"When programming is outlawed, only outlaws will program""

William R. Buckley wrote: Why do people not like, say, Jim Goad, when they revere a lovable old "misanthrope" like H.L. Mencken or Mr. Clemens? I don't know John, but I think Doug covered this one pretty well already. He's an ex-con. In our culture, even just being accused of a crime is a big sign plastered to your back, saying, justly or not, "I am a loser." If you maintain your innocence, or unrepentence, or even just your worth as a human being, you can also very easily wave that sign in people's faces, if you aren't very careful. Not saying that it isn't worthwhile. Just that there's a stigma there, one which most people fear is contagious, and may well be in some cases. Which is not an accident, nor benign, but we are off-topic enough here, so I won't go into that. As an aside, I would recommend people add "Papillon" to their reading lists along with "1984", "Fahrenheit 451", and the tech manuals. Especially pay attention to the part about the leper colony. jbdigriz