4 ms·

I'm sad Aaron Swartz did not live to see this unfolding. He might have been in prison now, but he would still be a world-class hero.

nathancahill 10y ago
I think about that a lot (have a number of friends publishing papers in academia). Really sad.
ryanlol 10y ago
> He might have been in prison now For hypothetical crimes he could've committed had he lived? Because he certainly wouldn't be in prison for things he actually did.
- philjohn 10y ago
  He likely would be in Prison, because he'd be forced to plead out to lesser crimes, or face the prospect of a cripplingly expensive trial with the threat of higher sanctions.
  - ryanlol 10y ago
    No, that's complete bullshit. Had Aaron pleaded guilty, he'd be out by now as both of the plea agreements he was offered would have meant 6 months or less . And trial? Why would he have gone to trial? There was no question of his guilt.
    - idm 10y ago
      While he might have been free by now, he would still have been labeled a felon.
      - ryanlol 10y ago
        I don't think anyone was questioning that. Also FWIW, so am I and it's not all that bad.
    - chris_wot 10y ago
      Going to jail at all would have been an injustice. What would it have achieved?
      - ryanlol 10y ago
        Did I imply otherwise? I don't personally believe it would've achieved anything, but that's how the world works.
        chris_wot 10y ago
        Yes. You said "He'd be out by now". To get out means you must have been in, and jailtime is what you were responding to.
        Armisael16 10y ago
        Nothing ryanlol has said even remotely indicates that Scwartz going to jail would've been a good thing.
        chris_wot 10y ago
        I've reread the thread, looks like I misinterpreted the argument and owe ryanlol an apology. Sorry about that. FWIW, I didn't downvote any of his comments.
- ryanlol 10y ago
  For whatever reason lots of people here seem to disagree. Could any of the 4 downvoters clarify in what conceivable scenario would Aaron still be in prison if he was alive? Had he pled guilty, he would undoubtedly be out by now. And going to trial obviously wasn't a realistic option considering the plea deals he was offered (BTW If someone here disagrees about that, I'd really like to know why.). Read: http://volokh.com/2013/01/14/aaron-swartz-charges/ http://volokh.com/2013/01/14/aaron-swartz-charges/ http://volokh.com/2013/01/16/the-criminal-charges-against-aaron-swartz-part-2-prosecutorial-discretion/ http://volokh.com/2013/01/16/the-criminal-charges-against-aa...
  - ryanlol 10y ago
    This blanket downvoting is somewhat odd, what is it I'm saying that's so disagreeable? For afaik I've only presented facts about the time Swartz would probably have spent incarcerated.
    - maxerickson 10y ago
      Your first comment is open to interpretation (it doesn't say would not still or in and out of or something like that) so people are reacting pretty much entirely based on their existing emotions. They don't care about analyzing the likely outcome of the case had he lived, it's brought up to share anger and outrage over the injustice.
      - throwanem 10y ago
        > They don't care about analyzing the likely outcome of the case had he lived, it's brought up to share anger and outrage over the injustice. Precisely. He didn't have to kill himself, and if he'd put a bit more forethought into what he was doing, we'd probably be discussing this in a thread around an interview with him rather than with Ms. Elbakyan. But nobody wants to hear that, because it detracts from the story of this generation's Bobby Fischer.
    - chris_wot 10y ago
      FWIW, there was something about the way that comment was phrased that caused me to parse it badly, hence my response. I didn't downvote you, but perhaps it might help to explain the downvotes. Incidentally, this is why I often dislike downvotes by those who don't comment directly on non-troll comments. It doesn't add a damned thing to sensible discourse, it just smacks of punitive actions against those they disagree with. You really notice it on certain topics, like Aaron - but for some reason it really occurs in anything Apple related.
tmptmp 10y ago
Yes, it's sad that he would be put in jail for such a "crime" whereas the likes of the CEO of Volkswagen are actually being rewarded millions for much severe crimes in the name of punishment.

nathancahill 10y ago

I think about that a lot (have a number of friends publishing papers in academia). Really sad.

ryanlol 10y ago

> He might have been in prison now For hypothetical crimes he could've committed had he lived? Because he certainly wouldn't be in prison for things he actually did.

philjohn 10y ago
He likely would be in Prison, because he'd be forced to plead out to lesser crimes, or face the prospect of a cripplingly expensive trial with the threat of higher sanctions.
- ryanlol 10y ago
  No, that's complete bullshit. Had Aaron pleaded guilty, he'd be out by now as both of the plea agreements he was offered would have meant 6 months or less . And trial? Why would he have gone to trial? There was no question of his guilt.
  - idm 10y ago
    While he might have been free by now, he would still have been labeled a felon.
    - ryanlol 10y ago
      I don't think anyone was questioning that. Also FWIW, so am I and it's not all that bad.
  - chris_wot 10y ago
    Going to jail at all would have been an injustice. What would it have achieved?
    - ryanlol 10y ago
      Did I imply otherwise? I don't personally believe it would've achieved anything, but that's how the world works.
      - chris_wot 10y ago
        Yes. You said "He'd be out by now". To get out means you must have been in, and jailtime is what you were responding to.
        Armisael16 10y ago
        Nothing ryanlol has said even remotely indicates that Scwartz going to jail would've been a good thing.
        chris_wot 10y ago
        I've reread the thread, looks like I misinterpreted the argument and owe ryanlol an apology. Sorry about that. FWIW, I didn't downvote any of his comments.
ryanlol 10y ago
For whatever reason lots of people here seem to disagree. Could any of the 4 downvoters clarify in what conceivable scenario would Aaron still be in prison if he was alive? Had he pled guilty, he would undoubtedly be out by now. And going to trial obviously wasn't a realistic option considering the plea deals he was offered (BTW If someone here disagrees about that, I'd really like to know why.). Read: http://volokh.com/2013/01/14/aaron-swartz-charges/ http://volokh.com/2013/01/14/aaron-swartz-charges/ http://volokh.com/2013/01/16/the-criminal-charges-against-aaron-swartz-part-2-prosecutorial-discretion/ http://volokh.com/2013/01/16/the-criminal-charges-against-aa...
- ryanlol 10y ago
  This blanket downvoting is somewhat odd, what is it I'm saying that's so disagreeable? For afaik I've only presented facts about the time Swartz would probably have spent incarcerated.
  - maxerickson 10y ago
    Your first comment is open to interpretation (it doesn't say would not still or in and out of or something like that) so people are reacting pretty much entirely based on their existing emotions. They don't care about analyzing the likely outcome of the case had he lived, it's brought up to share anger and outrage over the injustice.
    - throwanem 10y ago
      > They don't care about analyzing the likely outcome of the case had he lived, it's brought up to share anger and outrage over the injustice. Precisely. He didn't have to kill himself, and if he'd put a bit more forethought into what he was doing, we'd probably be discussing this in a thread around an interview with him rather than with Ms. Elbakyan. But nobody wants to hear that, because it detracts from the story of this generation's Bobby Fischer.
  - chris_wot 10y ago
    FWIW, there was something about the way that comment was phrased that caused me to parse it badly, hence my response. I didn't downvote you, but perhaps it might help to explain the downvotes. Incidentally, this is why I often dislike downvotes by those who don't comment directly on non-troll comments. It doesn't add a damned thing to sensible discourse, it just smacks of punitive actions against those they disagree with. You really notice it on certain topics, like Aaron - but for some reason it really occurs in anything Apple related.

tmptmp 10y ago

Yes, it's sad that he would be put in jail for such a "crime" whereas the likes of the CEO of Volkswagen are actually being rewarded millions for much severe crimes in the name of punishment.