OSNews: http://www.osnews.com/story/26224/Andre_Hendrick_the_man_who_kept_the_PC_open_passed_away Exploring the Future of Computing en-us Copyright 2001-2013, David Adams adam+nospam@osnews.com Tue, 21 May 2013 18:27:43 GMT http://www.osnews.com/images/osnews.gif OSNews.com http://www.osnews.com Comment by Lazarus http://www.osnews.com/thread?528418 http://www.osnews.com/thread?528418 I certainly wasn't aware, and I doubt I was the only one. A crying shame that none of us will have the opportunity to thank him in person, but for whatever it is worth, Thank you Andre. Thu, 26 Jul 2012 22:48:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Lazarus) Comments RE: Comment by Lazarus http://www.osnews.com/thread?528431 http://www.osnews.com/thread?528431 I read this earlier, and had no idea of his importance in the struggle to keep computing open and not totally in thrall to corporate interests.

Thanks, RIP. Fri, 27 Jul 2012 01:54:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (quackalist) Comments What a brilliant person http://www.osnews.com/thread?528433 http://www.osnews.com/thread?528433 What a brilliant person.... how sad that he took his own life ;)

His LinkedIn is still even up... I'm posting it not out of any disrespect, but because it highlights his career achievements:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/andrehedrick Fri, 27 Jul 2012 02:04:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (flydpnkrtn) Comments RIP, Andre http://www.osnews.com/thread?528512 http://www.osnews.com/thread?528512 I, too, was not aware of Andre. It disheartening to hear of the loss. Even more so with such a talented individual. Fri, 27 Jul 2012 14:49:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Drunkula) Comments Jeff Garzik's comments http://www.osnews.com/thread?528582 http://www.osnews.com/thread?528582 "Andre was unquestionably smart, driven and an advocate for Linux user freedom. Andre was also mentally ill."

https://lwn.net/Articles/508467/

Very much worth reading. Fri, 27 Jul 2012 21:19:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (gus3) Comments Ummmm... http://www.osnews.com/thread?528592 http://www.osnews.com/thread?528592 ... so he committed suicide and left behind a wife and 4 young children? Seems pretty selfish, if you ask me. Maybe he should have spent a little less time hacking Linux and more in therapy.Edited 2012-07-27 22:08 UTC Fri, 27 Jul 2012 22:08:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (tomcat) Comments RE: Ummmm... http://www.osnews.com/thread?528616 http://www.osnews.com/thread?528616 Nothing better than psychologizing people you don't know! Sat, 28 Jul 2012 02:13:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Hypnos) Comments Deepest condolences http://www.osnews.com/thread?528712 http://www.osnews.com/thread?528712 I recall seeing his name in a few articles, but had absolutely no idea his contributions were of such significance. Truly, an under-appreciated contributor. Thank you, Mr. Andre Hendrick

Sad to hear he took his own life. My deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. Sat, 28 Jul 2012 18:43:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (gan17) Comments RE[2]: Ummmm... http://www.osnews.com/thread?528747 http://www.osnews.com/thread?528747
Nothing better than psychologizing people you don't know!


I don't need to know the guy to recognize that committing suicide while you have a family is fundamentally selfish and cruel. I don't care how depressed you are. You owe your family an obligation to be there for them. And I could give a rat's ass how great of a code contributor he was in the Linux community. He left behind a wife and four kids that will be forever affected by his selfish decision to end his life. I've seen the effects of suicide on young people; it tears them apart, and leaves a hole in them that can't be filled. If you've got issues with depression, seek professional help; do whatever it takes to get better. For those of you who either won't (or can't) grok this simple truth, whatever, mod me down, as you inevitably will. Some people can't handle the truth. Sun, 29 Jul 2012 02:17:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (tomcat) Comments RE[3]: Ummmm... http://www.osnews.com/thread?528752 http://www.osnews.com/thread?528752 How do you know he had depression? How do you know it wasn't schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder, which are also significant risk factors for suicide?

Even if he were depressed, how would you weigh the pain he was experiencing against that of his family by his loss? Why are you qualified to judge?

Easy answers tend to be self-serving, which is why one should always be circumspect in judging others. I don't see how you have enough information, or even the moral authority. Sun, 29 Jul 2012 02:39:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Hypnos) Comments RE[3]: Ummmm... http://www.osnews.com/thread?528784 http://www.osnews.com/thread?528784 Dude, you're being an ass. You don't know if he was depressed or suffered from schizophrenia or something else. You don't know if went to therapy or not or how long or how effective it was. You don't know if he was on medication or not.
In short, you didn't know dick about him when you decided to take a cheap shot at him and his contributions. Sun, 29 Jul 2012 07:40:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Soulbender) Comments RE: Ummmm... http://www.osnews.com/thread?528937 http://www.osnews.com/thread?528937
... so he committed suicide and left behind a wife and 4 young children? Seems pretty selfish, if you ask me. Maybe he should have spent a little less time hacking Linux and more in therapy.


Ok, I'm just going to come out & say it - "You are utterly retarded". Can you even grasp the stupidity of expecting someone, who might've been mentally ill, to realize that he has a problem & should get help? Why the "EFFE" would you expect someone, who might've been mentally ill, to be capable of evaluating his mental situation & determining a good course of action??? Writing code is pretty academic, logical, & sterile. The workings of the human mind are the complete opposite of all of that. There's no reasonable explanation to expect that he would've been capable of self-diagnosing. Most doctors can't even do this. Everyone knows that doctors make the worst patients & lawyers make the worst clients. Get your head out of your ass!

RIP Andre Hedrick! Mon, 30 Jul 2012 16:30:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (demetrioussharpe) Comments RE[4]: Ummmm... http://www.osnews.com/thread?528946 http://www.osnews.com/thread?528946
How do you know he had depression? How do you know it wasn't schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder, which are also significant risk factors for suicide? Even if he were depressed, how would you weigh the pain he was experiencing against that of his family by his loss?


It doesn't matter. There are treatments available which can control their symptoms. Suicide is NEVER justified.

Why are you qualified to judge? Easy answers tend to be self-serving, which is why one should always be circumspect in judging others. I don't see how you have enough information, or even the moral authority.


Without getting into detail, I've battled depression for many years, and I have faced the kinds of questions that Hendrick ultimately faced. The difference is that I received treatment, and I wasn't willing to run away from my own problems and leave my kids without a father. So, I speak from personal experience. Do you? I doubt it. Mon, 30 Jul 2012 18:48:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (tomcat) Comments RE[4]: Ummmm... http://www.osnews.com/thread?528947 http://www.osnews.com/thread?528947
Dude, you're being an ass. You don't know if he was depressed or suffered from schizophrenia or something else. You don't know if went to therapy or not or how long or how effective it was. You don't know if he was on medication or not. In short, you didn't know dick about him when you decided to take a cheap shot at him and his contributions.


Whatever. I've walked in his shoes before. And it's fair to call out the utter waste of a life, so that other people don't make the same mistake. Mon, 30 Jul 2012 18:55:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (tomcat) Comments RE[5]: Ummmm... http://www.osnews.com/thread?528983 http://www.osnews.com/thread?528983 I've had family members with mental illnesses of various kinds, though I've been fortunate to not have any myself. You're right, I don't know what it feels like, only what my relatives expressed to me.

I applaud your strength in getting treatment, but I don't think it's easy to expect someone with these illnesses to necessarily do the same. Someone with severe depression lacks motivation to do much of anything; a schizophrenic may lose touch with what's real and what isn't; a persona with bipolar may hate the side effects of the drugs, or greatly miss the highs that come with the illness.

Moreover, unlike treating a broken leg, treatment for a mental illness changes your very thought patterns, i.e. *you*. As such it's a deeply personal decision. Therefore, is it clearly wrong if someone arrives at a different conclusion than you did? Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:08:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Hypnos) Comments