Farewell To Anthony Rumble
Today I joined a veritable who's-who of the Linux and open source community to farewell one of its champions. Anthony Rumble, who passed away on Friday May 8, 2009. Anthony was a founding member of the Sydney Linux Users Group (SLUG) and AUUG and founder of Everything Linux.
Anthony's early career reads as a litany of Australian pioneering in both Internet technologies, and Linux as he worked his way through early modem development and support for Australian modem manufacturer NetComm, to provisioning and supporting major Internet player Microplex. Never one to sit back and let success stop him, Anthony continued to push the open source cause in Australia's first public access Internet provider, APANA, and leading up the development team for NetXpress IT and Corporate Express Australia Limited.
The Linux community in Australia has never had a greater advocate, as Anthony took every opportunity to push the open source cause, which eventually led to his founding of Everything Linux, which was Australia's first Linux store. This followed with the opening of a shop in Five Dock in 1999 where customers, both corporate and hobbyist, could venture off the street to see what the open source community had to offer.
For us that knew Anthony, our lives are richer from the experience and our loss great. This loss to the Linux an open source community, however, cannot be compared to the loss of those nearest and dearest to Anthony, and with them go our thoughts and prayers. Anthony is survived by his daughter Abigail and brothers Simon and Charles.