jragosta (Joseph Michael Ragosta)
Many of us spend a great deal of time perusing the comments of mostly anonymous strangers from around the world and from all different walks-of-life based on a (single) common interest. Over time we get to know each other as more than just an alias and an avatar.
We pick up on each other's writing styles, personal interests, and can usually gauge with a fair amount of accuracy how the other will likely respond to certain topics before they weigh in.
We tend to do all this without ever knowing anything about their corporeal self. Despite this limited view of the complete person we get to experience a very pure form of the person's thoughts without certain societal biases or soma being a factor.
I didn't always agree with [B]jragosta[/B] but he did make this forum a better place in which to build upon, reinforce, or completely reject preconceived notions about the direction of technology.
This is what a good debater brings to a forum and [B]jragosta[/B] — along with many others here I respect — have taught me a great deal over the past 6 years. Not just about Apple, or consumer electronics, or technology, but also about many other tangential topics that oft transpired; as well as teaching me to parley more effectively with frequent, and [I]sometimes[/I] heated, discussions.
Thank you, [B]jragosta[/B], your presence will be missed.
[INDENT]• http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/centredaily/obituary.aspx?pid=167587636[/INDENT]
We pick up on each other's writing styles, personal interests, and can usually gauge with a fair amount of accuracy how the other will likely respond to certain topics before they weigh in.
We tend to do all this without ever knowing anything about their corporeal self. Despite this limited view of the complete person we get to experience a very pure form of the person's thoughts without certain societal biases or soma being a factor.
I didn't always agree with [B]jragosta[/B] but he did make this forum a better place in which to build upon, reinforce, or completely reject preconceived notions about the direction of technology.
This is what a good debater brings to a forum and [B]jragosta[/B] — along with many others here I respect — have taught me a great deal over the past 6 years. Not just about Apple, or consumer electronics, or technology, but also about many other tangential topics that oft transpired; as well as teaching me to parley more effectively with frequent, and [I]sometimes[/I] heated, discussions.
Thank you, [B]jragosta[/B], your presence will be missed.
[INDENT]• http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/centredaily/obituary.aspx?pid=167587636[/INDENT]
Comments
Hear, hear.
I too had my differences, but I raise a toast to JMR.
Godspeed jragosta. Many of us knew you well and while you were strong in your convictions you were as fair as a person ought to be. I'm saddened that he was recalled far too soon. My blessings go to the Ragosta family.
How did you happen to come across this obituary? You're not trawling through them regularly after placing bets on who goes next I hope.
Thanks for posting. I suspect that quite a few forum members had noticed his absence, and while that's very sad news, it's better to know than to wonder what happened. He was never afraid to make an argument, and always willing to engage. And, apparently, doing good work in real life.
We should all be grateful for the time that we have.
Muppetry, thanks for informing us on this sad news. I'd like to simply copy paste something from the PM you initiated:
Strange how one can feel, well, feel, can't find a right word for it, that someone here died. Never met him, don't know anything about him. Yet, you feel something. Strange.
Would like to think Relic will make it, but as I understand it she won't. And that will 'hit' me more as she shared so much of herself. I've never had 'this kind of contact' with people over the Internet, AI being 'my first'. It's nice. Except for when people die. Such is life. Yet, you'll pause at what you're doing on any given day.
Did you know him personally, Soli? I daresay I'd be much harder to find in an obituary.
Not friends with his uncle so much as he and his wife were once customers of mine. He's quite old now and his wife passed several years ago. The world can really be a tiny place. I never would have made the connection if not for Phil and Muppetry messaging me.
I was surprised myself that the obituary didn’t say. “Died at home”… perhaps heart attack or cancer? Young for a stroke, sure, but my sister had one at 13.
I was surprised myself that the obituary didn’t say. “Died at home”… perhaps heart attack or cancer? Young for a stroke, sure, but my sister had one at 13.
I didn't see any details anywhere, but it does seem like it may have been rather sudden (he was posting to the forum that day as usual) and, from the obituary, probably medical rather than trauma.
Rest in Peace jragosta.
Wouldn't want to call him old, at 55.
Damn! I'm going to miss arguing with that guy!
Sorry to hear of this loss to our community. Fare thee well jragosta.
Second this, and thanks to everyone who posted here about jragosta. I.always read his posts because I expected them to be serious contributions, and they usually were.
I quoted or referred to his posts several times, don't recall ever arguing with him. Once he said he owned and liked a Buick Enclave, a car I find very strange. Now every time I see one, I think of him. I guess it'll be that way from now on. He will be missed.
And so I'm I. He didn't make for a interesting day. RIP jragosta.