Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot • Hacker News Board

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#21

Post by jarek » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 2:58 PM UTC

danilocampos wrote: post #16

pseuds_corner wrote: post #3

A walk outside in nature: something I can heartily recommend all the folk stoking up their teenage emotion tsunami while swamping HN with endless Steve tributes.

Come back and say it on your real account, chief.

Look, I'll say it on my real account. I'm not that guy. I find the outpouring of grief repetitive at best and embarrassing at worst. It's the time of year for everyone to strut out their favourite Steve stories and anecdotes. Gotta tell everyone how you feel.

Tell me you can read a comment like http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3078323 with a straight face.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#22

Post by swombat » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:00 PM UTC

flamingbuffalo wrote: post #2

"I like to think that in the run-up to his final keynote, Steve made time for a long, peaceful walk. Somewhere beautiful, where there are no footpaths and the grass grows thick. Hand-in-hand with his wife and family, the sun warm on their backs, smiles on their faces, love in their hearts, at peace with their fate." Beautifully written. And I'm glad it took Gruber some time to post this after the news broke yesterday…

Don't discount something just because it's quickly written. Strong emotions are a powerful source of artistic inspiration. Sometimes, you can create in 5 minutes something which hours or months or even years of labour could not equal.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#23

Post by swombat » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:01 PM UTC

jarek wrote: post #21

danilocampos wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Come back and say it on your real account, chief.

Look, I'll say it on my real account. I'm not that guy. I find the outpouring of grief repetitive at best and embarrassing at worst. It's the time of year for everyone to strut out their favourite Steve stories and anecdotes. Gotta tell everyone how you feel. Tell me you can read a comment like http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3078323 with a straight face.

So I guess you're also the kind of guy who goes to a funeral and tells the people there to just get over it and move on?

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#24

Post by danilocampos » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:02 PM UTC

pseuds_corner wrote: post #17

danilocampos wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Come back and say it on your real account, chief.

Why? So the hordes of mawkish Steve idolisers can downvote the blasphemer? There are penalties from differing from the hivemind (slowban, hellban etc). Anonymity is the only way to communicate my level of amazement at the current mania. So forgive me if I don't do that.

I think your behaving like a dick is probably more the trouble than your amazement.

This guy meant something to a lot of people. It's okay that you're different. But let people have their moment. Go for a walk. People exist for their own purposes, not your pleasure.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#25

Post by shabda » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:04 PM UTC

jgrahamc wrote: post #13

Many years ago a colleague, Steve Holtzman, suddenly discovered he had colon cancer. Within a year he had faded away (it seemed almost literally) and was gone. He had money and access to the best doctors, but he wasn't vigilant (he had ignored odd weight loss and bowel trouble) and so it was too late. Although Jobs didn't die of a "man's disease" there are lots of men killers out there that can be stopped if you look…

In January 2009 I was Stage 5 chronic kidney disease, in July 2009 I had a kidney transplant.

Looking back there were so many telltale signs that I had over the last six months, which I was ignoring as I was busy building my startup. A regular health check has the potential to catch a problem like this. I now nag each of my friends and family in having an annual health check.

Its the best time you can spend.

This was not the first time I made a mistake like this. When I was a kid, I had trouble seeing my teacher's blackboard. I just kept moving closer to the blackboard. I saw a doctor when I had trouble understanding what the teacher was writing from the first row.

Problems like this creep up on you over years, and they are so gradual you don't realize them.

You wont run your site without a Google Analytics/Pingdom. Dont do it with your life. If you haven't had a health check, get it done today.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#26

Post by flamingbuffalo » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:05 PM UTC

swombat wrote: post #22

flamingbuffalo wrote: post #2

"I like to think that in the run-up to his final keynote, Steve made time for a long, peaceful walk. Somewhere beautiful, where there are no footpaths and the grass grows thick. Hand-in-hand with his wife and family, the sun warm on their backs, smiles on their faces, love in their hearts, at peace with their fate." Beautifully written. And I'm glad it took Gruber some time to post this after the news broke yesterday…

Don't discount something just because it's quickly written. Strong emotions are a powerful source of artistic inspiration. Sometimes, you can create in 5 minutes something which hours or months or even years of labour could not equal.

very good point - and probably even more true when it's something emotional like this.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#27

Post by jarek » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:07 PM UTC

swombat wrote: post #23

jarek wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Look, I'll say it on my real account. I'm not that guy. I find the outpouring of grief repetitive at best and embarrassing at worst. It's the time of year for everyone to strut out their favourite Steve stories and anecdotes. Gotta tell everyone how you feel. Tell me you can read a comment like http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3078323 with a straight face.

So I guess you're also the kind of guy who goes to a funeral and tells the people there to just get over it and move on?

I wouldn't say I went to Steve Jobs's funeral, unless you consider showing up on the internet today that.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#28

Post by danilocampos » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:07 PM UTC

jarek wrote: post #21

danilocampos wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Come back and say it on your real account, chief.

Look, I'll say it on my real account. I'm not that guy. I find the outpouring of grief repetitive at best and embarrassing at worst. It's the time of year for everyone to strut out their favourite Steve stories and anecdotes. Gotta tell everyone how you feel. Tell me you can read a comment like http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3078323 with a straight face.

Life is a lot more enjoyable when you accept, as I've just mentioned in a cousin, that people exist for their own purposes and not your pleasure. Some people express their feelings in saccharin ways. Okay. And? Does it make those feelings, or those people, less valid that they're more Hallmark than Bob Dylan?

Death is difficult. Cut people a damn break.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#29

Post by PhrosTT » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:10 PM UTC

juliano_q wrote: post #6

I am not a big Gruber fan. Actually, I disagree with most of his opinions. But this text is just beautiful.

Came here to make the same point. I kinda hate his fanboyism, but damn if he can't find the angle nobody else sees.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#30

Post by achompas » Thu, Oct 06, 2011, 3:11 PM UTC

mapleoin wrote: post #12

technoslut wrote: post #5

Gruber's talent for writing never ceases to amaze me. It's always incredible that a tech blogger can write so well and, in this case, poetically. Five minutes ago I had just watched Jobs' commencement speech on CNN for the at least the 50th time. I put work on hold just to hear it again. Every time I hear it I gain strength. I've never had a dad but I did have heroes. Steve Jobs is one of them.

Funnily I got the exact opposite impression. I thought it was cheesy and kitsch.

Very surprising to read this. Was there anything in particular that bugged you about it?

To me, Gruber captures Jobs as both a loving family man and a visionary who is selective with his attention to detail. This is a nice lesson, as I often spend time focusing on the wrong details.

Even the structure of the article -- a vignette with a narrative device built from a small detail -- is a tribute to Jobs's legendary focus on details.

Beautiful on multiple levels.