5 ms·

I've nominated Alexandra Elbakyan of sci-hub and encourage everyone else to do the same. I'd also be happy if Aaron Swartz won!

tricolon 10y ago
The first eligibility requirement: The recipient must be living.
- hkmurakami 10y ago
  Idk, nominate his father?
  - bitshiffed 10y ago
    Or Lawrence Lessig.
- oopsietazer 10y ago
  The first word in the award: Disobedience.
  - 2muchcoffeeman 10y ago
    That's just stupid. The award is clearly for people who are being disobedient for the benefit of society. Breaking rules for the sake of breaking rules is just anarchy or trolling. You're just inconveniencing people who set out to recognise real contributions to society. Unless there is an Aaron Schwartz foundation or something, nominate people who are still doing work.
    - Mithaldu 10y ago
      He has parents. It's the least they deserve in form of apology.
    - oopsietazer 10y ago
      This isn't about Aaron. It's about the next person who downloads too much free stuff doing it emboldened by the thought that MIT will have their back when the feds come knocking. If only because not doing so costs MIT 250 thousand dollars. That would be a much bigger contribution to society than any one person walking away with this award.
      - newjersey 10y ago
        While we are on this topic, let's not forget the real culprits: cfaa and widespread abuse of discretionary power by prosecution. We must repeal (and not replace) the cfaa. Of course, we should name and shame MIT at every junction (shame on you, MIT!) However, we shouldn't lose sight of the bigger picture. CFAA is evil.
        codewiz 10y ago
        Joi Ito, Director of the Media Lab, highly praised Aaron during the memorial held at the Media Lab in 2013: http://tech.mit.edu/V133/N12/swartz.html http://tech.mit.edu/V133/N12/swartz.html Perhaps the rest of MIT deserves shaming, but please don't punish the Media Lab.
      - clintonb 10y ago
        > It's about the next person who downloads too much free stuff doing it emboldened by the thought that MIT will have their back when the feds come knocking. Aaron Swartz was not an MIT affiliate, alum, faculty, or student. MIT had no obligation to "have [his] back" for violating MIT network policy and federal law.
        AnthonyMouse 10y ago
        > Aaron Swartz was not an MIT affiliate, alum, faculty, or student. MIT had no obligation to "have [his] back" for violating MIT network policy and federal law. Having "no obligation" to do something is never an excuse for any behavior.
      - 2muchcoffeeman 10y ago
paulv 10y ago
One of the criteria is that the nominees are alive. :-/
- bobsam 10y ago
  You must be new to "disobedience"...
  - KC8ZKF 10y ago
    Or he read the article.
    - bobsam 10y ago
      Maybe you are missing the point?
      - KC8ZKF 10y ago
        Yes, I am sure you are right. It's TCO though, because no matter what, Aaron will not be alive, and cannot be considered for the prize.
    - coldtea 10y ago
      Whoooosh...
eddotman 10y ago
Good call. Decided to do the same.
AdamJacobMuller 10y ago
Aaron Swartz was literally my first thought too. I'm submitting him anyway, he should win and the money should go to like-minded worth individuals and causes.
Iv 10y ago
I just did the same. Aaron is equally deserving, but this award will be put to better use by a living person.
deafcalculus 10y ago
I voted for Alexandra Elbakyan. Her blog - https://engineuring.wordpress.com/ https://engineuring.wordpress.com/ Her email - mindwrapper@gmail.com
- rhaps0dy 10y ago
  Elbakyan! Elbakyan!! :D Also, who runs Library Genesis? Those people could use the prize too!
lambdadmitry 10y ago
I've already wrote about that on HN, but I believe it's worth reiterating. Alexandra Elbakyan is not an example of disobedience. In fact, she is very obedient to the rules of society she lives in (she is an avid Putin's supporter), it's just those rules are different from the West. Her risks over SciHub project is negligible while she lives in Russia, and given her views, I think it's unlikely she want to live somewhere else. In her early interviews/posts in Russian, she considers the project as a Russian crusade over the West of some sorts, so I don't believe this is in any way similar to the Aaron's case. Aaron was a political activist and a champion of human rights, and Alexandra is neither. To be honest, the way in which Western media frame her baffles me: they used a common western narrative and slotted her into it instead of telling the true story.
- rwallace 10y ago
  Alexandra Elbakyan is staying in Russia, yes. That's why she's still alive while Aaron Swartz unfortunately isn't and given that the award has to go to a live political activist and champion of human rights, that's why I've nominated her. Demanding our heroes die to prove their sincerity is, let's just say, not a helpful position to take.
  - lambdadmitry 10y ago
    You are over-dramatizing things. EFF members or the judge who overturned Trump's travel ban are alive. It's not like people are routinely killed in US over copyright infringement or political protest as your comment implies. >a live political activist and champion of human rights You emphasized "live" there, but I would rather emphasize > political activist > champion of human rights Alexandra Elbakyan is neither. It's just an opportunistical breaking of rules that are not enforced in Russia, and nothing I've read from her (except her interviews to Western media) implies her "political activism" or "championship of human rights". However, if you still thing that she is worthy of the prize, I would also suggest nominating the owners of pornolab.net. It's one of the largest porn trackers out there, and it's online for a dozen years at least. It's in Russian, which I believe is one of the main reasons it's still online. On the more general note: the enemy of your enemy is not your friend, it's a tactical ally.

tricolon 10y ago

The first eligibility requirement: The recipient must be living.

hkmurakami 10y ago
Idk, nominate his father?
- bitshiffed 10y ago
  Or Lawrence Lessig.
oopsietazer 10y ago
The first word in the award: Disobedience.
- 2muchcoffeeman 10y ago
  That's just stupid. The award is clearly for people who are being disobedient for the benefit of society. Breaking rules for the sake of breaking rules is just anarchy or trolling. You're just inconveniencing people who set out to recognise real contributions to society. Unless there is an Aaron Schwartz foundation or something, nominate people who are still doing work.
  - Mithaldu 10y ago
    He has parents. It's the least they deserve in form of apology.
  - oopsietazer 10y ago
    This isn't about Aaron. It's about the next person who downloads too much free stuff doing it emboldened by the thought that MIT will have their back when the feds come knocking. If only because not doing so costs MIT 250 thousand dollars. That would be a much bigger contribution to society than any one person walking away with this award.
    - newjersey 10y ago
      While we are on this topic, let's not forget the real culprits: cfaa and widespread abuse of discretionary power by prosecution. We must repeal (and not replace) the cfaa. Of course, we should name and shame MIT at every junction (shame on you, MIT!) However, we shouldn't lose sight of the bigger picture. CFAA is evil.
      - codewiz 10y ago
        Joi Ito, Director of the Media Lab, highly praised Aaron during the memorial held at the Media Lab in 2013: http://tech.mit.edu/V133/N12/swartz.html http://tech.mit.edu/V133/N12/swartz.html Perhaps the rest of MIT deserves shaming, but please don't punish the Media Lab.
    - clintonb 10y ago
      > It's about the next person who downloads too much free stuff doing it emboldened by the thought that MIT will have their back when the feds come knocking. Aaron Swartz was not an MIT affiliate, alum, faculty, or student. MIT had no obligation to "have [his] back" for violating MIT network policy and federal law.
      - AnthonyMouse 10y ago
        > Aaron Swartz was not an MIT affiliate, alum, faculty, or student. MIT had no obligation to "have [his] back" for violating MIT network policy and federal law. Having "no obligation" to do something is never an excuse for any behavior.
    - 2muchcoffeeman 10y ago

paulv 10y ago

One of the criteria is that the nominees are alive. :-/

bobsam 10y ago
You must be new to "disobedience"...
- KC8ZKF 10y ago
  Or he read the article.
  - bobsam 10y ago
    Maybe you are missing the point?
    - KC8ZKF 10y ago
      Yes, I am sure you are right. It's TCO though, because no matter what, Aaron will not be alive, and cannot be considered for the prize.
  - coldtea 10y ago
    Whoooosh...

eddotman 10y ago

Good call. Decided to do the same.

AdamJacobMuller 10y ago

Aaron Swartz was literally my first thought too. I'm submitting him anyway, he should win and the money should go to like-minded worth individuals and causes.

Iv 10y ago

I just did the same. Aaron is equally deserving, but this award will be put to better use by a living person.

deafcalculus 10y ago

I voted for Alexandra Elbakyan. Her blog - https://engineuring.wordpress.com/ https://engineuring.wordpress.com/ Her email - mindwrapper@gmail.com

rhaps0dy 10y ago
Elbakyan! Elbakyan!! :D Also, who runs Library Genesis? Those people could use the prize too!

lambdadmitry 10y ago

I've already wrote about that on HN, but I believe it's worth reiterating. Alexandra Elbakyan is not an example of disobedience. In fact, she is very obedient to the rules of society she lives in (she is an avid Putin's supporter), it's just those rules are different from the West. Her risks over SciHub project is negligible while she lives in Russia, and given her views, I think it's unlikely she want to live somewhere else. In her early interviews/posts in Russian, she considers the project as a Russian crusade over the West of some sorts, so I don't believe this is in any way similar to the Aaron's case. Aaron was a political activist and a champion of human rights, and Alexandra is neither. To be honest, the way in which Western media frame her baffles me: they used a common western narrative and slotted her into it instead of telling the true story.

rwallace 10y ago
Alexandra Elbakyan is staying in Russia, yes. That's why she's still alive while Aaron Swartz unfortunately isn't and given that the award has to go to a live political activist and champion of human rights, that's why I've nominated her. Demanding our heroes die to prove their sincerity is, let's just say, not a helpful position to take.
- lambdadmitry 10y ago
  You are over-dramatizing things. EFF members or the judge who overturned Trump's travel ban are alive. It's not like people are routinely killed in US over copyright infringement or political protest as your comment implies. >a live political activist and champion of human rights You emphasized "live" there, but I would rather emphasize > political activist > champion of human rights Alexandra Elbakyan is neither. It's just an opportunistical breaking of rules that are not enforced in Russia, and nothing I've read from her (except her interviews to Western media) implies her "political activism" or "championship of human rights". However, if you still thing that she is worthy of the prize, I would also suggest nominating the owners of pornolab.net. It's one of the largest porn trackers out there, and it's online for a dozen years at least. It's in Russian, which I believe is one of the main reasons it's still online. On the more general note: the enemy of your enemy is not your friend, it's a tactical ally.