Recent comments in /f/Documentaries

Sovereign444 t1_jayfnwh wrote

Reply to comment by FloogleFinagler in Terry Pratchett: Facing Extinction (2013) - Author Terry Pratchett, having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, returns to Borneo, where 18 years earlier, he encountered wild orangutans for the first time [01:01:50] by BigJimNorton

I’m surprised that all these so-called fans of Sir Terry and his humour are angry at this pretty darkly funny comment. I feel like Pratchett himself would laugh at this sort of thing. But internet people have to be angry on his behalf?

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Dioxid3 t1_jaxwc6k wrote

Reply to comment by Broadenway in Terry Pratchett: Facing Extinction (2013) - Author Terry Pratchett, having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, returns to Borneo, where 18 years earlier, he encountered wild orangutans for the first time [01:01:50] by BigJimNorton

In this case, as posted by RoboLemur, it stands for an infinite repetition of sending a message – gnu is supposed to go, not be logged, and sent back after coming at the end.

So for as long as the message gets relayed, they won’t be forgotten.

GNU Terry

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lavahot t1_jaxopj8 wrote

Reply to comment by CaptainChaos74 in Terry Pratchett: Facing Extinction (2013) - Author Terry Pratchett, having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, returns to Borneo, where 18 years earlier, he encountered wild orangutans for the first time [01:01:50] by BigJimNorton

Wow, TIL! Thanks for the analysis. I knew it was too good a coincidence to not be related. I'm not that familiar with Terry Pratchett's work, and I always think his work is older than it actually is.

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CaptainChaos74 t1_jaxnp2c wrote

Reply to comment by lavahot in Terry Pratchett: Facing Extinction (2013) - Author Terry Pratchett, having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, returns to Borneo, where 18 years earlier, he encountered wild orangutans for the first time [01:01:50] by BigJimNorton

Possibly, but recursive acronyms were already a popular joke in the hacker space when GNU came out in 1984, while Going Postal wasn't published until 2004.

I think it might actually be the reverse: Terry Pratchett might have been paying homage to Richard Stallman. Pratchett was a computer geek, and the book is about automated communication, like a computer network, so it's not beyond the realm of possibilities.

The GNU in the book are disruptors who fight against the big corporation that runs the semaphore, just like the real-life GNU was a disruptor that went up against the big corporations that sold UNIX. And in the end they won. If you have an Android phone, it runs GNU/Linux. 😀

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KrasierFrane t1_jaxhqdc wrote

Reply to comment by FloogleFinagler in Terry Pratchett: Facing Extinction (2013) - Author Terry Pratchett, having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, returns to Borneo, where 18 years earlier, he encountered wild orangutans for the first time [01:01:50] by BigJimNorton

Well, I hope you're just being edgy on purpose, otherwise your inability to understand why this joke wasn't too good might suggest some developmental disabilities.

Just take an L and moved on, your joke wasn't that well received, try harder next time.

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Dessert-fathers t1_jaxhccp wrote

Reply to comment by WookieWeed in Terry Pratchett: Facing Extinction (2013) - Author Terry Pratchett, having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, returns to Borneo, where 18 years earlier, he encountered wild orangutans for the first time [01:01:50] by BigJimNorton

>It would do a great service to their cause to come out and say this on the front page

That would be seen as racist, which is why it's buried. People are not supposed to be asking these types of questions; just open your hearts and wallets and give generously.

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