There was a dream, of a better world, A world where people are connected and free. Connected by a space covering most of the planet (?) called the Internet. Cyberspace. Not created by some god, but by some men, throughout time, from the machine hardware to the personal computer, the internet to the world wide web, all being shaped bits and pieces, another world created by these ‘founding fathers’ and millions billions of people.

This is a story of one of these men, or more precisely a young man. Just like many of us, interested in computers and the ever changing each moment, ever growing Internet Culture. He who as a boy made it easy for you to get all your news, politics, hobbies, blogs and all interests in one convenient place for you to read, aka RSS whose first specification he had co-authored. He helped create the internet’s (unofficial) front page of the Internet, reddit.

The young man didn’t stop there. When the world continued going down drain at an accelerated rate, when freedom of expression was being threatened everywhere, just as we have soldiers protecting our lands, he one of them who was trying to protect our second world. When the rich, the corrupt tried crossing the lines, there were some like him who opposed the oppressors.

But not all tales end with a happy note. The man who fought against SOPA/PIPA, who tried to make information and knowledge free for the public got trapped in controversies and conspiracies and faced charges for fighting for this world’s freedom. Depression made him away go away, no one might know what was in his mind before he departed.

On January 11, 2013, we lost this fighter. A friend. RIP Aaron Swartz. Your work will continue and never be forgotten by the countless faceless ones.

You can check out what his family, friends, colleagues and others have to say here.

This post was made for the Daily Prompt: Ripped from the Headlines! after seeing my favourite daily digest news blog Mashable, and with thanks to that my small tribute to him.