Talks
Dedication to David Ryder
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Dedication to David Ryder
by David Ryder, Chris Stringer, and Chris CraybillThis tribute video is dedicated to David Ryder, a passionate member of the Ruby community who tragically lost his life shortly before the Ruby on Ales 2013 conference. During the event, speakers including Chris Stringer and Chris Craybill reminisced about David's contributions to open source software and his vibrant presence in the tech community.
The key points discussed in the video include:
- Introduction to David Ryder: He was a participant at last year's conference and was known for engaging conversations about open source software.
- Community Impact: David had made a significant impact in the tech community, moving from St. George, Utah to Bend, Oregon, to pursue more opportunities in open source software.
- Tragic Incident: Just before the event, on Monday after the Super Bowl, David was fatally shot after mistakenly entering the wrong house. This sudden loss has affected many within the community.
- Community Fund: A fund has been established at Chase Bank to support his family, including his wife and two-year-old son, offering an avenue for those who want to contribute.
- Personal Anecdotes: Colleagues shared fond memories of David, including his quirky character, his passion for programming in Ruby, the outdoors, and music. They emphasized the lessons learned from his untimely passing, urging everyone to cherish their time and make meaningful connections.
- Messages from Colleagues: Chris Stringer highlighted David's dedication to the Ruby language and shared how personal this loss was for him, as they worked closely together. Chris Craybill shared a personal journey of reflection, learning to prioritize important aspects of life inspired by David's legacy.
The speakers wished to raise awareness of David's contributions while encouraging the Ruby community to appreciate their relationships and work. They acknowledged the personal growth inspired by this tragedy and called for everyone to treasure each day.
Overall, the video serves as both a memorial for David Ryder and a reminder for all to live fully and support one another in the tech community.
00:00:12.480
All right. This part’s not quite as easy. We had another presenter who was scheduled to speak at Ruby on Ales this year, a guy named David Ryder. He was at the conference last year, and on the second day, we ended up having a panel where we talked about a bunch of different topics. It kind of devolved a little bit and ended up becoming a discussion about open source software.
00:00:21.600
So, how many of you were here last year? Sorry, I'm doing exactly what you asked me not to. Um, during the panel last year, near the end, there was a guy sitting over here on the couch who kept asking me, 'What if your company won't let you do open source software development?' I said, 'Well, if you can't convince your company to change, then you need to change your company.' We actually went back and forth on that three or four times. Does anybody remember that? So, that was kind of the start of my introduction to David Ryder.
00:00:48.239
We talked a bit after the panel and planted that seed some more. I guess I have to give you the end story here as to why we're talking about this in the first place. David submitted a proposal to Ruby on Ales, and we selected his proposal for a talk. I had talked to him a little and wanted him to discuss how he had gone from coming out to Ruby on Ales, then going to Mountain West Ruby Conf. At the time, he was working in St. George, Utah, for a software company down there.
00:01:09.840
He ended up quitting and moving to Bend so that he could do more open source software and really follow his passion. I wanted to have him come and present about this, but unfortunately, on the Monday after the Super Bowl, around 2 AM, he ended up at the wrong person's house and was shot and murdered.
00:01:30.160
So, this is kind of a memorial for those of us who knew him, whether it was through the conference or for those who actually worked with him day in and day out at G5. For those of us who just knew him through the tech community here in Bend after he got here, that’s kind of what we're talking about at the moment. There is a fund set up for him at Chase Bank. If anybody's interested in donating, you can simply go in and tell them you'd like to donate to the David Ryder Fund. He left behind his wife and a two-year-old son.
00:02:45.440
He was an active part of the community, and I'm going to let a couple of his coworkers from G5 talk for just a couple more minutes about his passion and what he meant to us. Then we're going to shift into the lightning talks and raise the tone a few notches. Thanks, everybody.
00:03:10.400
My name is Chris Stringer; I work at G5 as a Ruby engineer. I don't want to take up too much of anybody's time since I know most of you didn't know David Ryder. I don’t want to spend a lot of time on a sad topic, especially since this is a great, happy conference, and everybody's having a good time.
00:03:46.560
However, I wanted to talk a little bit more about David and send a message to the Ruby community. David Ryder was here last year; you might remember him as the guy who, like Kobe said, asked about open source. He was also the guy walking around in a bathing suit and flip-flops for the whole time. I remember seeing him the first day and wondering, 'Who is that guy?' It wasn't that warm out.
00:04:07.360
He was a character. I actually went to Mountain West Ruby Conf in Salt Lake City, Utah, where Kobe was there and knew we were looking for new engineers at G5. He was nice enough to introduce David and me.
00:04:20.000
That was my first real conversation with David, and I took him out to lunch. I gave him the pitch to come to G5, highlighting that it was a great company that supports open source. One thing led to another, and he did join us. I got to know him pretty well, both inside and outside of work. He was a passionate guy, very passionate about Ruby, music, being outdoors, family, and so many things.
00:04:48.800
Most of you didn’t know David, so I won’t delve too deeply into these topics. Still, I just wanted to convey that we are a community of Ruby enthusiasts, and this loss hit close to home for me. I’ve had family members pass away, but losing David, someone I sat 20 feet from, struck a very personal chord. I still see his code every day.
00:05:25.760
It really hit hard for everyone on our team. We’re not that big of a company; we have about 15 to 20 people in engineering. What I really wanted to say is that you never know what’s going to happen. We lost one of our own, a passionate guy in the community, and I guess the lesson is to treat every day like it’s your last. It’s terrible to see David go, and we all miss him a ton.
00:05:50.560
That's it; thanks.
00:06:40.560
So, on to Chris Craybill. I'm Chris Craybill, the CTO at G5. It's my first time speaking at a Ruby conference, though I've attended about six or seven. Pardon my nervousness.
00:06:49.680
This is one of my favorite pictures of David. He embodied many wonderful qualities. As you can see, he was a family man, with a two-year-old son, and he loved being outdoors. I’d like to share a little story about myself and what David meant to me.
00:07:52.079
In December of this year, I had a coach who introduced me to the concept of a 'wheel of life,' a visual representation of what was important to me. Back in December, I realized my happiness was pretty low. I had personal growth thanks to my coaching; I was making decent money and was happy with my job, but the expenses, including coaching, cut into my finances. I wasn't doing great with my wife either.
00:09:16.600
I was in a state of learned helplessness, feeling stifled and unable to change my situation. After a few weeks, I decided to make a change.
00:09:36.480
So, I stopped taking myself too seriously, and I encourage all of you to learn that lesson. I decided to look at my own life, my 'wheel,' and ensure I was taking care of the things that matter most to me.
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