Rob Pike: Dennis Ritchie has died • Hacker News Board

Re: Rob Pike: Dennis Ritchie has died

#41

Post by 16s » Thu, Oct 13, 2011, 2:24 AM UTC

goodnight wrote: post #36

RIP Dennis. Now that's a guy worth mourning about. I'll check CNN and the BBC to see their special reports, surely if they had them when some marketing CEO kicked the bucket they'll give at least ten times the amount of coverage to a man who was 100 times his better!

No one is better than anyone else really. dmr's work has likely touched more lives than most, but like many researchers and programmers, his work is mostly "behind the scenes" and not flashy or glamorous and he probably wanted it that way.

We on HN realize the significance of his work, but most other people won't and that's OK as we all benefit from the things he did whether we realize it or not.

Re: Rob Pike: Dennis Ritchie has died

#42

Post by jmags » Thu, Oct 13, 2011, 2:24 AM UTC

While this is very sad, I think he would have wanted us to remember that working in a field so young that you have occasion to mourn people who built its foundations is inherently exciting.

Re: Rob Pike: Dennis Ritchie has died

#43

Post by djmdjm » Thu, Oct 13, 2011, 2:28 AM UTC

It's a testament to the quality and reach of his vision that these words are coming to you via systems that recognisably Unix and written in C _40 years_ after Ritchie (and colleagues) created their progenitors. His work has literally defined generations of operating systems and languages and seems likely to continue to do so for some time. What a great...

Re: Rob Pike: Dennis Ritchie has died

#44

Post by xxpor » Thu, Oct 13, 2011, 2:29 AM UTC

InclinedPlane wrote: post #39

If you have used technology of any sort over the last few decades there's a pretty decent chance that you've used technology that Steve Jobs had a significant impact on. But the chances are 100.00% that you've used technology Dennis Ritchie has had a deeply profound impact on.

Including all of the tech that Steve Jobs had a significant impact on.

Re: Rob Pike: Dennis Ritchie has died

#45

Post by prodigal_erik » Thu, Oct 13, 2011, 2:31 AM UTC

goodnight wrote: post #36

RIP Dennis. Now that's a guy worth mourning about. I'll check CNN and the BBC to see their special reports, surely if they had them when some marketing CEO kicked the bucket they'll give at least ten times the amount of coverage to a man who was 100 times his better!

Please stop, this isn't a contest, and I for one don't want to see HN kicked in the junk again over it. dmr wasn't a household name simply because most people lack the background to see the clarity and suitability of his work.

As much as I cringe at seeing "undefined behavior" robustness compromises today, when he started they were absolutely necessary, and he got our profession through one of its most difficult periods. We few know what we owe him.

Re: Rob Pike: Dennis Ritchie has died

#46

Post by iradik » Thu, Oct 13, 2011, 2:33 AM UTC

http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/cs/who/dmr/ken-and-den.jpg

http://cm.bell-labs.com/who/dmr/chist.html

http://cm.bell-labs.com/who/dmr/hist.html

Re: Rob Pike: Dennis Ritchie has died

#47

Post by Mithrandir » Thu, Oct 13, 2011, 2:34 AM UTC

I wish I could say I met the man, but it doesn't really matter to me because in a way I've got to kinda know him indirectly through his work; through UNIX-likes and what little I know of C.

So RIP, you crazy tinkerer.

Re: Rob Pike: Dennis Ritchie has died

#48

Post by rbanffy » Thu, Oct 13, 2011, 2:35 AM UTC

I noticed every computer around me, be it a laptop, a phone, a TV or a router, runs some kind of Unix.

Re: Rob Pike: Dennis Ritchie has died

#49

Post by raymondh » Thu, Oct 13, 2011, 2:38 AM UTC

Goodbye Dennis. You were a giant. You'll be missed.

Re: Rob Pike: Dennis Ritchie has died

#50

Post by blinkingled » Thu, Oct 13, 2011, 2:40 AM UTC

goodnight wrote: post #36

RIP Dennis. Now that's a guy worth mourning about. I'll check CNN and the BBC to see their special reports, surely if they had them when some marketing CEO kicked the bucket they'll give at least ten times the amount of coverage to a man who was 100 times his better!

[..] The networks are in business to give people exactly what they want. That's a far more depressing thought. Conspiracy is optimistic! You can shoot the bastards! We can have a revolution! But the networks are really in business to give people what they want. It's the truth." - Steve Jobs