Live data from Hacker News

Superstitious Users and the FreeBSD Logo

lists.freebsd.org

1–10 of 108 posts

Re: Superstitious Users and the FreeBSD Logo

#5
As is mentioned in the thread, this is a far older "problem" for BSD than this 2011 thread.

The oldest story I know about this "issue" was linked here (complete with a late 80s SNL joke):

http://monster-island.org/tinashumor/humor/daemon.html

The page itself is now offline, but the original was around at least as far back as 1999.

(Wayback link) https://web.archive.org/web/19991012013717/http://www.monste...

Re: Superstitious Users and the FreeBSD Logo

#6

I am trying to grasp what I have just read. I may be able to understand if this is sarcasm probably

It sounds like a fake story. Doesn't pass the smell test for me:

> I just got a call from the owner of a hotel for which we provide hotspot service.... The owner could make no headway by explaining that the besneakered mascot was a cartoon character and was a daemon, not the Devil. And she feared upsetting the guest even more if she said that large portions of the same software are inside every Mac and iPad.

What "owner of a hotel," 1) knows this much about BSD to explain to a random guest and 2) outsources their wifi hotpot service? Then everyone, owner and guest starts calling the service provider about controversy, instead of the guest relocating to other hotel in the area.

Re: Superstitious Users and the FreeBSD Logo

#7
Well, I went to primary school with a heavy christian tradition and would probably have felt the same.

I'm very happy that someone decided to tell me at about age 12 that perhaps it's not all literally true and some people have other ideas. Some not even involving concepts like eternal damnation, original sin, an omnipotent being that turns women into salt pillars but allows for children with bone cancer to exist, and something as undefinable as an eternal soul. This ended my suffering. We have to feel bad for the people still in that system.

Re: Superstitious Users and the FreeBSD Logo

#8
The BSD logo was originally drawn by John Lassetter, who would later write and direct Toy Story and a couple of other successful movies.

https://www.jacobelder.com/2024/01/17/director-of-toy-story-...

Previous discussion:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39030991

EDIT: While the John Lassetter version became most popular he did not draw the original. Thanks to dagmx for pointing that out and the additional background info in their comment. Also there is a Wikipedia article about the BSD daemon with even more details about the history of the logo.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BSD_Daemon

Re: Superstitious Users and the FreeBSD Logo

#9

I am trying to grasp what I have just read. I may be able to understand if this is sarcasm probably

Having lived through the 90s as a young adult, I can assure you back then the Family Values crowd was just as annoying and censorious as the Woko Haram is today. 2011 seems a bit late for that kind of thing, but it's entirely plausible a few NPCs didn't get the patch yet.

Re: Superstitious Users and the FreeBSD Logo

#10
post #6

I am trying to grasp what I have just read. I may be able to understand if this is sarcasm probably

It sounds like a fake story. Doesn't pass the smell test for me: > I just got a call from the owner of a hotel for which we provide hotspot service.... The owner could make no headway by explaining that the besneakered mascot was a cartoon character and was a daemon, not the Devil. And she feared upsetting the guest even more if she said that large portions of the same software are inside every Mac and iPad. What "ow…

Yeah obviously fake, who ever calls people. It's not the owner of the hotel, it's the person / company who setup their WiFi. Presumably on the wifi connection page there's a number to call for tech support.

http://lariat.net/

Post reply on HN