this post was submitted on 14 Jan 2024
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He did indeed die a few years back in 2018. Tragically, he was hit by a train after another stint of homelessness. Considering his mental state at the time, it's not clear if it was suicide, the result of schizophrenic episode, or just a freak accident. It's a really sad story; he was a brilliant programmer as you mentioned, but he was plagued with mental illness throughout his life.
I often wonder what he could've accomplished if he didn't have such struggles or at least was able to manage it better. A man of his talents could've potentially left a lasting and significant mark on the tech world similar to Torvalds or Stallman, but as it stands his legacy is mostly just an impressive and intriguing novelty project.