[warwick]

Five years ago I was at HOPE Number Six and Michael Hart was the Saturday keynote speaker, giving a talk on his work at Project Gutenberg.  I didn't know very much about it, but I recognized the name.  There were Project Gutenberg discs floating around the conference so I snagged one and had a look.

I don't really remember anything specific from the talk, but I remember it was inspiring.  It was called "Using eBooks to Break Down the Bars of Ignorance and Illiteracy".  There's audio of the talk online, and I think I need to hear it again.

The next day was the last day of the conference, and as was usual Jello Biafra was the getting far less attention than the other keynote speakers.  They'd closed off the back part of the main hall, a hall which had been filled to capacity and then some for Michael, and some of us were tossing around beach balls.  I pounded one particularly hard and hit some guy in the back of the head with it.  When he turned around I recognized Michael.  I don't think he was too happy with me in that moment.

With the eloquence that only a twenty year old can muster, I stuck my hand out and said "I love your work.  It's fucking absurd."  That's about the highest compliment I can give a person, and I'm glad to see that Shaw quote in the obituary.  It says what I was awkwardly trying to express.

The tension drained out of the situation, and he shook my hand before turning back to his companion and returning to his conversation.  I went back to playing with beach balls.

I admire what Michael built, and I admire how he did it.  Project Gutenberg was slow but steady, and will continue past his death.  I can only aspire to leaving that kind of a legacy.

Goodbye Michael.  I loved your work.  It's fucking absurd.