and one is for Fun.

    4. Re:Prayers by geekwithglasses · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "... every live comes to an end, when time demands it. Loss of life is to be morned, but only if the life was wasted."

      -Volcan Proverb

      Hans Bakker's Life was not a waste. My sympathies.

    5. Re:Prayers by networkBoy · · Score: 1

      [raises a beer]
      cheers

      -nB

      --
      whois gawk date unzip strip find touch finger mount join nice man top fsck grep eject more yes exit umount sleep dump
    6. Re:Prayers by Southpaw018 · · Score: 1

      I'll add my Mike's hard lemonade to that. To them and theirs.

      --
      ACs are modded -6. I don't read you, I don't mod you, I don't see you. Don't like it? Don't be a coward.
    7. Re:Prayers by geekwithglasses · · Score: 1

      I never said I was vulcan. I'm more like a dislexic priest that spends his time serving dog.

      and I have bad handwriting.

    8. Re:Prayers by jonhuang · · Score: 1

      Mods-- please don't mark me "overrated" until I been rated. k thx.

  27. Deepest sympathies by Tore+S+B · · Score: 1

    Deepest sympathies to the family and friends for their loss. RIP.

    --
    toresbe
  28. My most cincere sympathies by motown · · Score: 1

    Even though I didn't know Hans Bakker, I'd like to express my deepest sympathies to his loved ones. :'(

    It's so bezarre. The atmosphere was great at the RAI conference center yesterday evening. It was a very nice event where like-minded ambitious and talented young people met with eachother and exchanged ideas.

    And then, something like this happens. :(

    Rest in peace, Hans.

    --
    "Oooh, does that mean we get to kick some puffy white mad zionist butt?"
  29. Sympathies to all involved by Mordaximus · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The report says that the accident occured after dropping off Richard, this trip was specifically to bring him to Paris. I know in his place, I'd be blaming myself, that's my nature.

    For what it's worth : It wasn't your fault Mr. Stallman, so don't blame yourself. And my sympathies to the families involved.

    1. Re:Sympathies to all involved by DuncMan · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Whoever moderated the parent as "Funny" needs help.

    2. Re:Sympathies to all involved by DuncMan · · Score: 1

      What the..?

      Whoever moderated the parent and grandparent as "Funny" needs help.

    3. Re:Sympathies to all involved by Deusy · · Score: 1

      Why would you blame yourself? That's fairly absurd, it's not like you would have desired the accident to occur. It could happen to anyone at any time. If we do not do anything just because something could happen on some trip that was on our behalf, we'd all be hermits.

      I do see what you are saying, people do feel guilty when they are part of a circumstance that surrounds a sad event. But, at the same time, it's nonsensical. Richard didn't drive the truck that crossed the road. It was just one of those horrible things in life that happens day in, day out.

      --

      Free Gamer - Free games list and commentary

  30. Paypal fund by macdaddy · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Would someone who knows the deceased set up a fund for the family so we /.ers can actually do something useful? At least start a pot for flowers or funeral expenses or something.

    BTW, does anyone know whether they were wearing seatbelts? Just just curious.

    1. Re:Paypal fund by kasperd · · Score: 2, Informative

      Would someone who knows the deceased set up a fund

      Unfortunately it is not unusual to see fake funds. Would you pay if you had no way of knowing if the fund was real?

      --

      Do you care about the security of your wireless mouse?
    2. Re:Paypal fund by macdaddy · · Score: 1

      That's a good point. I'd pay into it if a friend of the family put a link on Hans' website or if RMS or Linus did something similar. I'd trust it then.

  31. Eddie by Nexu · · Score: 3, Interesting

    At 11:32 CEST i read a message on IRC from a friend that our buddy Madeddie was taken into a hospital in France. At that time i though it was a sick/silly joke, to realize 4 hours later that it wasn't a joke and that one of a fellow IRC regular was involved in the accident and died. I only hope that Madeddie and Webmind both are ok and back home soon. Madeddie, if you read this ... BETERSCHAP! My condoleances to Hans Bakker's family and gf.

  32. Re:FAA? by RLiegh · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Seriously. Someone is dead. Two others are injured.

    People die every day. Seriously. Many of them children. Many of them after living lives of such desperate poverty that most of us cannot even imagine it except in vague abstract terms.

    In my mind crocodile tears over people who you do not know, and whom you only care about because they're linked to a famous person are far more patronising and -frankly- downright insulting to the very real, very person suffering and grief that they are going through than if I had made a beowulf cluster of first post jokes about how the OSS movment will start wearing tin-foil hats and start looking for MS-assasins behind every grassy knoll.

    Their suffering is real.

    But your outrage is contrived and your "grief" is a grief of convience.

    If Dick Stallman's name wasn't linked to this; no-one would give a shit --and that's the only reason this is on /.

  33. shock by John_Renne · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I didn't know Hans well but we hung around in the same IRC-channel. My deepest sympathy goes out to the family and friends that suffered from this tragic loss.

    Also a get well soon for the other guys in the car...

    --
    /(bb|[^b]{2})/
  34. For those of you wondering... by Mentorix · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Hans Bakker was the organizer of several NE2000 camps. Ne2000 is a yearly event where about 200 people show up with their tents/campers/caravans and plug into the network, it's a fairly open source oriented happening. I've seen and spoken Hans around there although I wasn't a close friend of him or anything. He has also participated in several open source projects.

    The people involved in this car accident are all from the same fairly big group of "young" open source fans in The Netherlands that keep contact with each other over IRC and also IRL. Therefore I'm not surprised that this story was submitted by several readers. I hope this explains why it is important, I know I was shocked and saddened by the loss.

    1. Re:For those of you wondering... by mauddib~ · · Score: 1

      Don't forget that Hans also helped to organize We Are Networking (WAN) '99 and '98. He also was sysop of a dutch BBS for a long period. I know him personally from this WAN period and although he could be a pain in the ass sometimes during the organisation meetings, he had a tremendous amount of energy and original input. For what it's worth, this tragic event has brought friends together (in a sad situation nevertheless), whom have not seen eachother for a long time. Thanks Hans, for everything you did.

      --
      This is a replacement signature.
  35. Re:sick ad... by Rakshasa+Taisab · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I hate these kinds of comments. Something bad happens and someone points at something slightly relevant but totally random thing that could with great effort be interpreted as... well... dunno what you'd call it.

    Is the ad there because of it being related to an auto accident, or because it's about Free Software?

    --
    - These characters were randomly selected.
  36. Support funds? by Keighvin · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This is Slashdot - we well know the power of distributed community. Accidents like this are very costly ordeals, typically even with insurance. Can someone with the ability to make disbursement to these individuals (and the family of Mr. Bakker) set up accounts via PayPal (many mixed opinions, I know) or bank local to their residences for contributions and post the details?

    --
    Any spoon would be too big.
  37. Surreal.. by DeTHZiT · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I never met Hans, however, after hearing this I browsed his website. It feels like going into someones house after they've died. Very sad. You know that that "under connstruction" banner will stay there forever.. I hope archive.org will pick up the site before the ISP drops it in the coming months (if they do... who knows who's hosting the site).

  38. Shocked by pigeon · · Score: 3, Informative

    I knew Hans, the guy who died in the accident. I was very shocked, I met him only recently, and I just discovered that there was a picture of me on his site. Last time I spoke he told me he wanted to join geekcorps or something similar, to do something useful for the world. It pains me that that won't happen.

  39. Deepest condolances... by scovetta · · Score: 1

    My deepest condolances to the the family and the survivors. I did not know them personally, but I feel connected in some esoteric geek, /., techie way.

    --
    Wer mit Ungeheuern kämpft, mag zusehn, dass er nicht dabei zum Ungeheuer wird. --Nietzsche
  40. Thanks, Hans by sabri · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Thanks for WAN, thanks for NE2000, thanks for your company on all LAN parties we shared, and your company in the Beiaard. And not to forget, IRC.

    Rest in peace.

    --
    I'm not a complete idiot... Some parts are missing.
  41. Yes. And ...? by sczimme · · Score: 1


    Plays on words are amazingly dissimilar to witless comments about wishing a specific individual had been involved in an auto accident. Frankly I'm a little surprised that this required clarification.

    --
    I want to drag this out as long as possible. Bring me my protractor.
  42. Sorry for the coincidence, but... by Bin_jammin · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Honestly, other than the fact that it's Stallman, it's JUST a car accident. How many of us can say we've never been in one? I certainly feel badly for Mr Bakker, this happens all the time. The fact that RMS was in the car prior to that is just a coincidence. How many other people had been in that car over the course of the weekend? Let's not sit here and talk about how close he came to possible tragedy, instead let's send our best wishes and hopes to the other victims in the accident that are still alive. If there's anyone able to appreciate how we feel, these two guys are at the top of the list.

    1. Re:Sorry for the coincidence, but... by lintux · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Just look at the number of reactions here from people who knew him. I've seen at least five. Although I myself was wondering too whether this story would make it to SlashDot (I've heard about it all day already), I now know that it's good that someone posted it...

    2. Re:Sorry for the coincidence, but... by DunbarTheInept · · Score: 1

      The guy who *did* die was an important advocate too. That alone makes it newsworthy with or without RMS being involved.

      --

      Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.

    3. Re:Sorry for the coincidence, but... by DunbarTheInept · · Score: 1

      In that alternate universe where advocacy is nothing useful at all, your statement would have actually been true.

      --

      Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.

  43. Re:FAA? by whiteranger99x · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Oh fuck off, it's one thing to say you don't cry over every single death that occurs, it's completely different when people are making jokes, stupid ass jokes at that, and acting like jackasses over it

    --
    Join the TWIT army now!
  44. Re:FAA? by lachlan76 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    He was a part of our community. Even though I didn't know him, I still take offense at the fact that you say things like that.
    How the story got onto /. is irrelevant, death is not something to be treated trivially.

  45. It's identification by metalhed77 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    So many people die every day in tragic circumstances that bear no comparison to this like sudan. I felt more pain over this than I did over sudan, and I don't even know what project this guy was involved with.

    Somehow, a man whose life was somewhat more similar to mine (ok, judging from his site we have vastly different personalities) than a sudanese victim has more impact on me. If anyone with a psychology background would help explain why this is I'd like to know why.

    --
    Photos.
  46. maybe why, Re:Well you see buddy... by samjam · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It's a good question, and I think the answer lies in how much of your life was tied up in the life of the other person.

    For some insight into this you might want to read this extract of chapter 21 of "The Little Prince"

    "What does that mean--tame?"

    "It is an act too often neglected," said the fox. "It means to establish ties."

    "To establish ties?"

    "Just that," said the fox. "To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world . . ." .....

    if you tame me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all the others. Other steps send me hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours will call me, like music out of my burrow. And then look: you see the grain-fields down yonder? I do not eat bread. Wheat is of no use to me. The wheat fields have nothing to say to me. And that is sad. But you have hair that is the color of gold. Think how wonderful that will be when you have tamed me! The grain, which is also golden, will bring me back the thought of you. And I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat . . . "

    The fox gazed at the little prince, for a long time. "Please--tame me!" he said.

    You can read more at http://students.washington.edu/yana/LP.htm or various other locations shown by google

    1. Re:maybe why, Re:Well you see buddy... by BrokenHalo · · Score: 1
      Good point.

      Thanks for reminding me of that text - I had almost forgotten about it, since I last read it some 25 years ago...

    2. Re:maybe why, Re:Well you see buddy... by rca66 · · Score: 1

      Just to add what I regard as some of the most beatiful lines:

      So the little prince tamed the fox. And when the hour of his departure drew near--

      "Ah," said the fox, "I shall cry."

      "It is your own fault," said the little prince. "I never wished you any sort of harm; but you wanted me to tame you . . ."

      "Yes, that is so," said the fox.

      "But now you are going to cry!" said the little prince.

      "Yes, that is so," said the fox.

      "Then it has done you no good at all!"

      "It has done me good," said the fox, "because of the color of the wheat fields."

  47. Tribute? by WhyDoubt · · Score: 1

    Is there a common place to give tribute to those in our community like this who have been lost? It would be great if there was (sorry, not volunteering). Back in July, one of the main PearPC (the PowerPC emulator) developers died.

    1. Re:Tribute? by ndb82 · · Score: 1

      I haven't seen one, but it would be a great thing to have one set up. Is there one in existance? If there isn't, I'd like to see one form. Unfortunately, I really don't have the time to devote to something like that right now, but I'd be more than happy to accomodate the web-space required.

  48. A Thought and A Proposal by mantera · · Score: 3, Insightful


    This is what I love about the OSS community; it's a community! People drive each other from and to places, stay at each others', and when something unfortunate like this happens you truly feel that it's a community where people care about their own.

    Here's what I feel we need to do; we need to put up a fund (donations) and a website to commemorate the OSS community members, and part (if not the vast majority of it, deservedly) of the mission/website fund ought keep their personal homepages and accounts on notable community portals (e.g. slashdot) alive, and be linked to from the website. Hans' personal homepage should **never** disappear due to lack of payment or activity, and it should not be left to his family members, hit by grief and possible loss of income, to do ensure that. Possibly too, condolences may be posted to one list that can be sent to his surviving folks. OSS members make personal sacrifices to be active members of the community and it'd be a nice tough to let their family members, who have likely been compromized financially by the opporutnity cost of their breadwinner being an active OSS member, ought to be let known that many many others care and are thankful for their contribution, whether it was code, logistical (hey, driving RMS is a big deal!), or even in spirit and enthausiasm.

    1. Re:A Thought and A Proposal by mantera · · Score: 1


      OSS members make personal sacrifices to be active members of the community and it'd be a nice tough to let their family members

      Typo!... it'd be a nice **thought**... my bad, should've previewed.

  49. Re:Tone of voice... by Bin_jammin · · Score: 1

    why? it's not his joke...

  50. Re:I am deeply sorry for the loss of life by iainl · · Score: 1

    That is, unfortunately, something of a generalisation. Firstly, even a good SUV doesn't stand much chance up against a 40ft lorry. But secondly, many "SUV"s aren't even very good in accidents; many of them are no better (or even worse) than the equivalent saloon.

    Land Rover Discoveries are utterly dire, to give one popular example; you're much better off in a little Renault.

    --
    "I Know You Are But What Am I?"
  51. Re:I am deeply sorry for the loss of life by illerd · · Score: 1

    Actually the only safe way to drive is in an amphibious tank. If we all drove amphibious tanks, no one would ever die. Not even from the cancer.

  52. Re:this is where by Beyond_GoodandEvil · · Score: 1, Insightful

    If you can't joke about death what can you joke about. Yes, it is unfortunate that someone died, but as pointed out earlier in this thread people die all the time, some in really shitty ways. Moral of the story: life ends. Now I didn't bother to RFTA(big surprise, this is /.) but unless there is some really bizarre circumstance this really isn't news, people die all the time in auto accidents.

    --
    I laughed at the weak who considered themselves good because they lacked claws.
  53. Fitting tribute by emtboy9 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    What a fitting tribute to someone who was a big part of our community... on the day of his death, we slashdot Hans' personal web space.

    --
    "Our funds have never taken part in toxic or death spiral convertible financings of any sort" -BayStar's managing partne
  54. Re:FAA? by Omnifarious · · Score: 1

    So, because I don't care about the deaths of everybody in the world, my caring about the death of some particular people that happened to be (relatively) closely linked in a social network I care very much about is false and hypocritical?

    Besides, when confronted with the deaths of people who's names I never knew, and who's friends names I never knew, and who's friends friends names I never knew, I don't make snarky sarcastic comments. I at least manage the humanity to be silent and at least momentarily sad that such things happen.

  55. Re:Paypal Fund Set up by scovetta · · Score: 2, Informative

    Even better: click to: Donate $10

    --
    Wer mit Ungeheuern kämpft, mag zusehn, dass er nicht dabei zum Ungeheuer wird. --Nietzsche
  56. Re:FAA? by Trolling4Dollars · · Score: 2, Funny
    But if Brittany Spears died...

    There would be much rejoicing. NEXT!

  57. Found it by Omni-Cognate · · Score: 1

    From Project Gutenberg

    GHOSTIES AT THE WEDDING.

    Turn down a glass afore his place; Draw up the dog-eared chair; For though we shall not see his face, I think he will be here Our wedding day to share.

    Turn up the glass where she would be And put a red rose there. Her quick, grey eyes we cannot see, But weren't they everywhere, And shall not they be here?

    Though them old blids are in the grave And their good light's gone out, We'd sooner their kind ghosties have Than all the living rout As will be there no doubt.

    For some are dead as cannot die. Some flown as cannot flee. You still do fancy 'em near by. 'Tis so with him and she, At any rate to we.

    --

    "The Milliard Gargantubrain? A mere abacus - mention it not."

  58. Re:I am deeply sorry for the loss of life by berbo · · Score: 1

    It is undisputable that if they were driving an SUV, that software developer would be alive today.
    What about the people in the other car? SUVs are more dangerous for everyone else. So what you're proposing is an arms race of escalating vehicle size.

  59. Sorry, better formatting by Omni-Cognate · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It's a lovely poem, by Eden Philpotts. I think it makes a very appropriate dept.

    GHOSTIES AT THE WEDDING.

    Turn down a glass afore his place;
    Draw up the dog-eared chair;
    For though we shall not see his face,
    I think he will be here
    Our wedding day to share.

    Turn up the glass where she would be
    And put a red rose there.
    Her quick, grey eyes we cannot see,
    But weren't they everywhere,
    And shall not they be here?

    Though them old blids are in the grave
    And their good light's gone out,
    We'd sooner their kind ghosties have
    Than all the living rout
    As will be there no doubt.

    For some are dead as cannot die.
    Some flown as cannot flee.
    You still do fancy 'em near by.
    'Tis so with him and she,
    At any rate to we.

    --

    "The Milliard Gargantubrain? A mere abacus - mention it not."

    1. Re:Sorry, better formatting by advocate_one · · Score: 1

      thankyou... I'm crying now. Here's a wee dram to Hans' memory. I think the rest of this evening is going to be difficult for lots of people. I lost my son 11 years ago. I hope they can get over things and come to terms with their loss. I thought I had, but little things keep calling him back.

      --
      Donald 'Duck' Dunn: We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline.
  60. Re:Information Please ! by wichert · · Score: 2, Informative

    FYI: I have been in contact with Loic.

  61. Re:FAA? by lachlan76 · · Score: 1

    There is a difference when the person that has died is completely detached from me.

  62. Re:I am deeply sorry for the loss of life by 91degrees · · Score: 2, Interesting

    However, with all of the SUV bashing you see on this site, it should be mentioned that they are the safest vehicles on the road.

    Really? I've heard a lot of people come off a lot worse after colliding with them than they would with a normal car.

    So next time you see someone bashing an SUV for gas mileage, just remember the person who died today.

    And remember all the people who are being killed by pollutants.

    The only person an SUV is safer for is the driver. And that's assuming you discount the increased risk of actually being involved in an accident. The stopping distance in the things suck, and so does the steering. The safest cars are those that can avoid accidents.

    Get a minivan, which has all the claimed benefits of an SUV, better fuel efficiency, and is safer.

  63. Re:Welcome to the internet by SocietyoftheFist · · Score: 1

    I've had access since 92 and been on the web with pre 1.0 netscape and lynx and mosaic but I'm not posting to see whose Internet dick is bigger. For some reason it just struck me wrong when I clicked and the first 3 things I read were jokes and I decided to post on it.

  64. Re:Bollocks. Thousands of people die, every day. by Omnifarious · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I will blatantly state that people who are close to me in social networks that matter to me are people who's deaths affect me more and I'm more concerned with. I don't like that people die in general. I don't like that they all too often die because of the willful actions of another human being. But, when push comes to shove, the people who are close to me in social networks that matter to me are people who's deaths I'm going to actively mourn.

    I've met RMS personally. It's quite likely that I know several people who are friends with the person who died. His passing saddens me.

    It upsets me that people in a forum devoted to the community those people were a part of make crass jokes about the situation and people involved. It's rude and insulting.

  65. Hans would be honered by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Hans was my friend. I knew him in real life.
    I spoke to him some weeks ago. I think he is proud now that he is on /. eventhough he is not here anymore and unfortunatly it is not a positive way to be on /.

    If heaven had e-mail, I would e-mail you!

    bye m8

    Alexander den Engelsman

  66. Re:FAA? by torstenvl · · Score: 1

    We're not talking about moments of silence for every death. That's not possible. It just isn't.

    What we're talking about is NOT joking about deaths of others.

    There's a difference between the deaths in Iraq not being the focus of every waking moment and our Dear President joking about WMDs not being found and making light of the whole situation.

    Shameless plug: Vote for a man with a conscience. Vote for Kerry.

  67. Re:this is where by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Everyone here is old enough to understand death. If you think you're being cerebral..you're wrong. You're basically saying this is not newsworthy. Show some damn respect..his friends are posting on this site. You make me wanna slap some sense into you. Idiot

  68. Respect, and who? by phorm · · Score: 1

    Really, it's because they're people we know and respect. Well, some of us know, and many of us respect for what they do. Realistically, it could have been one of us... I'm not so popular on slashdot or OS that somebody might post an obituary for me, but we have done so for authors, actors, even scientists. Personally, I don't know all these people, and I'd not consider all of them celebrities.

    If a John Doe dies and we don't know him - we'd still consider it a tragedy in most cases. However it's not so personal a tragedy. Given the relation between OS and slashdot (as mentioned), they are well enough known here, as are movie-stars, that enough of us might be touched by the news in some way.

    That being said, perhaps somebody could give a brief mention of the contributions of those involved - I may not know them but that's not to say I'm not interested in what they've done.

  69. Re:I am deeply sorry for the loss of life by ihaddsl · · Score: 5, Interesting

    However, with all of the SUV bashing you see on this site, it should be mentioned that they are the safest vehicles on the road.

    Bullshit.

    While it's true that if you are in a huge SUV and hit a car, the SUV will come off better, the overall safety picture is not good for SUV drivers.

    The additional mass also has downsides. In single vehicle accidents it's better to have less mass as there is less energy to dissipate. According to the NHTSA, single vehicle accidents accounted for only 18% of crashes, but 44% of fatalities.

    Larger vehicles have longer stopping distances, increasing the likelyhood of a crash.

    Also figures from the NHSTA show that SUV fatality rates are 11% higher than cars.

    According to those statistics, the safest vehicles are minivans, with a fatality rate of 2.76 per billion miles travelled, 2nd were large cars, with a rate of 3.3 fatalities per billion miles. The largest SUV's came in 3rd with 3.79 fatalities per billion miles

    time to adjust your review mirror methinks

  70. (Sarcasm) But it's ok - Stallman lives! by crivens · · Score: 4, Insightful

    But it's ok, as the Slashdot story states that Stallman wasn't killed. It's a sad world when a story tells me who wasn't killed and not who was (killed or injured). It's obvious that the poster thinks Stallman living is more important than someone dying. Shame on you!

    fame != importance

    1. Re:(Sarcasm) But it's ok - Stallman lives! by Deraj+DeZine · · Score: 1

      I'm not sure, but I think more people know Richard Stallman and his work and thus, news of his death may be more meaningful to a larger group of people. It's sad to hear about someone dying, but I've never heard of Hans Bakker, while I've read some of Stallman's speeches.

      --
      True story.
    2. Re:(Sarcasm) But it's ok - Stallman lives! by fishbowl · · Score: 1

      "I think more people know Richard Stallman and his work and thus, news of his death may be more meaningful to a larger group of people."

      Yes, but there is no news of Stallman's death, so your argument has no point. What you're really saying is that the news that Richard got out of the car in Paris is more important than the news of the fatal accident.

      --
      -fb Everything not expressly forbidden is now mandatory.
    3. Re:(Sarcasm) But it's ok - Stallman lives! by Deraj+DeZine · · Score: 1

      Except that if Stallman had been in that car for a while longer, he would probably have been injured severely or killed. What I really was saying is that Stallman nearly being in a big car accident is at least somewhat noteworthy; he is an icon, after all.

      --
      True story.
  71. Re:I am deeply sorry for the loss of life by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    the overall safety picture is not good for SUV drivers.

    You're right: for drivers as they tend to take more risks. It has nothing to do with the car/SUV.

  72. For my funeral by phorm · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm hoping that at least one of my friends or family can find the courage and heart to make a joke. Mind you, it should be made at the appropriate time. At the only funeral we went to, we talked a lot about my friend's life, and made quips about how "Adults Only Video" would probably go bankrupt without his business. He would have appreciated the joke... we made much the same remarks when he was with us.

    Now, for people who don't really know the deceased to make such comments, it just isn't appropriate. It also depends on the character of the person involved in the tragedy. A joke should bring light smiles and help offer some balm to the wounds of those affected, not simply be the attention-seeking acts of immaturity we unfortunately tend to see online.

    1. Re:For my funeral by Captain_Chaos · · Score: 1

      Yes. Yes indeed.

      I once saw a part of John Cleese's eulogy at Graham Chapman's funeral, and it was hilarious. The whole church was roaring with laughter, which was of course entirely fitting.

  73. Re:Hypocrite by MvD_Moscow · · Score: 1

    WTF? a jihad is self improvement, a war within yourself. The media created the terrorist association. If I though like you, I wouldn't be able to use the words freedom and democracy (because of Bush and Co and their use of these words).

  74. Re:Somebody dies in an accident-time out needed? by davidsyes · · Score: 1

    For those who "cope" with life, but immerse themselves in saddening film that still contain some wit or light humor, see a Hong Kong film named "Funeral March".

    (Try your local Asian or import video store. If your LUCKY, BB or HV might have it, but don't count on it. Or, order it online or from some places in San Francisco/Burlingame, CA...)

    Male or female, soft or tough, if you have feelings or sensitivities, you will cry and you will laugh, and in some parts, you do both and without guilt. Some have sobbed like babies if immersed in this film without distractions

    Review is at:

    http://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews/funeral_march. ht m

    The one at IMBD.com doesn't do justice to the film.

    But, I watched it and it's touching:

    Non-spoiler gist:

    Yee, a young woman hires a funeral director to arrange a burial. It turns out it's for herself. She's dying of intestinal/stomach cancer, but the funeral director encourages/recommends that she take the medicine prescribed and undergo the operation. As part of his hiring by her, though, we get to see an interesting and different perspective on living, living with limited time, and dying.

    Most of the film is in Hong Kong, but a brief jaunt to New York shows some nice scenery I'd not seen (I've never been there, but even with all the TV shots, I don't think I'd seen the images in "FM"). Not all cultures are like the US. In some places laughing and celebration mark a passage to a hopefully BETTER place than here. I tend to think of Earth as a "proving ground" which will determine where we go next. I prefer to discount any Heaven or Hell, for natural things around us recycle, so why not the soul as well as matter. For us puny humans to be given ONE life to live, from seconds to just uner 115 years, but usually 45-85 years, it's a CHEAT for a god to creat billions of souls that in the cosmic scope of things are snuffed out relative to a fly's lifetime, actually vastly shorter.

    I think fatal incidents or accidents are just interruptsion or even accelerators. I feel murder is "forced eviction" from the game of life, depending on the circumstances, but all around us we eventually forget the millions living under undeveloped or corrupt regimes, starving, dying, living malnourished, and more and worse.

    In developed nations, aside from some petty corrupt leaders, we live fairly comfortably, and increasingly lack a clear, fundamental understanding of living when fast-paced, tech living distorts the big picture.

    Slow down. Ponder. Live. Reflect. Volunteer. Donate. Help. Complain, and fix the people system, not just the tech stuff.

    David Syes

    --
    Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"
  75. Re:Paypal Fund Set up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative
    to help with medical bills

    Here in Europe you usually don't need to pay for medical bills, unless you decide to use a private medical center. This is why every worker pays some taxes to their goverment.

  76. Re:Welcome to the internet by BrokenHalo · · Score: 1

    Hmmm. I was kind of surprised that I didn't see immediate responses along the lines of "better luck next time" with regard to RMS, given the usual flavour of vitriol that usually flows in his direction on Slashdot. The internet can be an ugly place at times...

  77. This article is incredibly distasteful by JasonEngel · · Score: 4, Insightful

    To state that "Richard Stallman was in the car earlier but apparently had been dropped off prior to the accident" is so incredibly RUDE and DISTASTEFUL and INSULTING, especially when the names of the dead and injured are left out. To even insinuate that we are all so lucky that Stallman wasn't hurt even tho these nameless folks got pasted infuriates me to no end. Heaps of SHAME and DISHONOR to the poster "michael" for his horrid thoughtlessness.

    1. Re:This article is incredibly distasteful by cookiepus · · Score: 1

      Sorry but I disagree. I don't -like- RMS much, but he IS well known and to find out that he has died would mean something to me. The other people that died, I did not know. It sucks that they died but it's no different from thousands of other people that die daily. But RMS is different because he is known to people and he has a relatively large impact on the world.

      At the very least, he had made the text editor I use. Which makes him more relevant to my life than those other people.

      I think the idea in the article is to point out how closely the world came to losing RMS. For what it's worth, it would have been relevant. As is, it's about as significant as air force one crashing when the president isn't on board. Worth note because it IS air force one, but also certainly worth noting that the president was not on.

  78. My Consolences by chuckw · · Score: 1

    I am very sorry to hear this. I give my condolences to Hans's close friends and family. I did not know him personally, however any loss of an OSS contributor is a great loss (*). Thank you Hans!

    -Chuck

    (*) For those suffering from a lack of perspective: Yes, any death is a great loss to someone.

    --
    *Condense fact from the vapor of nuance*
  79. Re:FAA? by VagaStorm · · Score: 1

    Actually it's a human defence mechanism to make jokes out of painful things. It's just a way to cope... One should be very careful about making jokes in the public though. Someone is bound to be insulted, and if they new anyone involved, hurt.

  80. "From the turn down a glass dept" by LittleLebowskiUrbanA · · Score: 1

    Do you know something we don't, Michael? Did the driver have a drink or is this another snide remark?

    1. Re:"From the turn down a glass dept" by LittleLebowskiUrbanA · · Score: 1

      Well my bad then. Sounded like he was implying the driver was drinking to me. I'll turn down a glass for them tomorrow night :) Thanks for the correction.

    2. Re:"From the turn down a glass dept" by CdBee · · Score: 3, Informative

      I believe the tradition is that a glass used to remember a lost friend may never again be used for a lesser purpose. It is placed upside-down, so it cannot be refilled.

      The phrase is used in many places, among them, Edward Fitzgerald's translation of the 10th-century Persian poetry of Omar Khaiyyam.

      The Russian tradition of smashing a shot glass after a toast stems from the same source

      --
      I have been a user for about 10 years. This ends Feb 2014. The site's been ruined. I'm off. Dice, FU
  81. Re:Coping can be a strange thing by SocietyoftheFist · · Score: 1

    You have some valid points. Do you really believe that some of those jokes were really coping though? I guess more than anything, I posted realizing that most of the "jokes" were just from losers and really didn't merit a response.

    FYI, I'm one of those that copes in multiple ways. I've only really cried when young people have died. I never cry when somebody old dies. I've lashed out, picked fights and destroyed things. For the most part, I'm not sad if they had a full life and did as they wanted.

  82. Re:Paypal Fund Set up by scovetta · · Score: 1

    Sure, and I would gladly donate to that, but since no one else has stepped forward, and the attention spam of an article on /. is about a day, I thought doing something would be better than doing nothing.

    --
    Wer mit Ungeheuern kämpft, mag zusehn, dass er nicht dabei zum Ungeheuer wird. --Nietzsche
  83. Damn. by XeRXeS-TCN · · Score: 1

    No jokes, no clever comment, just condolences.

  84. The 'Funny' modifier.... by TrentL · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...has definitely lowered the discourse on Slashdot. 90% of the people who post just want to get modded to +5 funny. It would probably be better to retire the Funny modifier for a couple weeks so people can practice posting useful comments.

    1. Re:The 'Funny' modifier.... by mefus · · Score: 1, Funny

      You can use a negative modifier for Funny mods.

      There's your utility, right in your eye!!!!111oneONE!

      ['course, unfunny jokes will get their own mods.]

      --
      mefus
      In Open Society, GPL Software frees YOU!
    2. Re:The 'Funny' modifier.... by Michael+Spencer+Jr. · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I strongly agree. In meta-moderation I have a much higher bar for 'funniness' than I do in real life only because of the problem you mentioned. I was afraid my concerns about "funny" moderation being too easy to obtain were only minority concerns, but you got +5 by voicing yours. That makes me want to step forward also.

      I used to get moderator points somewhat regularly, and meta-moderated somewhat regularly. But since I started raising my personal bar for 'funny' or 'unfunny' on slashdot and meta-moderating appropriately, it's been over two years since I've had moderator points. (I look at the original post in context and see if it's currently +2 Funny or +5 Funny. If it's +5 Funny, and it isn't really that funny, then I vote thumbs-down. Only problem is, I can't tell what the score was when the moderator moderated it -- maybe they took it, appropriately, to +2, and someone else overinflated it.)

      Has anyone else noticed this? Have any other multiple-year slashdot users adopted a similar meta-moderation policy and noticed the same thing? (That would make this seem like some kind of unwritten slashdot policy that we should know about.) Have other multiple-year slashdot users NOT done anything unusual with "Funny" moderation, and ALSO noticed the same thing? (That would suggest that mod points really are rare now, and I'm just imagining a problem.)

      (People who share my problem will probably have to post instead of moderating, for obvious reasons.)

      --Michael Spencer

    3. Re:The 'Funny' modifier.... by Bios_Hakr · · Score: 1

      I moderate simply. If the topic is serious, all funny posts get modded down. If the topic is strangeless, I leave them alone.

      I try and give points to interesting, informative, or insightful vice the ???-->profit, soviet russia, etc type jokes.

      --
      I'd rather you do it wrong, than for me to have to do it at all.
    4. Re:The 'Funny' modifier.... by darkmeridian · · Score: 1

      The Funny modifier does not increase your karma. If only people knew that, they wouldn't karma whore trying to get the non-existent points.

      --
      A NYC lawyer blogs. http://www.chuangblog.com/
    5. Re:The 'Funny' modifier.... by mefus · · Score: 1

      The Funny modifier does not increase your karma. If only people knew that, they wouldn't karma whore trying to get the non-existent points.

      You can only lose trying to be funny: someone with moderator status may think you are unfunny and then you get a hit to your karma.

      That scenario is even more likely if you are modded as funny.

      --
      mefus
      In Open Society, GPL Software frees YOU!
  85. Re:FAA? by ajs · · Score: 4, Insightful

    We're quick to jump into camps here. There are the "ha ha, man fall down and die" nervous humor camp. Then there's the "don't make fun of death" camp. Still another camp comes in next to say "lighten up, people are coping in different ways"

    Not many clue in to this pattern, even as they help to shape it. Go look at the stories from 9/11. Same threads, different (in some cases) posters. Slashdot is a COMMUNITY of people, not a uniform voice. I see people on all sides of every controversy here deriding the "slashdotters" or "slashbots" or whatever term they can think of. But, if you're posting here, THAT'S YOU you're talking about (hi, I'm in camp #4, good to meet you).

    Some of us are flamers and trolls. Some of us are the innapropriate joke-makers. Some of us are suits with pointy hair. Some of us are late-night coders. And today, one of us is no more. If you're a regular, come in, sit down and have a drink. We'll toast the honored dead, maybe share a story or two, and the guy over in the corner will spout an embarassingly rude comment every few minutes. I just hope that when my time comes, he thinks of something really funny to say about me, and that (behind the masks of indignation), my friends smile just a little bit and remember me....

    Peace and long life.

  86. PLATO by Akhen3sir · · Score: 1

    http://www.platopeople.com/about.html was started in 1960 - surely it's got to be a candidate for being the very first online community of any kind.

    Unless, of course, anyone knows different...

  87. Ha ha ha by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny
    There have been a bunch of rumours about a car accident involving some free software folks today. Hans Bakker (photo,homepage) did not survive the crash. (confirmed by girlfriend)

    Whew, you had me going there for a minute.

    1. Re:Ha ha ha by networkGhettoWhore · · Score: 1

      The writer was speaking of HIS own girlfriend, not the "girlfriend" of the deceased

      --
      Natural Selection: self-destruction of the poor and lazy
  88. Re:Welcome to the internet by Trespass · · Score: 1

    You know, that was really the point I was trying to make. On some level the internet makes Anonymous Cowards of us all, and people say and do things they would not do in real life. I just can't see why this surprises anyone anymore.

  89. Tragedy by vertigo · · Score: 1

    What a tragedy :( My feelings go out to all the relatives and friends of Hans. Good luck in the hard period that follows. Best wishes for the people who are still in the hospital.

  90. Re:FAA? by carlos_benj · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Tens of thousands of people die daily to starvation, accidents and so forth.

    Do you cry for each one? I doubt you do - don't act like a hypocrite.


    And do you crack wise at every one? That's what the poster was talking about after all. There was no false grief, just asking why some people can't have the decency to show some minimal measure of respect.

    I don't think you know what hypocrisy really is.

    --

    --

    As a matter of fact, I am a lawyer. But I play an actor on TV.

  91. Coral get /.ed by bshroyer · · Score: 1

    Fantastic. I followed the link, then clicked on "try this page" only to find that we had /.ed the Coral server.

    Back to the drawing board...

    --
    The cure for cancer is coming: Reovirus
  92. Re:Condolences by mellon · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If a person's mindstream ceases when he or she dies, then anything you do after that moment has no relevance to that person - it can't offend them, because they no longer have the capacity to be offended. If it does not, then praying for that person may be beneficial, whether or not they would have approved of it in life.

    The problem with exhorting people to prayer in a public forum like this is that (1) it's pointless, and (2) some people who are still alive here find it offensive. It's pointless because if we think that prayer will help, and we have the capacity to do a sincere prayer on behalf of Hans, then we will do it whether or not we are exhorted.

    It's offensive to some people for a variety of reasons - I will say for myself that I used to be offended by overt mentions of Christianity because I felt very judged by people who had blind faith and felt that I was defective because I didn't have the capacity to have blind faith. It doesn't offend me anymore, because I understand the problem better, but I think it's worth being understanding toward those who do have this problem, and examining ones' own actions to see if one is doing anything that would tend to engender this sort of feeling.

    The job of a religious practitioner is to succeed in his or her practice, and it is through this that they may help others - any activity that projects one's religious beliefs outward is very risky, and needs to be undertaken with great seriousness, and probably not on a forum as public as slashdot.

    This is not to say that you should shut up entirely, but I do urge you to consider your audience! :')

  93. Sincerest Condolences by borgheron · · Score: 1

    This is a sad thing. My sincerest condolences go out to the family of the person who died.

    GJC

    --
    Gregory Casamento
    ## Chief Maintainer for GNUstep
  94. Re:The Slashdot Staff are hypocrites and asses. by RLiegh · · Score: 1

    So, what will you do for your fun when all the forums in the world die because you and your ilk persist in making them unpleasant places to be?

    For the 8 years I've been on the web, usenet has been a wholly unpleasent place to be. Yet, oddly enough, people still read it and post to it.

    As long as we have people, and the technology to creat them; we'll always have forums. Usenet teaches us that, if nothing else.

  95. /. newsworthiness by Mal-2 · · Score: 1

    I believe you are right, considering the conference itself is /. worthy. Therefore, the accident related to the conference is also newsworthy, even had there been no fatalities. However, the mention of RMS and his peripheral involvement is quite relevant, because it makes the point that Hans and the others were only in that car because they were helping out a friend (who we just happen to recognize). They weren't just hopping down to the liquor store to pick up beer and cigarettes. That makes this a tragedy in the true sense (trying to do something good got him killed), rather than simply a misadventure.

    Mal-2

    --
    How is the Riemann zeta function like Trump rallies? Both have an endless number of trivial zeros.
  96. Re:FAA? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    When someone as prominent and as much an annoyance to the coporate capitalist power structure as Richard Stallman has a nearly fatal accident we SHOULD start asking if there is a conspiracy to murder him.

    The free software movement is in the crosshairs. Why do you think software patents have become such an issue recently? Did SCO come up with the idea of its copyright attack on Linux on its own all of a sudden? Some investor immediately gave it the cash infusion it needed to persue the lawsuit, recall (BayStar etc.) Was it SCO, by itself, that got the De Toqueville Institute to issue an article questioning the originality of Linux? In fact a lot of "think tanks" have been piling on the free software movement.

    Free software is a loose cannon, the normal mechanisms that keep sources of consumer products and innovation from stepping on the toes of governments and governments' interests don't work with free software.

    How happy do you think the United States is that free software has given China and countries like it an operating system which is guaranteed free of any CIA / NSA backdoors?

    For christs sakes, how fucking naive do you have to be, of course they are going to start killing leaders of the free software movement.

    I hope RMS isn't himself so naive and starts taking precautions (for all the good that will do him if the CIA wants him dead).

    Some other highly suspicious accidents:
    Microbiologists http://www.rense.com/general20/mic.htm
    Free software authors (google translation from German) http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F %2Fwww.debian.org%2FNews%2F2004%2F20040515&langpai r=de%7Cen&hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&prev=%2Flanguage_too ls
    Alan Gibbs, founder of TruVote (electronic voting machines) http://conspiracyplanet.com/channel.cfm?channelid= 31&contentid=1110&page=1

  97. Re:A loving god does not exist. by mefus · · Score: 1

    [free will, loving gods, deletia]

    I was going to flame you because your argument has no presuppositions: you forgot to INCLUDE the text you were responding to.

    But in context your argument was ok. You might still be marked down as Offtopic, though, which you might have gird yourself against by including a little context.

    [anonymous to avoid... ah hell, I have enough karma!]

    --
    mefus
    In Open Society, GPL Software frees YOU!
  98. Hans a.k.a Mclightje R.I.P by coretx · · Score: 1

    " Real hackers don't die, there packages just expire. . . " Whe have hade some hard conversations, but it is even harder to know, that we won't have that again. Hans, rest in peace. Is je mclightje nu uitgegaan?

  99. Irony. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    The last thing he saw was broken Windows...

  100. Re:Condolences by _anomaly_ · · Score: 2, Interesting

    First, let me say that your post re: religious comments within this story's thread was about the fairest of those objecting to such comments.

    With that said, I'd like to respond to your comment.
    It seems as though you're suggesting that anyone who may have certain beliefs should feel almost _obligated_ to think twice before publically asking for those of the _same_faith_ to participate in something like a prayer, only because someone who may "over-hear" their request are not comfortable with their own beliefs and/or confusions. After all, if you're not of the same faith, I'd argue you weren't part of the audience since the comment was directed towards those of the same faith. Yes, it's a public forum, but the post was directed towards Chrisitans, or those of similar faith, praying for the deceased and the surviving loved ones. Should he/she have bit their tongue before posting such a comment in a public forum? Of course not, it's a public forum. If you get offended by the mere mention of religion, even if it's not directed towards you, I doubt a public forum is where you should be until you come to grips with your own beliefs.

    I also want to mention that I'm agnostic.

    --
    "I have no special gift, I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
  101. Re:I am deeply sorry for the loss of life by rca66 · · Score: 1

    Only that some people will be running them armed.

  102. Showing Respects by hyfe · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Troll -1, Here I Come!

    Reading 100's of strangers passing their respect to yet somebody they've never met dieing gives me a funny feeling.

    How many people die each day? And of those, how many lead sorrowfull lives, filled with pain and suffering? How many of you pay a thought to them, and of those of you who do, are you willing to take a large dent in your own wealth to help them? Are you willing to spare your own time?

    Its a common fact that people really don't care about strangers, but this shirade of caring when the opportunity arises makes me want to puke.

    (To those who knew the victims, apologies for ranting, this was certainly not directed at you)

    --
    "" How about taking the safety labels off everything, and let the stupidity-problem solve itself? """
    1. Re:Showing Respects by Krafty+Koder · · Score: 1
      "its a common fact that people really don't care about strangers, but this shirade of caring when the opportunity arises makes me want to puke." i care a hell of a lot about free software hackers and advocates - even if i dont know them, they've given me a living and keep a roof over my head.

      Heck - i probably got advice from Hans via some pseudonym on some Debian message board. THATS why I feel sad tonight. The open source community is just that - a real community. If you can get that, then you should go back to the Microsoft world, where it really IS a dog eat dog, dont give a shit about anyone kind of universe....

    2. Re:Showing Respects by justins · · Score: 1
      Its a common fact that people really don't care about strangers, but this shirade of caring when the opportunity arises makes me want to puke.

      Maybe you're right. I definitely agree that people aren't kind to each other as often as they ought to be. At the same time, I'd like to think of this as a case of people being spurred on to do something they ought to always do, rather than ugly hypocrisy. Maybe we learn from stuff like this. Wishful thinking, I know.
      --
      Now before I get modded down, I be to remind whoever might read this that what I am saying is FACT. - bogaboga
  103. Re:Condolences by DunbarTheInept · · Score: 1


    If a person's mindstream ceases when he or she dies, then anything you do after that moment has no relevance to that person

    What would your opinion about posthumous misrepresentation be? (putting words in someone's mouth after they are dead, such as false claims of deathbed conversions). I'd say such a thing still has very detrimental effect even when the person himself doesn't care anymore.

    --

    Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.

  104. My Consolences? by networkGhettoWhore · · Score: 1

    My condolences to your spell-checker. May it rest in peace werever it may have gone off to.

    --
    Natural Selection: self-destruction of the poor and lazy
  105. Re:FAA? by Tonytheloony · · Score: 1

    At last. Someone here is sane.

    --
    The quickest way to become an atheist is to study the Bible thoroughly.
  106. IM. Hans Bakker by F242 · · Score: 2, Informative

    Dear All, please be aware of the initiative of the
    Dutch irc community regarding the tragic accident of Hans Bakker.

    I am Posting on their behalf. Also note the following urls

    the text below: http://www.xs4all.nl/~mariekek/hans-im-eng.txt
    th e condolences: http://www.condoleance.nl/registers/register_3254. html

    Please direct to the ppl mentioned in the announcement for any further information.

    Dear All,

    Today 30 september we received the sad news of Hans Bakker's
    (for the most of us known as McLightje) tragic accident in
    the northern part of France in which he lost his life.

    More information can be found at http://www.wiggy.net/tmp/accident/

    In order to pay a proper tribute to our dear friend we
    (Wiggy, JohnR and Tatsel) are organizing a fund to have
    an obituary placed in one of the Dutch newspapers or otherwise.
    Every action from our side will be done in close co-operation
    and approval of Hans' family and relatives.

    If you want to contribute please send an e-mail to the
    address below IM.Hans.Bakker@gmail.com for further information
    on how to contribute to Hans' tribute.

    Thank you all in advance for your support.

    Wiggy, JohnR and Tatsel

    PS As you are all aware of McLightje's activities, please distribute this
    e-mail to anyone you think Hans was involved with.

  107. Re:FAA? by Z4rd0Z · · Score: 1

    RMS wasn't in the car, schizophrenic boy. Did you forget your risperdal this morning?

    --
    You had me at "dicks fuck assholes".
  108. Condolence link here by Krafty+Koder · · Score: 2, Informative

    you can post condolences to Hans and his family and friends on this site.
    This wikipedia page has already gone up for Hans. So if anyone can find out about his biography and post something up as a lasting memorial to the guy, then please do so. Thanks

  109. Re:WRONG! by mink · · Score: 1

    Actually it's a floor wax and a desert topping.

    "Jihad did have two variant meanings through the centuries, one more radical, one less so. The first holds that Muslims who interpret their faith differently are infidels and therefore legitimate targets of jihad. (This is why Algerians, Egyptians and Afghans have found themselves, like Americans and Israelis, so often the victims of jihadist aggression.) The second meaning, associated with mystics, rejects the legal definition of jihad as armed conflict and tells Muslims to withdraw from the worldly concerns to achieve spiritual depth."

    --
    Well I've wrestled with reality for thirty five years doctor, and I'm happy to say I finally won out over it.
  110. Re:CARS need to be BANNED by 91degrees · · Score: 1

    are no cars at all. Cars kill people, animals, plants, pollute the earth and require the sealing up of the Earth

    I agree. (On the whole, this is a "me too" post.) I also like my car. I realise this possibly makes me a little hypocritical.

    ...challenge you with "you got a better idea?"

    Living in London, I can say a decent, reliable and extensive, public transport (underground or light rail system) is a better idea for city transport. Unfortunately, while London underground is extensive, and pretty decent when it works, it isn't reliable. Definitely a much better way of getting around a city than car though. I'm sure there are some very succesful similar public transport systems.

    For longer distances, cars are okay. Still not all that clean, and a little inefficient when carrying just the driver, but high speed trains aren't as clean as environmentalists like to believe. Apparently a full train causes more pollution per passenger than a full car.

    We need a safer, "open sourced" approach from the ground up for transportation.

    Indeed we do. Hopefully we'll come up with one.

  111. Re:The Slashdot Staff are hypocrites and asses. by nacturation · · Score: 1

    As long as we have people, and the technology to create them; we'll always have forums.

    Please, do share this people-creating technology you speak of! I, for one, am hoping to build an army of clones so I can outsource all my coding projects to myself.

    --
    Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
  112. Re:Condolences by SLi · · Score: 1

    The job of a religious practitioner is to succeed in his or her practice, and it is through this that they may help others - any activity that projects one's religious beliefs outward is very risky, and needs to be undertaken with great seriousness, and probably not on a forum as public as slashdot.

    I disagree with your logic. Or I misinterpret you.

    Basically what you seem (to me) to be saying is that being open and actively telling about your faith is morally wrong independent of a) what you believe and b) whether what you believe is true or not.

    However, consider this. Christians generally believe that the only way of being saved (going to Heaven) is through faith on Jesus Christ. Also they believe that if you are not saved, you will suffer after your death eternally in a lake of fire. They (we) really believe it, it's not just some principle that affects how we live in this life.

    Now, let's assume for the sake of this counterargument that what Christians believe is correct (which fits in (b)). I could talk about moral values in Bible here, but I believe we should be able to stipulate that Bible teaches that selflessness and helping others is good.

    Now, it's true that very many people don't want to be helped. If it was really so that nobody would listen to us Christians AND one can be certain that nobody is going to be saved anymore, it perhaps could be argued that active evangelization would be an unnecessary nuisance and therefore probably wrong.

    However, think about it this way. If you really really do believe that the majority of people around you are going to suffer in an eternal fire, and that it could be possible to save at least some of them, then is it morally right to not try? Even considering that, what, 99% of people who don't want to hear anything about it, I'd maintain that the remaining 1% or even a single person that can be saved makes it more than worth it. After all, this life is only a finite piece of time, very short compared to eternity. :-)

    That's how we Christians see it. Hope this explains it to you satisfactorily. I don't expect it to make it appear any less annoying to you, but perhaps it helps you understand our behavior a little more.

  113. Re:I am deeply sorry for the loss of life by nacturation · · Score: 1

    The additional mass also has downsides. In single vehicle accidents it's better to have less mass as there is less energy to dissipate.

    It's not so simplistic. As an AC reply pointed out, were your theory to hold true scooters should be safer than SUVs since they have less mass. It's not so much the mass per se as it is the density and distribution of the mass combined with the absorbency of the material when it crumples. I'm not an expert by any stretch, but that's how I see it. You need sufficient mass to form an effective barrier which will crumple properly and mitigate the effects of sudden deceleration as well as protect the occupants from getting impacted directly. So the ultimate would be a large vehicle which has an incredibly light but impenetrable rigid inner core (ie: the passenger compartment) but outside this inner core would be material of appropriate stiffness so that it can crumple and take the sudden deceleration, depleting the energy over the course of the crumple distance. Or something like that. :)

    --
    Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
  114. Re:Condolences by mellon · · Score: 1

    When you say something in a public forum, putting an apology in your message to the effect that it's only intended for a certain part of that public does not mean that in fact your message only reaches that portion of that public, so yes, I would say that you need to think about every person who will read it, not just the people that you intend to have read it.

    Every religion of which I am aware has as one of its basic tenets that we should speak gently unless there is some strong reason to do otherwise. Christianity is no exception. So considering what effect our words will have is one of our most basic obligations as practitioners.

  115. Re:Condolences by mellon · · Score: 1

    I'd say you're right, because the lie you tell affects those who come after the one who has died, and also because lying is a bad habit that I think harms the one doing it as well, particularly when the lie is harmful, as in the case you've described.

  116. Eye witness report by anticypher · · Score: 5, Informative

    I saw this accident scene this morning. Driving back from Paris to Brussels, there was a large traffic jam which took about 20 minutes to get through. The accident occured just after a rest stop, just after the point where the rest stop traffic merges back into the autoroute. Since its where I usually stop for a rest about an hour north of Paris, I can imagine they either stopped for a rest and were merging back onto the autoroute, or else they got caught in a bunch of trucks scooting around someone merging slowly. Lots of accidents happen at the far end of rest areas. It was pretty foggy this morning, its that season.

    There was quite a bit of heavy equipment on the scene, a mobile crane on the slip road, and a bucket-crane truck with a dump truck picking up what was left of the one truck's load, it looked like scrap metal. There was the cab and remnants of a trailer, very shredded, on flatbed trucks on the slip road. There was obviously a fire, since parts of the guard rail were burned, and the asphalt was scorched. There were some Pompiers (firefighters) and about a dozen Gendarmes from the B.E.A (Bureau d'Enquetes Accidents) standing around, but they had obviously finished all of their report gathering by 10:30 AM when I passed.

    I know Rop, and I've probably met the others at various linux/hac-tic/2600/CCC/EC patent protest events. My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of those involved, and here is wishes for a speedy recovery for the injured. This accident affects all of us in the techie, hacker-in-the-good-sense-of-the-word, and linux scenes here in Europe. Lets remember Hans for the good things he accomplished in his life.

    the AC

    --
    Hemos is like...sci-fi fans;he thinks technology is cool, but he hasn't bothered to understand the science it's based on
  117. Re:Condolences by mellon · · Score: 1

    You didn't annoy me. This is extremely off-topic, though. I will say just one thing about it. I too believe that many of the people around me will visit that lake of fire as a result of their misunderstanding of the world. But I can't prove it. So if I am to help them, just saying "you're going to burn in that lake of fire" isn't going to do it. I was turned off to religion for thirty years as a result of people who said things like that to me. All of them were very sincere, well-meaning Christians.

    When you connect deeply to a spiritual tradition, and what it teaches seems self-evident to you, then it's a natural reaction to want to tell everyone what you've seen. But the thing you've seen that you want to tell them isn't in the words you're going to say. You can't show someone the Eiffel Tower when they're standing in Peoria, IL. You first have to get them on a plane to Paris, and then once they're there you have to get them to a point where they can see the tower.

    Just so, if you truly want to save someone from that lake of fire, the path down which you must lead them doesn't begin with telling them "OMG, you're going to burn in a lake of fire!" The path starts with you coming to understand precisely how to save them from that lake of fire. If you don't know, how can you explain it to them? I have met very few Christians who even try to find that out, even though it's written all over the New Testament in nice friendly red letters. Jesus was a really nice guy - he spelled it all out for us. But mostly we seem to argue and preach over esoterica that have nothing to do with the red letters, and won't get anyone out of that lake, or we loudly proclaim our beliefs in a way that is helpful to no-one.

    (I mean we when I say we - when I first started to get what was going on with my path, I did the same thing, even though I should have known better. Sigh.)

  118. Re:I am deeply sorry for the loss of life by ihaddsl · · Score: 1

    It's not so simplistic. As an AC reply pointed out, were your theory to hold true scooters should be safer than SUVs since they have less mass.

    Of course it's not that simple, If one could explain crash dynamics in a few sentences life would be simply indeed.

    again, in simple terms, it would be best if all vehicles weighed about the same, that way they take equal (or nearly equal) responsibility for dissipating energy. in a single car crash, it's better to have the lightest car you can while still having enough structure and crumple zones to dissipate the energy and yes this post is a simplified version of reality

  119. Re:FAA? by ajs · · Score: 1

    mindless liberal hippyisms like "peace and long life."

    Heh, actually, I was tossing around several last lines there. I had orginally quoted Romeo's, "Live, and be prosperous," but was sure no one would recognize the source, and worse, many would attribute it to Spock's, "Live long and prosper," which The Great Bird lifted from The Bard.

    Random thoughts. And no, I was not trying to remove myself from the observed catagorization. Again, go chechk out the 9/11 posts. They're very informative on the point.

  120. Condolences by Codifex+Maximus · · Score: 1

    I hate to hear of a young mind dying. What would it have accomplished?

    Rest well and peacefully.

    --
    Codifex Maximus ~ In search of... a shorter sig.
    1. Re:Condolences by DunbarTheInept · · Score: 1

      On this we can agree. Nothing angers me faster than people lying about the opinions of others in order to advance their own causes. In my opinion it's the worst thing you could do to a person short of actual violence, and it might even be worse than some milder forms of violence too. (I'd sooner take one punch in the face than have someone use the tactic of lying about what I have said to make my argument look weaker.)

      --

      Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.

  121. Re: Concrete Dividers on Hi/Free/Toll-ways by dscribner · · Score: 1

    "But leave small gaps every ten feet or so for animals... I see roadkill stuck by them every day."

    I agree wholeheartedly. I sometimes see small channels built into the bottom of the concrete dividers to allow for water runoff, but these are too small for many nocturnal creatures taller than about 4" to get through (armadillos, dogs, foxes and coyotes seem to be the most affected here in Texas). I've often wondered why the engineers responsible for designing these things didn't think of this when they pictured miles of their dividers running down the middle of tollways and construction areas in continuous-without-a-gap fashion.

    --
    Yes, it *will* work!
  122. Sad to see a person go by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I have to admit, it is a terrible event when a person dies. Thanks to my faith, which is more or less realism, I'd like to hope the person lived a good life, accomplished what he had hoped to at that point in his life. I also see what we live in as an ecosystem, although the human race likes to separate itself from the animals, the chaos and destruction rendered by humans is part of the ecosystem and we will all be effected (one way or another) by the loss of any human being.

    That being said, I have to present the obvious which is that the Slashdot community is far too diverse too cope with a situation like this. There are people of every known religion (except possibly Amish sects of Christianity), there are a great deal of children as well, it is definately safe to say that no matter what posting is made regarding this event, someone is bound to get offended. In fact, the less rational are likely to not only make defensive remarks such as "imagine it was your dad", but others are likely to respond further and fuel the argument.

    It is my personal oppinion that a comment forum such as this should either in this circumstance simply turn the comments section black in order to pay condolences by blocking what may be rude comments, or people who insist on writing comments that are defensive regarding the seriousness of the issue simply avoid fueling the debates by giving people more reason to disregard to original reason for the posting.

    I personally am among the group of people which has always accepted life and death and have always valued death as the greatest contribution a person can make to the environment. When I die, I personally hope to fertalize a lovely tree, the tree will one day be chopped down and made into firewood and later it will help to save the life of a child that would otherwise freeze to death without the warmth of my wood, etc...

    So if people make comments that are rude or jokign regarding the death, instead of forcing them to see your way of perceiving death, simply avoid fueling a debate which simply can not be won. The Christians have tried forcing their beliefs down the throats of millions by force, of course they have had great success, but there's still a lot more that aren't Christian than that are. Your comments on Slashdot will be taken much less seriously than the churches gunpoint salesmanship. Just leave it alone and pay your respects to the dead.

    To the others which are trolling for flamebait on this one, please find a more appropriate forum, or at least fake your own death, get a comment on slashdot and then poke fun.

  123. Re:FAA? by the_mad_poster · · Score: 1

    Save lives.... by killing people?

    I only know one of one human being that abysmally stupid on this planet. You don't happen to have been spanked in any presidential debates lately, have you?

    --
    Alito: A vote for Alito is a punch in the eye to put that bitch back in her place!
  124. Re:FAA? by lachlan76 · · Score: 1

    I know who he was, I know that he shared some similar interests to me.
    Thre is a difference between the death that you never hear about, and the death that you do hear about, especially when you know things about them.

  125. M2 is not informed by time of M1 by GQuon · · Score: 1

    In M2, I treat all the moderations as if they were the first one given to the post.

    It's a fundamental flaw in the metamoderation system that you can't know in what order the moderations were performed. That also makes it very difficult to M2 "Overrated" and "Underrated". Giving a +5 Funny post a -1 Overrated may be fair. But it's unfair to give an unmoderated post a -1 Overrated.

    Also, several moderators could have entered a moderation around the same time. That way, posts jump up far above what the moderator thought the post deserved. This could be solved by an optional "Maz score" field next to the moderation SELECT, so that if three moderators moderated a post with starting score 1, "+1 Funny, max 3" at the same time, only two of those mod. point were used, and the third user got the mod. point back to use later.

    --
    Irene KHAAAAAAN!