oh internet

An infamous Usenet user in the 1990s

Summary

Jason Kodish was a Usenet user in the early 1990s. More specifically, he was one of the first people to be called "Usenet Kook of the Month". He often posted flames on threads related to Canadian politics.

As a result of his style, many Usenet threads about Kodish were started.

Today you can run around the internet and find many "kooks of the month" in many online communities. The thing, the internet of the early 1990s was a much smaller place, so Kodish had a much bigger impact on the internet back then, as opposed to the internet today.

Origins

Was featured as a guest star in one of Mustafa al-Habib's "Space Moose" comics, and the author of Space Moose knew Kodish. At the time Usenet and local BBSes were king, as web-based forums weren't so popular yet.

Rise to fame

Kodish engaged in behavior that increasingly irked Usenet users. He was called "Usenet Kook of the Month" in October 1994, making him one of the first to have gotten this title. The election page noted that Kodish often spent his time on the can.* hierarchy and specifically at soc.culture.canada.

He thought of himself as a really smart guy, but Colby Cosh had to remind people: "Anyone who would consider comparing Jason Kodish to Einstein and Newton is not qualified to lecture others on terminological accuracy." Users started threads like "Karl Marx Sucks Just Like Jason Kodish" and "Proof of Jason Kodish's insanity, I have it!" and "Who's cuter? Jason Kodish or Acumen?" When Kodish resurfaced in 1993, a user started a thread called "Kodish Resurfaces" - But the user on the blog The Third Edge of the Sword noted that in private e-mail conversations Kodish was polite, sweet, and almost normal. Maybe the internet has a Jekyll and Hyde effect?

Current status

Not hanging around Usenet anymore, whereabouts unknown.

Facts

• There is no photo of 1990s Jason Kodish circulating ATM

• Colby Cosh insulted Kodish in a Usenet thread. This was before Cosh became uber famous!

• Cosh on Kodish: ""Jason Kodish: Geek Police" features Jason Kodish, a local eccentric. Kodish was famous at the U of A for being "that creepy little guy who always hangs around the Chem building for no apparent reason"; he was also named Biggest Asshole on Usenet, or some similar title, in a poll one month. Kodish, in his inept way, insisted on being featured in a Space Moose episode. Mustafa granted his wish by assigning him to the Geek Police, although clearly the real-life Kodish would be better suited to the Dork Platoon."

• So what is Adam Somebody...err... I mean, Mustapha... Mustapha's take on this? 1997: "Long after this strip was drawn in 1991, Jason Kodish achieved a tremendous level of infamy on the usenet. The potent combination of his density, belligerence and lack of social life quickly earned him the title of Internet's Twit of the Month, along with several other booby prizes. I have not kept up on Kodish's activities, but I imagine he is still frothing at the mouth on his favorite usenet channels and continuing research in his imaginary "Department of Gravitational Engineering"."

• Mustapha's notes on his comic with Kodish: "This strip features the young Jason Kodish (pre-baldness) who used to scream out, "put me in Space Moose!" whenever I passed him in the hallway. After enduring months of this tiresome badgering, I gave in and made his wish come true. Afterwards, I asked Jason if he was happy with his appearance. He said, "yeah, but if you do it again, I'll kill you.""

Images

Kodish, as portrayed by the comic book series "Space Moose" by Mustafa al-Habib - This was before Kodish became famous!

Related Pages

Canada

Usenet

External Links

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