Possum on-line

Possum was a Linux advocate. Linux is at the core of the open-source, free software movement and its mascot is the penguin Tux: shown at left here. He used his computer skills to set up a number of sites for volunteer and advocacy groups and probably did some teaching of computer crafts at Anarchist University and other forums. If you were involved with Possum on any Linux projects please tell us about them in a comment by clicking on the comment counter below.

With his sudden death, some of the websites and other systems that he set up are now frozen and may just suddenly disappear because he was the owner of some of the sites' domain names (the URL or interNet address) and was the sole moderator or administrator for others. There is a table of these sites on the Links page of this site. The orderly disposition of the on-line assets of estates is a rather new area for society at large. A friend of mine died about three years ago and the opening up and disposition of his vast on-line worlds was a nightmare. Are there any legal-beagles out there who know the legalities of all this? Is there one way to go about it or does every web hosting company have a different policy? I'm sure the family would be grateful for any help that anyone could give and I, for one, would hate to see all of his programs and on-line discussions just disappear. Send me an e-mail or add a comment by clicking on the comment counter below.

His Day Jobs

Eric generated his money via the IT industry where he was highly respected by his colleagues. From Toronto Bloggist Accordian Guy we hear that he worked at a startup called "Open Cola" for a while. His last job was at IX Maps which is associated in some way with the University of Toronto. People from both places tell essentially the same story about him: he was a mentor to the junior programmers and a unique lateral thinker who was fun to work with.

Anyone know of any other places where he worked? Any tales of Technological Terror to tell from his IT days? Enter your contributions by clicking on the comment counter below.

Possum Man Comics

The origin of the name Possum seems to have been superhero called "Possum Man" which he created in his childhood. His powers were that he was near-sighted and could sleep hanging from his tail! (Not to be confused with The Possum superhero by Blair Kitchen here in Toronto.) Erik seems to have created as least a few comics devoted to this avatar of his but I don't know if they were ever for sale or if they were just put out on a 'zine basis. I have also heard that there were also some autobiographical comics about Possum as opposed to Possum Man.

Does anyone know anything more about or perhaps even possess some of these masterpieces? Post your info in a comment by clicking on the comment counter below.

School Days

Erik perplexed and delighted teachers through a series of alternative schools and then went on to found his own. He started out in a Waldorf School and then went on to SEED. At SEED he famously refused to accept his diploma at the end of his time there because he disagreed with the very idea of diplomas! Some time after that he founded his own (non-diploma-granting I would assume) Anarchist University.

So: Whither Anarchist U now? Did he go to another school after SEED sans SEED diploma? Any SEEDlings out there with any tales to tell? Add your input by clicking on the comment counter below.

Mud House

Mud House, on Manning Avenue here in Toronto, where Possum lived for the last years of his life is a commune which he founded and was a mainstay of. It is explicitly non-hierarchical and anarchistic. The current inhabitants come from a wide variety of backgrounds, orientations and belief systems. I went there after the impromptu memorial gathering in Bell-Trinity Park and it very much reminded me of the Anarchist and Punk habitats of my youth: with the exception of its longevity. In my experience these things have a life expectancy of months before they fall apart but this has been going for about eight years!

The secret sauce seems to have been Possum's skills at conflict mediation and consensus gathering. As one alumni related it to me: "He never seemed to be taking sides in any of the inevitable conflicts but was rather only on the side of coming to a resolution. In addition, in the non-hierarchical tradition of the place, he always related to each person as an equal. Whether you were a newcomer, a long-time resident, a wretched drug addict or a rowdy, protesting Anarchist it made no difference to him. Everyone was treated with the same respect." I would say also that his aura of calm, like finest fountain spray on hottest day, would have been invaluable as well. No one that I've talked to since his death can remember him once losing his temper or even getting angry.

So Mud House Alumni: Do you have a collective noun? Does anyone recall exactly how Mud House came to be? Anyone have any tales of specific conflicts that Possum resolved? Did Mud House change your life? Enter a comment by clicking on the comment counter link below.

Possum and the 4th Dimension

Possum was, as Cory Doctrow put it in his eloquent eulogy obsessed with multidimensional space. From a very early age, he worked out a system for visualizing up to seven spatial dimensions. The system was very intuitive for him, less so for everyone else. He decided that the way to convey it would be through simple games that ramped up from 3D to 4D and onward. The code base for these things is currently on his personal website: see the Links page of this blog.

The Serial Diners

It is our quest to visit all of the restaurants in Toronto in alphabetical order. We meet every Friday at 6 pm according to the current agenda which is published here along with the rules and regulations of our order. Anyone is welcome to attend with no prior invitation or notification.

Possum was Diner #509, munching with us first at Extreme Pita on March 8, 2002. He attended several times a year every year until his last recorded meal with us at Lee Garden on April 6, 2012. He was our resident vegetarian and this is most famously reflected in the entry in our Chronicles for June 7, 2002:

June 7, 2002: Fat Cat, 376 Eglinton Avenue West. (Open: Erik barely escapes to Yitz’s, Benet stays to defend dessert.)

Having perused the menu at this very posh restaurant Erik saw that they didn't really have any vegetarian dishes so he got up to lead a dissident faction to Yitz's Deli just down the street. The owner was horrified and chased after Erik just about out into the street: protesting that the kitchen could invent something not on the menu if only he'd give them the chance.

He was a brilliant conversationalist on a very wide variety of subjects and he fit right in with the non-hierarchical boffins, mavens and enthusiasts who form the core of The Diners. He was a unique individual who shall be missed.