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Aaron Swartz commits suicide

tech.mit.edu

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Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#61

Post by rdtsc »

monsterix wrote: post #44
Claudus wrote: post #16

Here's the JSTOR Statement related to the downloading incident: http://about.jstor.org/news/jstor-statement-misuse-incident-... What Happened Last fall and winter, JSTOR experienced a significant misuse of our database. A substantial portion of our publisher partners’ content was downloaded in an unauthorized fashion using the network at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of our participating institutions…

Can we not know who exactly (their faces/names etc.) were the people working in the "US Attorney Office" bent to indict him? It's easy for people to term it was not JSTOR, it was the Attorney Office but ultimately these things happen only because people forget how to treat other people properly.

Presumably DOJ doesn't flip coins to decide which cases to handle as there is considerable time, money and other resources involved in each case.

It would be interesting to know how much political and lobbying interests influence those prosecutions. I could not find anything of substance on this topic.

JSTOR can of course officially deny everything, but other publishers, along with MPAA would probably have a vested interest in turning him into an example.

Presumably, from what I had just read here, Aaron's political views wouldn't exactly been too popular with the US govt -- maybe this is just enough to put his case at the top of the stack.

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#62

Post by flexd »

I am deeply sorry to hear about this and it brings back memories of last year when a friend of mine did the same.

Depression is a terrible thing, and I hope we are one day able to cure it. It is treatable, seek help immediately if you are thinking about suicide! I hate that you cannot look upon someone and instantly know if they are depressed or not. If I could, I would drop everything to help a person I saw having trouble.

I hope Aaron found peace, and I wish his family the best.

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#64

Post by krzyk »

lopatin wrote: post #36
cremnob wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why are you assuming he did it because of his legal problems?

Because he was a brilliant and loved computer programmer who was facing 35 years in prison. Can you imagine the US Attorneys office treating you in the same manner they treat rapists because you wrote a downloader script? I'd say it's a very reasonable assumption. RIP Aaron

Nobody sane would kill himself - it's against the nature of all beings. Besides it's the easy way out.

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#65

Post by catch23 »

jacques_chester wrote: post #33

This is terrible news. Depression is treatable. If you find that you are thinking about suicide, even speculatively, seek help immediately . You are not alone and it will get better.

did he have a history of depression? perhaps it was simply due to stress or pressure? The thought of spending the next 35 years in prison for downloading documents can be pretty painful... probably as bad as someone who was wrongfully tried for murder.

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#66

Post by jlgreco »

aneth4 wrote: post #49
alrs wrote: post #7

Fuck this country. EDIT: The guy was facing 13 felony counts for downloading academic articles.

Understandable emotion, but the country did not kill him. He did that. You can disagree with the laws of the land, protest them, even violate them in protest assuming you are willing to pay the consequences. You can blame the country, its politicians, or its voters for having bad laws. You can't blame those entities for this suicide. That was his choice, and it's unfortunate he will not be around to make his case.

We have no problem directing our attention at bullying when we consider elevated teenage suicide statistics, but if those bullies happen to be in government they are suddenly off limits and deserve no blame?

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#68

Post by abrahamsen »

monsterix wrote: post #44
Claudus wrote: post #16

Here's the JSTOR Statement related to the downloading incident: http://about.jstor.org/news/jstor-statement-misuse-incident-... What Happened Last fall and winter, JSTOR experienced a significant misuse of our database. A substantial portion of our publisher partners’ content was downloaded in an unauthorized fashion using the network at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of our participating institutions…

Can we not know who exactly (their faces/names etc.) were the people working in the "US Attorney Office" bent to indict him? It's easy for people to term it was not JSTOR, it was the Attorney Office but ultimately these things happen only because people forget how to treat other people properly.

Knowing the reddit community, do you really think that is a good idea?

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#69

Post by dyno12345 »

aneth4 wrote: post #50
bpdthrow wrote: post #45

Aaron suffered from a brain disorder. He had documented periods of extreme withdrawn depression and others of mild manic productivity. Because of that brain disorder, perhaps because it was not attacked with the requisite treatment, he is dead. If you or a loved one are ever feeling suicidal, depressed, or are acting abnormally erratic, contact an expert. It's nothing to be ashamed about. It's just a lottery of genet…

Can you provide more information about which brain disorder?

It's a way of describing "depression" in a way that doesn't feel compatible with blame.

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#70

Post by krzyk »

toyg wrote: post #32

Every single person employed by the US Attorney Office involved in this tragedy should be sued to hell by the family. Have some goddamn responsibility for once. This is utterly disgraceful, I feel for his family.

Did any of the employees of US Attorney Office forced him (like putting a gun to a head of one of his loved ones) to do it? It was his own choice to end his life.
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