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Comment by jwildeboer | Hacker News Reader

I have known Pieter since around 2002. We didn't meet or talk that often, but usually we would have a fun few hours every FOSDEM. On one of those occasions we defined "our" religion, stallmanism.com Pieter transferred the site and domain to me a few days ago.

In the past few months I have been almost obsessed with consuming everything he wrote and published. It is exactly my way of thinking. Of questioning reality and turning it upside down so it works even better.

I will miss him. And I will continue to learn from him. We all knew this was going to happen, he was most transparent in keeping us informed about it. So I am sad, yes. But I am also immensely grateful and positive.

Pieter, it was an honour and a privilege to have shared time with you. Peace for you.

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I'm just discovering him, and reading through his blog.

His writing is just what I needed right now, at this time in my life. Particularly about how to be happy.

I think when you've lived such a prolific life, you don't need any last words. His life's work speaks for itself.

> His writing is just what I needed right now, at this time in my life. Particularly about how to be happy.

This is the particular blog post in which he talks about 'how to be happy'

http://hintjens.com/blog:99

> 8. Revalue your time

> Stop wasting your time on commuting, boring jobs, meetings, TV. Do only things that you feel are worthwhile, with people you like. If this means a cut in income, so be it. Be the person you really want to be. Don't take it all too seriously, we all die.

Thank you.

Just spent 9 hours in a conference arguing about how we are going to implement 12 months worth of features which are slated release in 3 months.

Quote hits very close to home.

This is your fallback then:

> 10. Want nothing, accept everything

> Above all, explore the world without desire or demand, and be tolerant of whatever happens. Most people are nice, and even the others teach us. When you want nothing, you cannot be disappointed. When you accept everything, you will see beauty in every moment.

I only just discovered him too. It turns out we knew some of the same people in the UK. I'm very sad I hadn't heard of him or his work earlier.

>His life's work speaks for itself.

Very much this! A loss to all - but a life well lived.

I first became aware of Pieter from the 0MQ documentation. I stumbled across community and process section of the 0MQ guide and I was hooked. I've been tremendously moved by the dignity and humanity with which he's faced terminal disease.

Likewise. The ZeroMQ book such a pleasure to read, has to be one of the best written tech books I've ever read. I learned so much about distributed systems from that book, even though I've got a PhD in the subject.

0MQ is fantastic. It's how I first found out about him, too. That library is an absolute pleasure to use.

Thanks Jan, he left it in good hands. He will be missed... Peace!

"God is Us, God is the Community."

There is no God. But there is the life FAQ. https://hintjens.gitbooks.io/confessions-of-a-necromancer/co...

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