Looks like "folk art" to me.
Like dropping an IBM PC on Gilligan's Island ;-)
God's Lonely Programmer
91–100 of 339 posts
Re: God's Lonely Programmer
#92Earlier quoted context omitted.
Is he actually racist, or are his moments of unclarity racist?
To determine that might require face-to-face contact and since he is a diagnosed schizophrenic, it might still be unclear. Even if the racism only comes out during manic periods, it would be difficult to parse that in an online medium. Since very few of us are trained to deal with that sort of episode, it is probably best to avoid the issue entirely.
Why not just ask?
Re: God's Lonely Programmer
#93Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't think there's sure evidence either way, but I did read this line: > Unable to work, he collects Social Security disability and spends most of his time coding, web surfing, or using the output... I have no idea if Terry would like to work or not, but I don't see harm in someone making it possible for him by extending an offer. In addition, I think it's hard to see the huge number of TempleOS posts and comments…
Not everybody needs a job in order to live a fulfilling life. LoseThos is working—he is doing God's work, as he would gladly tell you.
It's as if you didn't read the comment above where I said that "I have no idea if Terry would like to work or not."
Re: God's Lonely Programmer
#94The lionization of this guy reminds me of the reporting of the Charge of the Light Brigade. All those noble British soldiers, following orders even unto death, what courage, what majesty... when what should really have been said was: what a bunch of bloody idiots, who got themselves killed for no reason. And so the same foolishness repeated throughout the first world war. So let me say it: this guy, whether through h…
It's essentially an art project.
Which, for me at least, exempts it from evaluation on grounds of pure utility.
Re: God's Lonely Programmer
#95Earlier quoted context omitted.
I wouldn't say you're so much condescending to him as rather underestimating him.
How would I be underestimating him? If anything, I'm underestimating his potential employers. There's a digital fossil record of what he's said online at this point, and the average hiring manager will probably just throw him out as a candidate as soon as they any of his posts, unless they take the time to understand the larger situation at play.
He's not this helpless, crazy clod, he has a network and friends and everything. His fate is not wholly in the hands of "average hiring managers".
Re: God's Lonely Programmer
#96I'm a huge fan of Terry's work, because he works hard, has a clear vision for what he wants to do, and makes it happen. That's more than can be said of many self-professed hackers who never see a project to completion or are motivated solely by peer recognition. You may disagree with the logical coherency of his goals - I for one think the "temple for God" thing is pure kookery - but he is a master craftsman, and in…
Every time his story comes up, there are people who respond with answers along the lines of "what can we do for him? can we find him assisted employment? can we raise money for him?" etc. While these comments are surely well intentioned, they end up being mostly condescending and out of place, as if talking about a completely helpless being. He is openly racist. He can't find a job on his own, unless it's among other…
The help that he wants is for people to use his software. Perhaps someone could sponsor a hackathon to develop games, or other software for TempleOS.
Re: God's Lonely Programmer
#97Earlier quoted context omitted.
If you're referring to him saying "nigger" multiple times, then I think that that to him is more like a a kind of a generic bad-word to go with, and that he's not actually using it in a true "racist" sense. Of course I agree that just using that word to insult someone classifies as racist, but so far I've never seen anywhere in his comments or rants that he actually argumented something against black people.
Quoting from the first page of @TempleOS's comments (censorship mine, of course): I spend my days clubbing retard-n s. CLUB! CLUB! DIE N ! CLUB! RETARD! N ! DIE!! CLUB! N ! Regardless of his mental state, this is not content that I want in any of my online communities.
Right, and the sense of my comment is that this does not necessarily imply that he would not actually work and then fit nice in team with a black guy, for example. That's just how I perceive that..
Re: God's Lonely Programmer
#98I'm a huge fan of Terry's work, because he works hard, has a clear vision for what he wants to do, and makes it happen. That's more than can be said of many self-professed hackers who never see a project to completion or are motivated solely by peer recognition. You may disagree with the logical coherency of his goals - I for one think the "temple for God" thing is pure kookery - but he is a master craftsman, and in…
Every time his story comes up, there are people who respond with answers along the lines of "what can we do for him? can we find him assisted employment? can we raise money for him?" etc. While these comments are surely well intentioned, they end up being mostly condescending and out of place, as if talking about a completely helpless being. He is openly racist. He can't find a job on his own, unless it's among other…
[deleted]
Re: God's Lonely Programmer
#99I'm a huge fan of Terry's work, because he works hard, has a clear vision for what he wants to do, and makes it happen. That's more than can be said of many self-professed hackers who never see a project to completion or are motivated solely by peer recognition. You may disagree with the logical coherency of his goals - I for one think the "temple for God" thing is pure kookery - but he is a master craftsman, and in…
Every time his story comes up, there are people who respond with answers along the lines of "what can we do for him? can we find him assisted employment? can we raise money for him?" etc. While these comments are surely well intentioned, they end up being mostly condescending and out of place, as if talking about a completely helpless being. He is openly racist. He can't find a job on his own, unless it's among other…
>what can we do for him? can we find him assisted employment?
What's really funny is that, from their perspective, "helping" him involves better integrating him into the world we all accept.
But, there's nothing particularly "sane" or even healthy about that world.
Re: God's Lonely Programmer
#100Throughout the span of modern history, we've had gifted creators whose talent is at a minimum intertwined if not completely predicated on their mental illness. Whether it was Van Gogh or Kurt Kobain, we've seen it consistently. Terry is potentially one of the first if not the only creators of this type using a completely digital medium. TempleOS is essentially a 10-year art project.
Unfortunately, in years past, we only heard (in the mainstream) from the few that succeeded, not the huge numbers of individuals that just ended up in asylums or, worse, dead.
That's not to take anything away from the "project" (as art), but let's be realistic about the possible gains we (as a society) can gain from this. My conjecture is that it would be better to try to get some help for this person.