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Heroes of Linux and FOSS: Ken Starks, AKA Helios
This seems like a good time for a Ken Starks retrospective. This is the man who, despite some rather gnarly health problems churns out blog entries and interesting Linux projects by the truckload.
My personal favorite is the Hacking Pirate Granny. Yes, Ken corrupted a resident of a Senior Citizen Assisted Living Center: Ken marched on Washington DC to battle the RIAA. I couldn't find any links, unfortunately (drat you Ken, they're in your blog somewhere!! I looked and looked and looked! What did you do with them?)
Ken and associates got a Tux-sponsored car in the Indy 500, despite a considerable amount of whining from the supposed community. Free advice to the do-nothing whiners: lead, follow, or get out of the way.
Migrated an entire business from Windows to Linux: Ken's blog entries about this vastly entertaining and suspenseful saga came to a screeching halt, due to a gag order.
And now he's running a program that delivers computers and low-cost Internet to schoolkids: It's hard to imagine how a man who needs to earn an income and battle a serious illness, or even a totally healthy person with nothing else to do, can find the time and energy to do everything that Ken has done. Way to go, Ken! |
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Comments (14)
Other Helios accomplishments
GnuGuy, you mean I am not the only old timer here? There are a whole lot of very nifty folks in the Linux arena. Helios is special.
Oh, goodness no. The problem is that most of us did manage to make it through the 60s, a time in which, well, to be honest, I can't remember. Something seems to have happened to my brain during that period.
I'm still ticked off at my gutlessness re: Woodstock. I was working at a Howard Johnson's on the Jersey Turnpike and turned down many offers to go.
Sigh. Stupid is as stupid does.
For me, it depends on your definition of grade school and which part of the sixties. I started first grade in 64, so if you consider grade school to be first through 8th grade, so was I. Modern terminology seems to be that 1-4 is elementary school, 5-8 is middle school, and 9-12 is high school, which would put me in middle school for the last few years of the sixties.
Quoting:I suppose you were all at Woodstock and Monterey, too.
Only if they are places on the Coromandel Peninsula or somewhere South of Auckland.
Young whippersnapper. :)
Serious inspiration, too...
Then there are people like Ken, who simply go out and do all those things nobody can expect us to do.
And here's the kicker --
Most of us get to sit back feeling pretty good and whine about all we can't be expected to do.
Ken has been fighting his own body most of the way, overcoming health and who knows what -- and still managing to do more than rest of us.
And wouldn't you know it, some pea-brained Petes would rather beat him up for it than say thank you.
Thanks for poking us who are slothful, we need that.
Helios and Inspiration
I've spoken to Ken countless times on the phone discussing site changes and migrations (I help host his site) and one thing is certain...how he writes is how he is. He's an honest man who tells it like it is...and in doing so inspires those of inaction to action.
I've known Ken since 2004 and am happy to call him my personal friend.
Ken writes as he speaks, from the heart, like for real even..
:-)
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I agree. This guy is something special and he does have some really great supporters. I was impressed by the help that he got from them re the Tux500 effort even after receiving all sorts of bad-mouthing and criticism from the nay-sayers based on nothing but spineless conjecture. And I'm proud to say that I have some fine-looking mugs in my possession which bring back fond memories of a daring effort. The mugs also remind me of the anchor-like drag from these all-talk and no-walk whiners that we still must contend with while faced with such an enormous challenge.
The other efforts by Ken clearly demonstrate his true, enduring passion and determination for GNULinux (one for you Richard) and the FOSS cause.
My prayers and best wishes for a rapid and lasting recovery go out to Ken and his family. You've inspired me and I know you've inspired others. Linux (one for the rest of us) and FOSS need people like you to show rookies like me the way.
Hang tough, Helios.