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He's a fantastic software engineer but he is _very_ abrasive. I've read some of his posts claiming he would fight some other developer in person at a conference if he steps up. He would rent out a ring and he would put his yellow belt to practice.

Really, I'm not making this up. He sounds like a jerk to work with.

4 comments

He's actually a really nice person. He helped me out (to him I was just some stranger on the phone) when I was trying to decide what to do with my career when I was in NYC.

Zed Shaw is probably one the best people you can know in the developer community, a very good guy.

Your sensationalism based on some of the stuff he says on Twitter and Blogs is amusing though.

> Your sensationalism

well he doesn't try to be a nice guy in public...

He is actually a very nice person to be around and work with. Besides being professional and experienced he is also outspoken with a firm opinion.

You might think that's being a jerk, I think that's honest and reliable.

I am among those appreciative of his contribution to my education. At the same time I wish he'd let the word 'fuck' regain its undoubted impact by not using it on what seems to be every conceivable occasion (excuse the pun).

He's just a bit too honest and direct for the average American.

From that perspective at least, I expect people like Zed to do great in Northern Europe. There's a reason Americans think DHH is rude. He isn't; he's just Danish.

It seems like some context might be missing here.

Context: http://web.archive.org/web/20080103072111/http://www.zedshaw...

" I mean business when I say I’ll take anyone on who wants to fight me. You think you can take me, I’ll pay to rent a boxing ring and beat your fucking ass legally. Remember that I’ve studied enough martial arts to be deadly even though I’m old, and I don’t give a fuck if I kick your mother fucking ass or you kick mine. You don’t like what I’ve said, then write something in reply but fuck you if you think you’re gonna talk to me like you can hurt me."