John Perry Barlow has died

I used to call him from time to time when I was a teenager, back in the early 1990s. He was always very open and neighborly and curious.

There are a number of sub-cultures that exist across the USA - redneck Wyoming ranchers, deadheads, San Francisco computer gearheads, civil libertarians - he seemed to belong to all of them. He was an easy person to say of that "he is one of the members of our community".

I know that him and Sean Parker were friends going way back. Someone told me a story that on the day Parker met Mark Zuckerberg etc. at the 66 restaurant, as portrayed in the movie the "Social Network", that Parker was crashing on Barlow's couch. I don't know if that is true or just part of the legend...

You would see him at various events around New York City when he was in the city. He often went to Florio's Pizzeria and Cigar Bar, holding court with people like Jaron Lanier and others.

A friend of mine said "He lived a life many would envy".

First met JPB in '87.

I'm realizing I'm too sad to share any of the many stories.

But it also makes me realize how much of an Internet warrior we've all lost, and that we need to keep up the hope and the fight. Donate to EFF as memorial, please.

The end of an era. You will be missed, you wonderful old beatific cybernetic flower child ;) RIP

California, a prophet on the burning shore California, I'll be knocking on the golden door Like an angel, standing in a shaft of light Rising up to paradise, I know I'm gonna shine

Such a loss. Who is the thought leader today to push back on the huge curtailment of online freedoms happening around the world. Even in the HN crowd, you see people succumbing to nationalism and making arguments to support their government's right to impose their court decisions on foreign jurisdictions in cyberspace. The problem isn't just the Great Firewall, it's stuff like Turkey or Thailand getting YouTube to take down a video criticizing their leader outside their region. It's European courts ruling their restrictions have to apply globally.

There's no leader really standing up and affirming the philosophical dream of the independence of cyberspace, as a place where people can gather freely to transact in virtual ways however they want. Rather, there's a huge backslide over the last 20 years.

We shall take his declaration as an inspiration to keep fighting for free information accross the world. The power of his thought comes from believing we're just moments away from liberating people living through oppression of information, just now as we're on HN, and there can be nothing stopping information from spreading.