X and NeWS history

This is also an important example of how limiting an anti-social attitude can be when trying to collaborate and have a large affect on the world. As brilliant as Jon is, he wasted an inordinate amount of time making up for constantly insulting people, places, and approaches. (Even today he couldn't avoid insulting all of Tulsa OK).

Imagine where windowing systems could be if his brilliant work, API thoughts, and insights weren't delivered with insults, arrogance and vitriol.

At the end it is sad that he was proud of being right even though he was an _hole (his word). It could have been that he was right and his best ideas were in common use.

I didn't realize people were so sensitive in the field. Compared to Linus, Theo de Raadt, Richard Stallman, etc, Jon seemed to be cruising at a comfortable level of Germanic straight-forward truth-telling, no real aholishness I could detect. Guess I should reset my etiquette and politeness filters.

I note that the people you name all built their communities through work they did well outside the corporate world.

People are sensitive in every field. Even if they weren't, there is very little to be gained by needlessly insulting them.

Working hard to build great stuff and arguing/fighting for what is right can be forceful without being debasing, divisive, or insulting.

> how limiting an anti-social attitude can be when trying to collaborate

There are those of us who see collaboration as orthogonal to innovation and thus don't put any effort into it. Fortunately, there's a good mix of talent and dispositions out there to make up for it.

> Imagine where windowing systems could be if his brilliant work, API thoughts, and insights weren't delivered with insults, arrogance and vitriol.

Imagine a world where everyone is the same and has the same set of values. That may seem like paradise to some, but it sounds like doom to me.

> At the end it is sad that he was proud of being right

He was proud that he didn't compromise, even though that would've been easier, and no one would've faulted him for it.

And at least two of them have a undeserved reputation.

You mean Theo and Linus? Yes.

Imagine if the creator of the ideal windowing system wasn't aborted in the 1960s.

Theo's reputation is very well deserved.