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For me, one of those people is Aaron Swartz. I first learned about this incredible guy from a video on the Meta Monkeys YouTube channel by Vijay Varadharaj, and ever since then, I've been excited to share his story and how it's inspired me.
Here's a shorter version of what's coming up. It's for people who don't want to read long paragraphs:
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Aaron was born in Chicago, and even as a little kid, he showed he was a total whiz when it came to computers and the internet. When he was just 14 years old, he helped create something called The Info Network, which was kind of like an early version of Wikipedia.
As Aaron got older, he kept on accomplishing amazing things. In 2004, he helped start up the website Reddit (view), which I'm sure most of you know is one of the biggest online communities around. A couple years later, he co-founded an organization called Demand Progress that fought to keep the internet free and open for everyone.
But Aaron didn't just start successful companies - he was also a brilliant programmer. In 2005, he created this cool web programming tool called web.py, and he even contributed to developing Markdown, that handy way of writing for the web. He also worked on a project called the Open Library (view), trying to make important information available to the public for free.
One of the boldest moves Aaron made was in 2008, when he downloaded a ton of court documents from a website called PACER, and also grabbed a bunch of academic articles from JSTOR. He was trying to open up access to all that knowledge to the common people, but the government ended up charging him with crimes for doing it.
" JSTOR is an online library that provides access to academic articles and journals.
PACER is an online system where you can access federal court documents and case information by paying a subscription. "
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Sadly, the stress of that legal battle was just too much for Aaron. In 2013, when he was only 26 years old, he took his own life. It was a devastating loss for everyone who cared about internet freedom and making information open to all.
But even though Aaron is gone, his legacy lives on. This guy was one of the smartest and bravest people I know of. He helped create the Creative Commons licensing system to make it easier to share stuff online. He co-invented RSS 1.0, which is a super important tool for getting news and updates. And he contributed to Markdown, which makes writing for the web a total breeze.
" RSS is like a personalized news feed that gathers updates from your favorite websites and delivers them to one place, so you can easily stay updated without visiting each site individually. "
Above all, Aaron was a tireless champion for keeping the internet free and open. He believed that information shouldn't be locked away where only some people can access it - it should be available to everyone. That's a cause that I really believe in too.
So whenever I'm feeling inspired to stand up for what I believe in, or to use my skills to try and make a difference, I think about Aaron Swartz. He's a powerful reminder that one person can change the world, even when they're up against huge, powerful forces. Aaron may be gone, but he'll always be a hero in my book.
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Swartz's legacy goes way beyond what we've talked about here. He inspired loads of people to fight for a free and open internet, where everyone can learn and share.
Catch you later, friends!
Resources:
The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (Documentary) - view
Aaron swartz Blog - view
The Boy Who Could Change the World: The Writings of Aaron Swartz (Book) - view
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