Jim Weirich's final GitHub commit | Hacker News Reader

Jim Weirich's final GitHub commit

github.com

400 pointsdakull53 comments

If you scroll all the way down, there is a special footer just before the comment box.

There's a nice header now too.

well I'd never thought I'd tear up browsing a github page ...

Incredibly moving to see such an outpouring of support, condolences, and remembrances on a commit page like this. Wow.

This and the banner github put. I'm usually a little bit thrown off by internet dealing with human emotions, like facebook profiles for passed ones, but this feels like a simple and genuine unprepared reaction from everyone.

Who could have added that? Github?

Yes, that is a very thoughtful gesture of them.

The Internet has changed the way we think, feel about the people who passed away.

We leave so many footprints online about our existence which we don't think about much. But they have a special meaning for people who care and think about us.

It just reminds and gives some sort of illusion that maybe we are still here, maybe just taking a walk, we will come back home for dinner like every other day.

Sorry but I disagree. It may have changed the number of people who feel that way toward a given death (more people are affected by his death than without the internet), but the way each individual affected feel about it hasn't really changed.

Just ghosts in the shell

Oh shit, he just accepted a patch of mine into Rake a few days ago too!

Damn, that sucks.

What was his cause of death?

He had a heart attack at work yesterday. Jim was only 57 years old.

Heart attacks are so common. Another reason developers should watch and track their health (not saying Jim wasn't healthy). All the pizza and sugary caffeine drinks I've consumed just to keep coding probably wasn't smart.

He likely wasn't healthy; you just have to look at a picture of him to see that he was at least 50 lbs overweight (if not more). That much extra weight will increase your risk of heart attack significantly.

he's also dead. That's a good indication too.

While we're building things, we shouldn't lose track of staying somewhat healthy. Exercise, eat well, and sleep.

I never knew of Jim before today. His passing is sad news, yet I'm glad to be joining a community that has role models like Jim.

I wonder if there was a defibrillator at his workplace, and if so; did anyone know how to use it or even know where it was.

I don't mean to sound insensitive, but if we don't have men and women like Jim, Rake probably will never be here. The technology that exists today would never be if we didn't have people that have a passion for knowledge. On the flip side, I agree, we need to take better care of our health.

57 is fucking young.

Motivation for us all to write good commit messages.

Also to do our best to keep up with our health, so we may live long enough to enjoy life outside of work. It's not all about the money or legacy.

...and learn the warning signs for a heart attack: http://www.heartattackfacts.org.au/warning-signs/

Warning sign of a heart attack is a 300 pound belly.

Flamebait but a good lesson

Tell that to Douglas Adams.

It is all about the legacy, we are all going to die anyway, anything that does not leave a mark will likewise disappear.

You won't be there to enjoy your legacy. Prioritizing things you can and will enjoy is not a bad thing.

Ah right, YOLO! Different people, different points of view, all valid of course :)

I think it's about finding a balance. What's the point spending every day at work building your 'legacy', all them late nights etc. When you die everyone will remember your legacy but not you. No one will miss you. But what's the point spending every day at home with your family, creating great memories with them and dying with no legacy to show.

The first point shows hundreds, maybe thousands of people will see what you left behind, be it code, art work etc, but you wouldn't have time to socialise, build a family and be truly missed by loved ones. The second point, you don't have much of a legacy but your family, friends will truly miss you and remember you. So, yeah, try to have both, or just one. It's up to you.

+1 In sad/tragic times we often overlook the really important lessons to be learned.

I hope someone will continue his work in that repo, it's really sad to see that he was the only contributor and now that he's gone, it'll likely go abandoned.

We're entering the era where the passing of legends happens in real time and is immediately visible. It's crushing to see something like this.

There's always forks.

Very sad news. RIP.

He died at 57. My retirement plan starts at 65 and and I'm in the same physical shape he was. Why should I continue putting money in my 401k if chances are I'll never use it?

You can continue to put money there and try to change something about the physical shape? I think accent should be not on "oh crap I won't even use that money" but rather "hey, I WILL use that money". Fitbit and walking is a good start. I am a fat ass too.

This is wishful thinking. You could also get hit by a truck (or a scooter), live in the present. My wife recently got cancer she's in great physical condition. And you'll say "on average" blah blah blah and I'll say only the present is guaranteed.

Sure, I had to sacrifice some of that "in the moment" happiness while getting myself to a manageable state, but I don't regret a single moment of it.

It's such a cop out to say that you're living in the moment. Few people, I'd even venture to say that no one looks back on self improvement with regret. Discipline contributes to happiness. Don't try to demotivate people to justify your own unwillingness to improve yourself.

Not rue, homelessness and welfare is also garunteed should you not save. There are many things which can kill you in this world every day. There is many more which can simply maim your ability to work and provide for your family.

The present may be the only time that exists, but what matters most is the quality of life in it.

One contends even in such an unfortunate event as your wife is experiencing, her fitness and otherwise excellent health means through treatment she'll enjoy a higher quality of life than someone out of shape with a body not ready for the battle.

It is better for your happiness to have hope about the future than to just give up. Unless you've been diagnosed with a terminal illness, you should prepare (plan and help enable) for a long life, because the alternative is just too depressing.

Well, you have the option to get in better shape, for one thing. And for another, even for big guys like Jim, 57 is a pretty early age to go.

So that your passing isn't a financial burden on your family. Also, he doesn't look like he was in any worse shape than Winston Churchill. And, Jim Fix was in _much_ better shape. Life is uncertain.

Jim Fixx (two Xs) had a family history of heart disease. He lived 9 years past his father's age -- James died at 52, his father had a fatal heart attack at 43.

A long history of smoking likely didn't help much either.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Fixx#Death

You can't really extrapolate from one event to "chances are...". Your chances of living past 65 are likely better than not, and do you really want to outlive your savings?

Agreed. Use that money for a good diet and exercise. Take an extended vacay if you have to. It could be life changing. It's worth missing work to get that part of life on track.

I don't mean to push a diet on you, but I've had success eating raw vegan & drinking vegetable juices. I also like yoga. It helps to live in a city that supports such a lifestyle choice. I live in LA.

Its never to late to save and start living healthy.

This pairs very well with the cheap IKEA standing desks.

http://www.amazon.com/LifeSpan-Fitness-TR1200-DT-TR1200-DT5-...

Sitting while coding is very bad.

Poignant to see such a large outpouring of love from the community. Can't help but be inspired...

In case anyone wants to see one of his personal sites http://onestepback.org/

DHH: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7270098

Feel bad for suggesting there was dog shit on the path of enlightenment! But he fixed the ruby koans package, so we continue to learn!

Does anybody know what happened to him?

Heart attack.

He was a true geek till the end.

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