Through today's InfoWorld Ahead of the Curve e-mail newsletter I read the tragic story of brilliant programmer and peer-to-peer pioneer, Gene Kan, who took his own life. He was only 25 and suffered from clinical depression.

I had never heard of him before (I have heard of what he worked on, Gnutella, of course) but from what I've read about him just today, he has my utmost respect and admiration. His is an amazing, sad, and moving story.

Read more about Gene Kan:

• A letter to Gene Kan (Joey deVilla's "silce of life" weblog)
  
• Pioneer of file-swapping Gnutella dies, an apparent suicide (The Sacramento Bee)
  
• Gnutella pioneer Gene Kan dies (News.com)
  
• Quiet, Sad Death of Net Pioneer (Wired)
  
• As one of TIME Digital's Digital Dozen, movers and shakers for 2001
  
• Gene's weblog since May 2002