Open Source Developer Knighted

unixfan writes "Georg Greve, developer of Open Document Format and active FOSS developer, has received a knighthood in Germany for his work. From the article: 'Some weeks ago I received news that the embassy in Berne had unsuccessfully been trying to contact me under FSFE's old office address in Zurich. This was a bit odd and unexpected. So you can probably understand my surprise to be told by the embassy upon contacting them that on 18 December 2009 I had been awarded the Cross of Merit on ribbon (Verdienstkreuz am Bande) by the Federal Republic of Germany. As you might expect, my first reaction was one of disbelief. I was, in fact, rather shaken. You could also say shocked. Quick Wikipedia research revealed this to be part of the orders of knighthood, making this a Knight's Cross.'"

Quick! Someone send him a copy of the Dragon Book

[syousef]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Book_(computer_science) [wikipedia.org]

Why do I suddenly

[Iamthecheese]

want to find an open source project to help with?

maintain a tradition

[roman_mir]

Now, that you are a knight, which Trojan horse will you be riding on?

Congratulations though!

Re:knighthood my ass

[Anonymous Coward]

No offense to Brits, it's just that we've got a lot of Brit dick suckers out this way.

Well at least they're not at risk of choking on anything.

Re:knighthood my ass

[Gordonjcp]

No offense to Brits

Ah, an American. Do I detect a tinge of jealousy there? Don't worry, in a couple of hundred years you won't be the new boys any more. I'll still have trees in my garden older than your whole country, though.

Re:US Citizens restrictions on receving nobility

[Anonymous Coward]

I would just get the consent of Congress and be done with it. How hard can *that* be, anyway. They consent to all kinds of crazy s**t.

Re:Right Direction--More Money and Sex Appeal

[tzot]

Open source developers, then, have at least three common traits with medieval knights: unshaven, smelly and annoying.

Re:knighthood my ass

[Cryacin]

What have you done that's likely to last a hundred years?

There's plenty of recursive functions and while loops that spring to mind.

Me too..

[hokusai]

I too once received a knighthood: "Dear Sir.... I am writing you on behalf of the exile king of ........ Our kingdom would like to reward you the golden cross, our highest recommendations, a knighthood. In exchange for this great honor, we would like you to help with releasing the frozen accounts of the king, by allowing a small sum to pass through your account ....."

Sir Terry Pratchett on benefits of knighthood

[billstewart]

Apparently after you get knighted, it's standard form to make self-deprecating humourous remarks about it. Sir Terry Pratchett was talking about it at the DiscWorld Con last fall in Arizona, and said that one thing he really enjoys about it is that when he's dealing with bureaucrats who used to bully him, now that he's *Sir* Terry, he's able to bully them back, so dealing with bureaucracy has become much less onerous.