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.
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.