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Maddog's New Hampshire "Unix" Plate Turns 20
An anonymous reader writes "Local newspaper talks to Linux International's Jon 'maddog' Hall, who lives in New Hampshire, and who since 1989 has had a 'Live Free or Die' UNIX license plate — a real one, not a conference hand-out — on his Jeep. From the story:
'The day he installed the UNIX plates, he went early to work at DEC's office on Spit Brook Road in Nashua, to be sure to get the parking space right next to the door used by all the Unix engineers. He watched them come in and, one after another, do a double take at seeing the real-world version of the famous fake plate. "People would race in and yell, 'Who is it? Whose plate is it?!?'" Hall said. It was his then and it is his now. After 20 years, one suspects you will have to pry it from his cold, dead fingers.'"
I saw a chick driving a car with a Connecticut LINUX plate in Danbury. I just about divorced my wife right then and there. :)
We here in Sweden celebrate New Hampshire license plates all the time. And this one is certainly the most celebrated here, without a doubt. I mean.. Why wouldn't we celebrate a license plate from New Hampshire? It would be silly not to really.
It's little known in the nerd community that "unix" has also negative conotations for example in certain ghettos in california an unix is a one-legged chinese hooker.
Call me sceptical, but this is remiscent of the bullshit entries near the bottom of the list on Urban Dictionary (3 thumbs up from the submitter and friends, 10 thumbs down from everyone else who stumbled across that piece of nonsense).
I live near Spitbrook and I've seen that plate around the area for years. I've never known the story behind it though.
What about their sister Ulva Daphne?
Uh huh. I gather you aren't from these parts. Might I suggest you google Article 10 of the NH state constitution? Very interesting read and is occasionally brought to the attention of the Pols here.
Ah yes, the famous Swedish Hampplattrsdag! I understand you even have a crispbread shaped like the plate.
Here in the UK we named a county 'Hampshire' in honour. I have the misfortune to live 'next door' in West Sussex, but I am considering moving.
AT&ROFLMAO
For those that are too lazy to look it up: Article 10
That was the windows version.
Read what I mean, not what I wrote.
Yeah, I don't remember quite having the same connection with her.
(or GNU/Linux if it wasn't too long to fit)
The most you can have is 7 letters on NH plates.
Wi nøt trei a høliday in Sweden this yer?
See the løveli lakes
The wonderful telephøne system
And mani interesting furry animals
a one-legged chinese hooker.
... named Irene?
A host is a host from coast to coast...
Unless it's down, or slow, or fails to POST!
To beat a bunch of UNIX engineers? I guess he got in at about 10.30am
Unreliable.
-- I have a private email server in my basement.