
RIP Michael S. Hart: founder of Project Gutenberg - armored
http://radar.oreilly.com/2011/09/rip-michael-s-hart.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+oreilly%2Fradar%2Fatom+%28O%27Reilly+Radar%29
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wyclif
What was the cause of death? It isn't mentioned in his obituary or any of the
news items I've seen so far.

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bryanlarsen
I must admit to being curious myself, but neither of us need to know. Now is
the time to celebrate his life, not to gossip about his death.

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wyclif
Wait, what? Merely inquiring as to how he died is "gossip" and the implication
is that I'm engaging in negativity? I think you should check the dictionary:

gossip [ˈgɒsɪp] n 1\. casual and idle chat to have a gossip with a friend 2\.
a conversation involving malicious chatter or rumours about other people a
gossip about the neighbours 3\. Also called gossipmonger a person who
habitually talks about others, esp maliciously 4\. light easy communication to
write a letter full of gossip 5\. Archaic a close woman friend

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bryanlarsen
If the death was something mundane for somebody born in 1947 (a heart attack
for example), then you're engaging in #1 which doesn't belong on Hacker News.

If the death is something juicy like drugs or suicide, then you're engaging in
#2. You don't have to be malicious to spread malicious chatter.

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lukeschlather
A heart attack at 64 is mundane to be sure, but I think it would be worth
knowing. The article's anecdote about eating sugar on pizza might present an
object lesson for the people left to carry on his legacy if his death related
to a heart condition.

In any case, I don't think blindly ignoring his faults, whatever they may be,
is the best way to celebrate his life. People are usually great in spite of
and even because of their faults. Ignoring them doesn't really give a good
picture of the person.

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sciurus
The previous discussion of Michael's death is at
<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2971971>

