Does people tend to think Heath Ledger's performance as Joker is the best because he's no more?

I was having this conversation with ony of my friends' elder brother who said that Jack Nicholson's portrayal was comic accurate and by far the best.Me and my friend argued that Heath's was the best and in turn my friend's brother told that Ledger's performance is great but people tend to favour it solely because his unexpected death created an empathy among the people which resonated as love and partiality towards his performance as Joker compared to others portrayal.But incase he's alive now,most people won't be having the same view about his Joker as they're having now.We didn't agree with him but it really provoked this thought in me about his point.What actually you guys think?

Also he said that Ledger took notes of Jack Nicholson's portrayal and we can clearly see the resemblance in both their acting which itself keeps Jack at the top.I haven't seen the Batman movie where Jack Nicholson plays Joker.But is it true that Ledger's Joker resembles Jack's Joker?