Unix Guru Evi Nemeth Missing, Feared Lost At Sea

14erCleaner writes "Retired Colorado professor Evi Nemeth has been missing between New Zealand and Australia since June 4, along with six others on their racing yacht. Nemeth, 73, is known as the primary author of the definitive Unix systems administration guide and for other works on Unix and Linux system administration and cryptography."

Comments

Re:He's obviously met his Nemeth-is

[Intrepid imaginaut]

She, and show some respect. Honestly I hope I'm active enough at 73 to go cruising around the world in my yacht.

Re:Rawr

[rubycodez]

wow, everyone assumes she is a dude because only guys would know how to write Unix and Linux sysadmin books? She also held PHD in mathematics and worked in projects to bring the internet to developing countries.

find /ocean *evi*

[Anonymous Coward]

find /ocean -name *evi*

Tragedy

[Anonymous Coward]

That really sucks.
I'm currently doing Systems Administration in Antarctica. I got my first professional network administration job in Boulder, around the time that the "Yellow book" came out (2nd Ed. of the "UNIX Systems Administration Handbook," Nemeth, Snyder, Hein, et al.). The book got me boostrapped for work in NeXT and SunOS administration. I've been to six continents, and have worked in IT for 20+ years. I owe a lot of my life's earnings and experiences to what I learned in Nemeth's texts.
Godspeed, Evi.

Lost

[lorinc]

When working on Unix systems, it is easy to get lost at C. Let's hope she'll hack her way to the coast.

She thought it was a 3-hour tour

[Spy Handler]

a 3-hour tour

Re:Rawr

[Victor_0x53h]

I thought a beard was required, that's how misinformed I am!

Re:Rawr

[Farmer Tim]

And they were familiar with eunuchs commands.

RTFM

[westlake]

No, it's a reasonable assumption given the actual Unix writer demographics and given the somewhat non-descript first name.

But absolute proof that a poster hasn't clicked on any of the links in the story --- all three of which describe Evi as female and the Wikipedia bio including a photograph.

Re:Another one?

[freeze128]

Davy Jones needs admins....

The sign on Evi's desk

[Arrogant-Bastard]

The last time I was in her office (which was many years ago) I noticed the sign on her desk:

Don't postpone joy.

She didn't. From the gusto with which she threw herself into her work to the whimsy that led her to recycle a jet fighter's cockpit canopy as a window in her improvised mountain home, she never hesitated to find a smile or a laugh.

So if we've lost her -- and I hope we haven't -- then we've not only lost someone who's been the mentor to an entire generation of system admins, we've lost a unique, wonderful, fascinating person.

p.s. I'm well aware that there are co-authors of those books. I'm equally well aware that Evi did the heavy lifting.

Oh-no

[rainer_d]

I didn't understand much of Unix before I read her book. But then I got my hands on the (then already ancient) 1st edition of the Unix System Administration Handbook - and it felt like a fog being lifted.

And I admit, I also thought she was a guy. She probably has baskets full of letters and emails with "Dear Mr Nemeth, ...".

Evi Nemeth, we owe you!

My good friend at CU.

[SteveWoz]

Evi has been my closest contact at CU over the years. She was always a good friend and administered the scholarship I set up there. I am very sad but hoping to hear good news from my NZ friends. Evi was a very important person when it comes to Unix and Internet routing.

more information here

[AndroSyn]

I just googled a bit for further information about the ship and came across a rather interesting thread: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f121/schooner-nina-merged-3-threads-105498.html

It appears the ship is equipped with an EPIRB that hasn't been activated apparently. Perhaps they really are just offcourse and not lost.

Hopes are down

[vikingpower]

I was in a NATO Navy for some years, and have seen more than one scenario like this one unfold. Although there definitely may be some individuals clinging on to a lifeboat for dear life, I would consider the Nina lost. Not implausible for such racing yacht in the roughness of the Tasman Sea in ( local ) winter. Reports mentioned rough seas of up to 8 meters. I guess in the front(s) the Nina has had to endure, gusts could have easily gone over 80 knots. Under such conditions, a racing yacht as low on the water as the Nina can go down in a matter of minutes... The Aussies and especially the Kiwi CG are doing all they can, but the Tasman Sea measures about 2,380,000 square miles... At this point, anything less than a miracle is to be ruled out, and any miracle highly unlikely. Rest to their souls.