Comments on: Poisonous people

By: Gronk

Gronk — Sat, 17 May 2008 10:16:15 +0000

You not mentioning names is irrelevant, since everyone who visits and has interest in what you wrote can find out who you’re talking about. And you’re throwing some pretty serious accusations around, such as: “who failed on almost every single one of their given tasks”. Is that fair? I wouldn’t know, I’m not an insider, so it’s not a rhetorical question.

By: Martin Sevior

Martin Sevior — Fri, 16 May 2008 04:47:45 +0000

Hi J5,
Although I’m not deeply involved in OLPC as you once were, I continue to volunteer my time to the project.

Thanks for your blog post. It gives me another perspective on what is happening within the organization and what to watch out for in the future.

By: Andres Salomon

Andres Salomon — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:39:45 +0000

While I may or may not agree with a theoretical “poisonous person”’s punditry via a theoretical, highly-publicized blog post.. I sure am glad to have things out in the open.

By: J5

J5 — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:10:06 +0000

Yes my blog is high profile to a small subset of people but it is also a direct link to a lot of friends. A couple of them have first hand knowledge of the hell that preceded this post.

To all those who think that my post was an attempt to accomplish anything other than personal peace of mind please look up the adjective form of the word “cathartic”. To those friends who have been through this with me I think that is exactly what this post was as well as to those who have been in similar situations.

Not everything has to be a benefit to the world. Look around your own world first and step up to the plate before you place that pressure on my shoulders.

By: becn

becn — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:26:29 +0000

ummmm

i don’t know your project but MAN it sounds like you work at my company!!!!

By: Peteris Krisjanis

Peteris Krisjanis — Thu, 15 May 2008 09:59:08 +0000

Sb: to be honest, Ivan post was 1000% stop energy. He had valid points, but somehow he failed to detect who was responsible about what.

NN and OLPC has perefectly valid vision. All is what OLPC had to do is to _implement_ it, no matter what it takes. Instead of that, when first problems accours, everyone including Nicholas caves in and says, uhh ohh, maybe it wasn’t so good idea.

If you are not capable or don’t feel strong enough go to the end, DON’T DO IT, PERIOD.

Or don’t quit and try to solve problems.

Duh.

All this whinning – for what?! Free software was reason of bad organization?! RMS is nuthead just because he says what he always have said (and that he has right to have his opinion)?

Come on people. Stop playing BLAME GAMES. FIX THE DAMN PROJECT.

Sorry for rant

By: Sb

Sb — Thu, 15 May 2008 04:11:50 +0000

J5, don’t you think that this sort of post turns you, yourself, into a poisonous person? This blog post is 99% stop energy. In reply to Ivan’s lucid rant, you pretty much “You’re wrong, and you’re a liar.” (snake-oil, same thing) How is this not poisonous?

Obviously I’m not the content police — it’s your blog. If I’m wrong about the intent of your post, then I guess I don’t understand what you’re trying to say and would really appreciate some clarification.

By: john Stowers

john Stowers — Wed, 14 May 2008 23:36:28 +0000

J5, I have to agree with Mikkel here, I think it was clear that people would assume you were talking about X, Y or both, given the timing and publicity of your blog.

Assuming that you must have known this would happen one must wonder if this post has much benefit, or if plays into the hands of conflict, resulting in less happiness and harmony in the world.

By: Mikkel Kamstrup Erlandsen

Mikkel Kamstrup Erlandsen — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:39:24 +0000

J5: This is one of the curses of a high profile blog like yours. People, including me, are going to make second guesses and ill-informed opinions when you write a post like that; and I think you know that very well.

Not saying that anybody is right or wrong, it is just human nature to try and comprehend the underlying pattern.

By: J5

J5 — Wed, 14 May 2008 20:09:07 +0000

Sb,

First of all I never named anyone so it is pretty bad form to put words into my mouth. You are free to speculate though. Second, ya it’s ad-hominem but then I’m not addressing any argument to be proven or disproven. I think the only point I made was that poisonous people ruin my day (and this particular character has shown a pattern of hypocritical behaviour and I have restrained myself until now). Note that “poisonous people” is a valid coined phrase, please watch the video posted in comment #3. In any cased I sincerely hope you don’t think you are the content police because those who absolutely know what I am talking about gleaned more content from the first sentence than anything specific that I could write. I’ll forgive you for not knowing what is exactly going on, but don’t pretend to know either. If I feel there is a right time to air it, and that time may never come, I’ll do so but for now I am just venting. You can take it or leave it. I know those who took it and it makes them feel much better knowing they are not alone in this sentiment.