Do you think Reiser did it?

greggh · Post by **greggh** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 10:35 pm

I was just reading the latest article on the Reiser case

Computer Programmer's Attorneys Use 'Geek Defense'

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00693.html

Figured I'd throw up a poll to see what others thought. I think he did it.

Tsuroerusu · Post by **Tsuroerusu** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 10:58 pm

I strongly believe in the basic principle of democracy, that a person is innocent until proven guilty. On top of that, I think a person should be proven guilty through a fair trial, before deemed guilty.

Edit: I would just like to say, that I have not voted in the above poll (No offence greggh), and I don't intend to, because until Hans Reiser has had a fair trial, I'm gonna assume he's innocent. I would hope that anybody who appreciates democracy takes the same approach.

davijordan · Post by **davijordan** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 6:55 am

I agree wholeheartedly. There are also quite a few more articles about this case and the background of what was going on. It is a shame that particular article seemed not to mention those additional tidbits. I would recommend you read the local paper from where he lived as additional background.

greggh · Post by **greggh** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 6:56 pm

The Ego, the Filesystem and No Mention of Nina

http://www.tuxmachines.org/node/24543

Follow the logic: Hans Reiser, the popular open source programmer, could have but chose not to readily license his open source filesystem for millions of dollars. Therefore, he did not kill his wife.

That's what defense attorney William DuBois was hoping jurors were left believing Tuesday. DuBois put on the witness stand a former Reiser friend and fellow UC Berkeley student. The witness testified he tried to convince Hans Reiser he could become rich if chose to license the ReiserFS.

"Did he agree with you he could sell it for a lot of money?" DuBois asked.

Prosecutor Paul Hora objected: "Relevance."

"What I was advising what Hans do, if he were to license his software the way Sleepycat software did …it wouldn't have taken too much engineering to adapt a compatibility layer," testified Cimarron Taylor, a computer programmer who befriended the defendant at UC Berkeley in the mid '80s.

"He was in a position to make millions and millions of dollars had he chosen to do so?" DuBois asked.

"I think so."

"Did he agree with you he could sell it for a lot of money?" DuBois asked.

Prosecutor Paul Hora objected: "Relevance."

Relevance indeed. Also, maybe not the smartest strategy. To many Americans, and probably these jurors, the whole idea of free software seems like the creation of those 'godless communists'.

Tsuroerusu · Post by **Tsuroerusu** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 7:40 pm

greggh wrote:To many Americans, and probably these jurors, the whole idea of free software seems like the creation of those 'godless communists'.

You know, this level of ignorance and stuff, is what makes many of us Europeans make many petty jokes about Americans at times.
No offense intended towards anybody in here, just thought I'd make that clear. /Peace!

allix · Post by **allix** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 10:05 am

Tsuroerusu wrote:
greggh wrote:To many Americans, and probably these jurors, the whole idea of free software seems like the creation of those 'godless communists'.
You know, this level of ignorance and stuff, is what makes many of us Europeans make many petty jokes about Americans at times.
No offense intended towards anybody in here, just thought I'd make that clear. /Peace!

do you mean jokes like ? " How many Americans does it take to change a light bulb ? One. He holds the bulb and the world revolves around HIM."

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