Aaron Swartz, Precocious Programmer and Internet Activist, Dies at 26

[OldDem2012]

Aaron Swartz, Precocious Programmer and Internet Activist, Dies at 26

QUOTE:

Aaron Swartz, a wizardly programmer who as a teenager helped to develop a computer code that provided a format for delivering regularly changing Web content and in later life became an unwavering crusader to make that information free of charge, died in New York on Friday, a family member said.

Mr. Swartz was 26, and his death was due to suicide. His body was found by his girlfriend in his apartment in New York, his uncle, Michael Wolf, said on Saturday. He had apparently hanged himself, Mr. Wolf said.

As a 14-year-old, Mr. Swartz helped create RSS, the nearly ubiquitous software that allows people to subscribe to information from the Internet. But as he reached adulthood, Mr. Swartz became even more of an Internet folk hero to many because of his online activism to make many Internet files open to the public for free.

Very sad news.

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. that's really really sad

[southernyankeebelle]

2. Such a hansom young man how sad to be in that place where you give up on living.

I hope now he finds peace.

[Logical]

3. Facing 5o years for hacking. Which is stupid. The Feds are a joke when it comes to punishing people.

[Luminous Animal]

17. 30 years. 5 years for each charge.

[MagickMuffin]

4. Very Sad To Say the Least: RIP Aaron

Now if only Carmen M. Ortiz, a United States attorney, would do the same thing concerning the Wall Street Gangs!

Carmen M. Ortiz pressed on, saying that “stealing is stealing, whether you use a computer command or a crowbar, and whether you take documents, data or dollars.”

Yes, Carmen you should go after the Wall Street thugs! Sounds reasonable to me!

[AverageJoe90]

9. Indeed. The hypocrisy is astounding. n/t

[snot]

5. A tragic loss to humanity.

And we should consider his persecution by our government a very bad sign.

(Great article about him at http://boingboing.net/2013/01/12/rip-aaron-swartz.html#more-205376 ).

[Duppers]

11. This is a MOST intetesting & important article

He was BRILLIANT and very interested and active in progressive causes. His death is a great loss. Why do conservative idiots never off themselves?!

Thx for posting the link.

[HiPointDem]

6. rip.

[rhett o rick]

7. Sorry to hear this news. nm

[mzmolly]

8. Very sad

indeed.

[ReRe]

10. Not fair...

...too damn young! I look at the sky and scream 'Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy????????"
Fuck this GD world. Fuck whatever it was that made him do this.

[bl968]

12. RSS

RSS isn't software it is a data format

[OldDem2012]

14. Thanks for your heart-warming sensitivity. nt.

[Lex]

16. a master at pulling out the relevant points

in a story, I see

[DogPawsBiscuitsNGrav]

13. And the banks Launder drug money that's used to murder innocent people and yet they walk free. This

young man did a lot of great things and was looking at

charges in the case, including wire fraud and computer fraud, were pending at the time of Mr. Swartz’s death, carrying potential penalties of up to 35 years in prison and $1 million in fines.

Our justice system is sick and corrupt.

[OldDem2012]

15. My guess is they wanted him to rat out other people and he refused....

...I hope the prosecutor in this case has a tough time sleeping for a long, long time.

[Luminous Animal]

18. Official statement from his family and partner...

http://rememberaaronsw.tumblr.com/post/40372208044/official-statement-from-the-family-and-partner-of-aaron

Aaron’s commitment to social justice was profound, and defined his life. He was instrumental to the defeat of an Internet censorship bill; he fought for a more democratic, open, and accountable political system; and he helped to create, build, and preserve a dizzying range of scholarly projects that extended the scope and accessibility of human knowledge. He used his prodigious skills as a programmer and technologist not to enrich himself but to make the Internet and the world a fairer, better place. His deeply humane writing touched minds and hearts across generations and continents. He earned the friendship of thousands and the respect and support of millions more.

Aaron’s death is not simply a personal tragedy. It is the product of a criminal justice system rife with intimidation and prosecutorial overreach. Decisions made by officials in the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s office and at MIT contributed to his death. The US Attorney’s office pursued an exceptionally harsh array of charges, carrying potentially over 30 years in prison, to punish an alleged crime that had no victims. Meanwhile, unlike JSTOR, MIT refused to stand up for Aaron and its own community’s most cherished principles.

[blackspade]

19. RIP buddy.