Identified! FL - Big Cypress Natl Preserve, Male hiker, "Denim" & "Mostly Harmless", Jul 2018 - Vance Rodriguez

[branmuffin]

hmmm, well 'bonne belle âme' translates to good beautiful soul. I am most likely reaching with this but it sounds nice.

Bel ami is French for 'good friend'.

 

[branmuffin]

I believe I've read a few times that of the hikers who spent time with MH none had ever seen him write in his notebooks. What I don't remember is whether or not it's been verified that the handwriting in the books is actually his. I have only ever seen a sample of his writing on a hostel guest book when he wrote 'Ben Bilemy'. Did a handwriting analysis verify that the writing in the books belong to him.

They also seemed to be in quite good condition which is not what I'd expect when your free time would be in the evening, perhaps during inclement weather and with high condensation in your tent. I'd expect the pages to be much more

I'm just curious, considering @Startropic1 suggests much of what code was written appears outdated.

 

[canteloupe]

I believe I've read a few times that of the hikers who spent time with MH none had ever seen him write in his notebooks. What I don't remember is whether or not it's been verified that the handwriting in the books is actually his. I have only ever seen a sample of his writing on a hostel guest book when he wrote 'Ben Bilemy'. Did a handwriting analysis verify that the writing in the books belong to him.

They also seemed to be in quite good condition which is not what I'd expect when your free time would be in the evening, perhaps during inclement weather and with high condensation in your tent. I'd expect the pages to be much more

I'm just curious, considering @Startropic1 suggests much of what code was written appears outdated.

Some time ago, I made a similar inquiry about the state of the notebooks. If I recall correctly, I received a very helpful response indicating they were kept by MH in a ziplock bag (or something similar).

 

[branmuffin]

Some time ago, I made a similar inquiry about the state of the notebooks. If I recall correctly, I received a very helpful response indicating they were kept by MH in a ziplock bag (or something similar).

Thank you. I do remember that information. The ziplock would have protected the pages during rain while hiking, but it just seems to me if he was jotting down code during his down time, over 365 days, all that taking them out, writing in them, putting them back, etc. would have worn them more.

 

[Icicle]

Thank you. I do remember that information. The ziplock would have protected the pages during rain while hiking, but it just seems to me if he was jotting down code during his down time, over 365 days, all that taking them out, writing in them, putting them back, etc. would have worn them more.

It is possible he did that, but only on zero days. Hikers are usually pretty tired by 8pm or so. Coding, at least the way I’ve done it, requires sustained concentration. It might be different for someone who has been at it 30 years though. Perhaps by then you have it all in your head and save it up the write down only when you have so much you are worried you’ll forget.

So elsewhere, it looks like someone recognized him and knows his first name and general home area. We can’t link to it though, is that right?

 

[ChatteringBirds]

We can’t link to it though, is that right?

Right, links to such posts are not allowed here, because those are rumors.

 

[wardo27]

It is possible he did that, but only on zero days. Hikers are usually pretty tired by 8pm or so. Coding, at least the way I’ve done it, requires sustained concentration. It might be different for someone who has been at it 30 years though. Perhaps by then you have it all in your head and save it up the write down only when you have so much you are worried you’ll forget.

So elsewhere, it looks like someone recognized him and knows his first name and general home area. We can’t link to it though, is that right?

I remain hopeful though skeptical about that recognition - the person who claims to recognize him met him once, five years ago, and claims to be 100% sure about it. I personally don't think I'd be 100% sure of anything that happened once five years ago, but this person has pretty amazing recall. It's something, so you never know.

 

[Narkj]

Yes, hiker Obsidian said she never saw him writing, at least during their time they spent together in Virginia. I would have thought it would be something he did in the beginning of the trip, while he still had his mind in the computer world, as opposed to the end of it, when he'd been out of it for over a year. If he did begin writing in the notebooks toward the end of the journey, I can't help but think it means he was thinking of a future beyond the trail. What would be the point of all of it, unless he planned to get back to the grind? That's the main thing I, as a computer novice, glean from the notebooks: they point to a future not a suicide.

There's always the huge wildcard that they're not even his notebooks, but that's unlikely.

 

[Startropic1]

Bel ami is French for 'good friend'.

Not exactly. (I'm Canadian, and thus fluent in French.)
You're thinking of "belle amis."
The problem is "belle" is the feminine version of the word. The masculine version is "beau."

French has both masculine and feminine versions of all adjectives and many other types of words. If masculinity or femininity cannot be determined, the gender neutral default is the masculine version.

 

[Startropic1]

I'm just curious, considering @Startropic1 suggests much of what code was written appears outdated.

I wouldn't say it's all outdated. He used some older techniques that aren't really used anymore. (Even though I still like to use older coding techniques myself.) If we're spot on and it's indeed original C language, (and not C++), then it is dated code but not obsolete. C code works in C++ environments. Sometimes you limit yourself when you use older languages/techniques, but not always.

He does use one technique that is a bit more modern: Newer languages like C++ and Java can use symbols (such as arrows, "->", and equals etc.) in the place of certain keywords. Examples of this are like when you see "===" where a symbol is used multiple times in a row. Mathematics applies here as well, but math and programming are very much heavily intertwined.
The thing is, this technique is not an absolute requirement. You can still use actual words, but symbols are more common today.

 

[branmuffin]

Not exactly. (I'm Canadian, and thus fluent in French.)
You're thinking of "belle amis."
The problem is "belle" is the feminine version of the word. The masculine version is "beau."

French has both masculine and feminine versions of all adjectives and many other types of words. If masculinity or femininity cannot be determined, the gender neutral default is the masculine version.

I'm Canadian, too, but not fluent in French. I thought 'amis' with an s was plural and 'ami' was singular and that 'ami' is masculine and 'amie' is feminine. My French is rusty but 'bel ami' could be considered 'good friend' when the gender is not an issue and the noun is singular. Canada printed an historical book on the occasion of the 1976 bicentennial about the relationship between Canada and the United States called Entre Amis which translates to Between Friends.

 

[MrsWatson]

I really have nothing useful to add to the discussion, but I am following along closely. I hope this man finds his name. What we know of him makes me so very sad. I think he was a lost soul, in some way.

 

[elmomom]

Is it allowed to say where the rumors are being posted?

 

[UnlicensedPI]

Am I misremembering, or did they track the notebooks to where MH purchased them? That would pretty much exclude them belonging to anyone else

 

[BigThief]

Am I misremembering, or did they track the notebooks to where MH purchased them? That would pretty much exclude them belonging to anyone else

I too remember reading somewhere that LE believed he had purchased the notebooks while on the trial and that he'd started writing in them during the last months of his life. Which, as @Narkj pointed out, makes it seem like he was making plans for his future. Can't remember the source though.

Also, on the off chance that he didn't write the code and the notebooks belong to someone else, wouldn't it have been far more likely that this person would have come forward, given that the notebooks have been posted on Screeps forums, Github, Reddit etc?

 

[bottledwater13]

I remember they said the notebooks were from a Dollar General but I don't know if they verified which one or whether they know if he's the one who actually purchased them.

 

[brazgal]

Not exactly. (I'm Canadian, and thus fluent in French.)
You're thinking of "belle amis."
The problem is "belle" is the feminine version of the word. The masculine version is "beau."

French has both masculine and feminine versions of all adjectives and many other types of words. If masculinity or femininity cannot be determined, the gender neutral default is the masculine version.

Bel-Ami est un roman réaliste de Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893), publié en 1885.

 

[GatorFL]

Am I misremembering, or did they track the notebooks to where MH purchased them? That would pretty much exclude them belonging to anyone else

Yes, Dollar Tree IIRC. They spoke with the company and could not track them to a specific store.

 

[branmuffin]

Bel-Ami est un roman réaliste de Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893), publié en 1885.

Thanks.

 

[BigThief]

Othram will be doing a Q&A about the case in one of the facebook groups. I'm curious what info will come out of that. Would be great if anyone who watches it could report back here for those of us who aren't in the FB group!