Reiser, 59, serving a potential life sentence in a California prison for the 2006 murder of his estranged wife, Nina Reiser, wrote back with more than 6,500 words, which Brennan then forwarded to the LKML. It's not often you see somebody apologize for killing their wife, explain their coding decisions around balanced trees versus extensible hashing, and suggest that elementary schools offer the same kinds of emotional intelligence curriculum that they've worked through in prison, in a software mailing list. It's quite a document.
There is a section of Reiser's letter, crossed out in an image file uploaded by Brennan, and so not included in the LKML text post, in which Reiser states that if he could "wave a magic wand to change the American divorce process," he would require each person be asked: "Is it possible that your spouse is in a lot of pain, and could that explain their actions?" Such "inviting empathy," Reiser writes, is something he uses frequently in conflict resolution and meditation.
Reiser expounds on the conflict resolution he's picked up in cognitive behavioral intervention classes in prison, and how that might have guided his Linux kernel interactions back then. Making people feel appreciated and asking for their ideas, rather than asking, "Why do I have to deal with these people who didn't write as fast of a filesystem?" He notes that he believes elementary schools should have similar kinds of emotional guidance classes as he's had access to in prison.
I wish I had learned the things I have been learning in prison about talking through problems, and believing I can talk through problems and doing it, before I had married or joined the LKML. I hope that day when they teach these things in Elementary School comes.
Really interesting, thanks for sharing. It's great that he's been able to use his time in prison to actually reflect and try to be a better person. It makes me wonder how that specific prison is...
Really interesting, thanks for sharing. It's great that he's been able to use his time in prison to actually reflect and try to be a better person. It makes me wonder how that specific prison is managed, if his improvement can be at least partially credited to the prison management, and if so, whether his fellow inmates are simarly on a journey of self-improvement as well.
Edit: More info on the murder case can be found here -- https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Reiser -- TW: violent murder. After reading this I'm not sure if I'd trust his apology, idk.
One thing that I recall hearing, but am unsure the accuracy of...is that "most murders are crimes of passion, and are one-off events." Serial killers are portrayed so much on screen because they...
One thing that I recall hearing, but am unsure the accuracy of...is that "most murders are crimes of passion, and are one-off events." Serial killers are portrayed so much on screen because they are the exception, not the norm. And I can comprehend that.
I am doubtful that Hans being released would be a serious threat to anyone else whom he was not married to. And, having been exposed to all sorts of emotional intelligence training in my 30's that I never had before....I can fully imagine a scenario where after learning a better toolset for emotions that they may self reflect and realize they might not have done what they did if they knew how to better cope and/or empathize with people.
In my experience it's true that most murders are one-off crimes of passion or related to organized/semi-organized crime (ala gang violence). Either way recidivism is low in part due to long prison...
In my experience it's true that most murders are one-off crimes of passion or related to organized/semi-organized crime (ala gang violence). Either way recidivism is low in part due to long prison terms and in part due to the cause of the crime.
A lot of my hesitation around this issue and his words are because they seem to deflect rather than "Explain" or take responsibility. And that's not a great sign. But as far as I can tell the context is not about his individual crime, I think?
It's unlikely keeping him in prison is in anyone's best interest if he hasn't had any issues with violence since then and doesn't have any after release.
It's a good point. Someone on Ars commented that he was denied parole in 2022, so maybe this is a play for his next parole hearing. On the other hand, he did not initiate this outreach. Instead,...
It's a good point. Someone on Ars commented that he was denied parole in 2022, so maybe this is a play for his next parole hearing.
On the other hand, he did not initiate this outreach. Instead, it was initiated by Fredrick Brennan:
With the ReiserFS recently considered obsolete and slated for removal from the Linux kernel entirely, Fredrick R. Brennan, font designer and (now regretful) founder of 8chan, wrote to the filesystem's creator, Hans Reiser, asking if he wanted to reply to the discussion on the Linux Kernel Mailing List (LKML).
I don't envy parole boards. They are given the power to transform an individual's life. But some individuals can be extremely manipulative and convincing and know the right words and themes to pull heartstrings without meaning any of it.
Kinda a hard article to categorize.
Really interesting, thanks for sharing. It's great that he's been able to use his time in prison to actually reflect and try to be a better person. It makes me wonder how that specific prison is managed, if his improvement can be at least partially credited to the prison management, and if so, whether his fellow inmates are simarly on a journey of self-improvement as well.
Edit: More info on the murder case can be found here -- https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Reiser -- TW: violent murder. After reading this I'm not sure if I'd trust his apology, idk.
One thing that I recall hearing, but am unsure the accuracy of...is that "most murders are crimes of passion, and are one-off events." Serial killers are portrayed so much on screen because they are the exception, not the norm. And I can comprehend that.
I am doubtful that Hans being released would be a serious threat to anyone else whom he was not married to. And, having been exposed to all sorts of emotional intelligence training in my 30's that I never had before....I can fully imagine a scenario where after learning a better toolset for emotions that they may self reflect and realize they might not have done what they did if they knew how to better cope and/or empathize with people.
In my experience it's true that most murders are one-off crimes of passion or related to organized/semi-organized crime (ala gang violence). Either way recidivism is low in part due to long prison terms and in part due to the cause of the crime.
A lot of my hesitation around this issue and his words are because they seem to deflect rather than "Explain" or take responsibility. And that's not a great sign. But as far as I can tell the context is not about his individual crime, I think?
It's unlikely keeping him in prison is in anyone's best interest if he hasn't had any issues with violence since then and doesn't have any after release.
It's a good point. Someone on Ars commented that he was denied parole in 2022, so maybe this is a play for his next parole hearing.
On the other hand, he did not initiate this outreach. Instead, it was initiated by Fredrick Brennan:
I don't envy parole boards. They are given the power to transform an individual's life. But some individuals can be extremely manipulative and convincing and know the right words and themes to pull heartstrings without meaning any of it.