Nothing wrong with old links on HN! as long as they have been discussed in a while.

Indeed, what's up with the "mad scientist" bit?

I saw him speak at a Dayton Hamvention a few years back. His energy and delivery is very much more than the usual speaker.

His hair is often rather wild, adding to the appearance of a mad scientist.

Given his presentation style, that isn't a farfetched description.

One of my favorite parts of Cuckoo's Egg is when Cliff asks a lawyer if he should wear a tie to court.

The lawyer responds something along the lines of "At your level of abstraction, it doesn't make any difference".