A remembrance of Aaron Swartz (March 12th) | Hacker News Reader

A remembrance of Aaron Swartz (March 12th)

media.mit.edu

63 pointsvabmit9 comments

This is not an "MIT event". This is an event hosted by the MIT Media Lab. That equates to 40 faculty and senior research staff, 75 "other staff" that support it, and ~140 students. So let us laud them for their efforts and consideration, and properly direct any ire toward the MIT administration where it belongs.

The Abelson report is due, let's see if the MIT administration attempts to steal thunder by releasing it that day (or shortly before):

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57565473-38/mit-review-int...

"From memory to inspiration"? I find this mildly offensive to be an MIT event. How about naming it: "An apology too late: MIT recognizes Aaron Swartz"

Since his gf is a keynote speaker, and his father works for the MIT Media Lab, I think they have every right to hold a public memorial. This is not MIT trying to make up for their mistakes after the fact.

The event is free and open to the public.

Some additional information- The Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/318892888214473/

Taren's blog: http://tarensk.tumblr.com/post/44649373978/mit-boston-memori...

It would be marvelous if someone could figure out a way to stream the event, for those of us who are unable to attend.

There will be video of the event posted on youtube afterwards.

The timing of this is a little...bizarre. Not in a "there must be a conspiracy" way, but...why two months later (and not even on the second month anniversary, which would be Jan. 11)?

I guess the week-after, month-after, year-after anniversaries are, in the scheme of time, are arbitrary periods of time as well, but this just seems late, although it comes at a time when major retrospectives on Aaron and his life continue to be published (most notably in the New Yorker this week)

MIT is going to catch shit no matter their move here. None at all... they're callous. Too soon... they're opportunistic. Too late... they're, well, too late.

Instead, they're just going ahead and doing it, and it needed to be done, and I applaud them for it. I'll probably go, and I won't forget MIT's role in this tragedy, but I'll still be thankful the event is happening.

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