Ross Anderson has died • Hacker News Board

Re: Ross Anderson has died

#21

Post by MarkFoster » Sat, Mar 30, 2024, 2:00 AM UTC

As a close personal friend of Ross and a fellow Computer person, I know he would like everything you have said about himself and his huge contribution to Computer Science.

Both the positive and negative comments would make him smile, He knew and we often discussed late in to the night over a glass of red wine or two, his and others work, always interesting and always on point.

He was especially pleased if something he had written or commented on made someone else react. His view was 'well there talking about it now!'

My favourite moments were when he'd ask me over to stay and we'd sit late into the night discussing anything and everything.

I miss you already old friend.

My love and thoughts tonight are with his wife Shireen, his daughter Bavarni and his grandchildren.

Mark Foster

Re: Ross Anderson has died

#22

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Mar 30, 2024, 2:36 AM UTC

als0 wrote: post #16

This deserves a black bar. He was a pioneer in computer security and was essential in kickstarting the important field of security economics. So sad to hear about this.

[deleted]

Re: Ross Anderson has died

#23

Post by grac3 » Sat, Mar 30, 2024, 3:10 AM UTC

I am a student of a professor who was a student of Ross Anderson. I learned a lot from security engineering books and his papers, and I'm saddened to hear of his passing.

Re: Ross Anderson has died

#24

Post by eYrKEC2 » Sat, Mar 30, 2024, 3:36 AM UTC

MarkFoster wrote: post #21

As a close personal friend of Ross and a fellow Computer person, I know he would like everything you have said about himself and his huge contribution to Computer Science. Both the positive and negative comments would make him smile, He knew and we often discussed late in to the night over a glass of red wine or two, his and others work, always interesting and always on point. He was especially pleased if something h…

Sorry for your loss. Just met him vicariously and watched his first "Security Engineering Lecture 1" and I miss him already. He seems like a genuine soul.

Re: Ross Anderson has died

#25

Post by dwheeler » Sat, Mar 30, 2024, 3:36 AM UTC

So sad to hear it. He made many contributions and made the world a better place.

Re: Ross Anderson has died

#26

Post by intelVISA » Sat, Mar 30, 2024, 6:05 AM UTC

Had to do a double take, this is truly terrible news. We lost one of our best. :(

Re: Ross Anderson has died

#27

Post by bunnie » Sat, Mar 30, 2024, 6:19 AM UTC

Oh no! Ross Anderson was a legend and his work heavily influenced my professional career. He will be missed. May he rest in peace.

Re: Ross Anderson has died

#28

Post by leavenotracks » Sat, Mar 30, 2024, 6:32 AM UTC

Very sad to learn of his passing. I came across his work after Bruce Schneier posted a link to a pre print of Ross’s Security Engineering tome. His clarity of thought and effortless navigation through this complex landscape has been inspiring.

Also discovered subsequently his fondness for traditional pipe music and that he busked in his younger years.

A great person - may others bear the light that he brought.

Re: Ross Anderson has died

#29

Post by leavenotracks » Sat, Mar 30, 2024, 6:48 AM UTC

laurieg wrote: post #18

tgsovlerkhgsel wrote: post #13

One of his most memorable works, in my mind, is this masterpiece of an extremely polite yet absolutely scathing letter in response to attempts to get the university to censor inconvenient security research: https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/Papers/ukca.pdf

I always think back to this radio 4 interview [1] on the same topic when I think of Ross Anderson. Muttering "porky pies" at the end of the interview as it is claimed that this fraud has never actually been used. [1] https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/musicfiles/mp3s/ukca.mp3

Wonderful.

Made more so by the music that has been combined with the recording!

Re: Ross Anderson has died

#30

Post by data_maan » Sat, Mar 30, 2024, 7:28 AM UTC

greengreengrass wrote: post #15

Ross was one of the most influential people in my time at Cambridge, someone of whom I was very fond and whose work I still follow over a decade later. I am deeply saddened to learn of his passing. His dry sense of wit and humour, his uncompromising pursuit of injustice and his loathing of foolhardy decisions made by the political or moneyed elites were evident in all he did and said. Misunderstood by some, I came to…

It's true that for a eulogy only positive things should be said.