Observed Signal · Nov 13, 2026 · Other · Source: t3n · Impact: 1/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Developer Sends Daily RAM Status Emails to Sam Altman
In response to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's controversial comments about the global DRAM shortage, where he suggested that it is wasteful for individuals to own DRAM that is only 5% utilized, developer Iain Kay created a bash script that monitors RAM usage on a Linux machine. If more than 90% of RAM is in use (i.e., less than 10% free), the script generates an email to Altman informing him of the unused RAM on the developer's system. The script varies the subject and body text, limits sending to one email per day, and includes an offer to stop if Altman replies. Kay emphasizes that he does not encourage others to copy the script to avoid overwhelming Altman with emails, but he provides a test run option without actually sending emails.
Minor viral story about developer reaction to Sam Altman's statements; no commercial or strategic impact.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Sam Altman commented on a podcast about global DRAM shortage, suggesting personal computer RAM is wasteful.
- Developer Iain Kay created a bash script on GitHub that sends daily emails to Sam Altman about unused RAM.
- The script monitors RAM usage on Linux and sends an email if more than 10% of RAM is free.
- The email includes a note that if Altman replies, the developer will stop sending emails.
- Kay explicitly discourages others from copying the script to avoid a denial-of-service attack on Altman.
- The script allows a test run without sending actual emails.
Connected Companies & Entities
“OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's comments on RAM shortage sparked the developer's reaction.”
“The script is hosted on GitHub, where the developer shared the code and instructions.”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
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