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Hans Reiser on ReiserFS deprecation in the Linux kernel

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Re: Hans Reiser on ReiserFS deprecation in the Linux kernel

#141

That was fascinating. It sounds like he’s done some real introspection during his lockup, and I hope he’s able to apply those learnings to future situations. I felt bad for him[0] while reading. He was a brilliant young person with a big dream, yet without the interpersonal skills to help him realize it. I’ve seen that so often. Maybe this will help me look past the next person’s challenging communications, and think…

I don't believe he did. He's just angling for his next parole date as he got denied this year.

California is comically light on crime, I'm sure he'll be out within 2-3 parole hearings.

Re: Hans Reiser on ReiserFS deprecation in the Linux kernel

#142
post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why should prisons be about punishment rather than rehabilitation?

“Rehabilitation” means that a person is suffering from some condition, and they are not personally at fault for their crimes. While there is some partial truth in this point of view, taking it at 100% face value is unfair, to say the least. People can be actually guilty of something.

Okay, if someone cannot be "rehabilitated" where is the value to society or to that person in punishing them to make them suffer more on top of separating them from the public?

Re: Hans Reiser on ReiserFS deprecation in the Linux kernel

#143
post #92
post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't understand and can't accept why crimes committed while drunk get you a lesser punishment than a crime committed while sober.

tl;dr https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/mens_rea If you don't want to accept it, that's more on you, refusing to understand it is weird though.

Recklessly drinking when you know you are going to drive immediately afterwards means that there is mens rea. Perhaps not for murder but certainly for deliberately increasing the risk of harm to an innocent party.

Re: Hans Reiser on ReiserFS deprecation in the Linux kernel

#145
post #19

I think about Hans Reiser pretty often, incidentally, because there is a quote from him I read as a teenager that stuck with me. "The utility of an operating system is proportional to the number of connections possible between its components, than it is to the number of those components." — Hans Reiser (from http://web.archive.org/web/20040126210110/http://unununium.o... ) It's hard to reconcile good things a person…

> That sentence is a guiding principle of software design that I cannot often quote

Just rephrase it. It is not like you need to bring him up to discuss the idea, or as if this is the only form the idea can be expressed.

In fact I would say the quote as it is is confusingly written.

Re: Hans Reiser on ReiserFS deprecation in the Linux kernel

#146
post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He could have likely gotten away with it He had a plea deal offer for not much more than time served so he even had a definite option to a form of getting away with it.

Why didn't he take it? It's pretty much the best what murderer on trial can hope for. ... then again, if he was reasonable he'd probably never commit murder.

I figure it was because he thought he was so intelligent that he could run circles around the court.

Re: Hans Reiser on ReiserFS deprecation in the Linux kernel

#147
post #2

I don't know if ending another human's life leaves any possibility of redemption for a person, but reading this I still empathize with the sense of loss and powerlessness that emanate from this letter.

> ending another human's life leaves any possibility of redemption for a person You realize the volunteer soldiers that enter a battle to kill other humans also fall under this scope? Yet in many countries we celebrate their return and service, despite what they may have done. I agree these are not quite the same thing, in how a deed is carried out, but the end result is in fact the same.

> You realize the volunteer soldiers that enter a battle to kill other humans also fall under this scope?

Yes. And I strongly believe there's something wrong with their brains. Not so wrong as with the brains of murderers. But to let someone's words override your innate blocks against killing is some weaknes of the brain, easily exploitable with disastrous consequences for humanity.

It makes wars feasible.

Re: Hans Reiser on ReiserFS deprecation in the Linux kernel

#148
post #94

The contents of the letter are interesting in their own right, but there are 2 aspects that strike me as particularly interesting. First off, he doesn't seem to regret killing his wife, more the consequences of his crime. He doesn't mention her by name or say that she didn't deserve it. Secondly, the person he's corresponding with, Fredrick Brennan is fascinating in his own right. He's one of the 3 central characters…

[deleted]

Re: Hans Reiser on ReiserFS deprecation in the Linux kernel

#149
post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He could have likely gotten away with it He had a plea deal offer for not much more than time served so he even had a definite option to a form of getting away with it.

Why didn't he take it? It's pretty much the best what murderer on trial can hope for. ... then again, if he was reasonable he'd probably never commit murder.

You can get the details from the contemporary coverage linked in the sibling comments but it seemed like he felt he'd go to trial and be acquitted. If I had to guess, having to admit he'd been lying to everyone through the whole process was probably also a factor - the deal was something like plead to a manslaughter charge and reveal the location of the victim's body.

Re: Hans Reiser on ReiserFS deprecation in the Linux kernel

#150
post #19

I think about Hans Reiser pretty often, incidentally, because there is a quote from him I read as a teenager that stuck with me. "The utility of an operating system is proportional to the number of connections possible between its components, than it is to the number of those components." — Hans Reiser (from http://web.archive.org/web/20040126210110/http://unununium.o... ) It's hard to reconcile good things a person…

I was impressed by this quote from TFA:

> Through force of will, and hard work, he made himself into a programmer of extraordinary skill ...

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