so what was this guy known for? for a blog? for his illness?

Yes. He was an academic who wrote about writing, authored two inconsequential novels, and was very open about his cancer. Many people here interacted with him or his work, but there’s no shame if you didn’t. A black bar on HN means people asked for it, it’s not a new entry on life’s high score table that needs to be rigorously justified.

You sound a bit like a dick

> but there’s no shame if you didn’t

I never said I feel any shame about this. Hard to feel shame for not knowing some random blogger

> A black bar on HN means people asked for it, it’s not a new entry on life’s high score table that needs to be rigorously justified.

Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. I just wanted to know what was he known for and who he was. You could've ended the comment after the first sentence

I’m pretty comfortable with how I’m acting in the comments about someone’s death, but you do you.