/Pioneer

The Man Who Carried Computer Science on His Shoulders

- Krzysztof Apt tl;dr: Krzysztof details the life and career of Edsger Dijkstra." It is difficult to find another scientist who left such an impressive mark in the history of computer science."

featured in #213


Remembering Frances E. Allen

tl;dr: "Frances “Fran” Allen, a pioneer in the world of computing, the first female IBM Fellow and the first woman to win the Turing Award, died on August 4, 2020, the day of her 88th birthday."

featured in #198


Donald Knuth Was Framed

- Hillel Wayne tl;dr: A recant and exploration of the infamous story of Donald Knuth and Douglas Mcilroy of Bell Labs.

featured in #174


The Computer Pioneer Who Built Modern China

- Leila McNeill tl;dr: Considered to be the “Mother of Chinese Computing, not only did Xia Peisu build the first home grown computer, she pioneered the countries CS education systems.

featured in #174


The Mind At Work: Guido Van Rossum On How Python Makes Thinking In Code Easier

- Anthony Wing Kosner tl;dr: Inspiration behind Python was largely visual. There is a "quietness and simplicity of design" that makes it easier to see what’s going on. It's also why it's popular amongst amateurs and beginners. 

featured in #163


The Mind Behind Linux (2016 Video)

tl;dr: Fascinating conversation about the inception of Linux and Git, and the man behind them. The initial community involved in Linux was critical. Git was a result of managing Linux's growth. Both projects were to solve Linus' immediate needs. 

featured in #162


The Architect Of Modern Algorithms

tl;dr: Barbara won the Turing Award for developing the Liskov Substitution Principle. She discusses the harm of modern algorithms and her experiences of being an award winning female engineer. 

featured in #162


Devotion (Audio)

- Peter McManus Elizabeth Ann tl;dr: Podcast episode about Terry Davis, a computer scientist who developed an entire operating system - as instructed by god - called Temple OS, while suffering from schizophrenia. 

featured in #161


Overlooked No More: Alan Turing, Condemned Code Breaker and Computer Visionary

- Alan Cowell tl;dr: Obituary of Alan Turing, one of the most influential code breakers of World War II and regarded as one of the most innovative thinkers of the 20th Century.

featured in #145


Brian Kernighan Interviews Ken Thompson (Video)

tl;dr: Ken Thompson is the co-creator of the original Unix operating system. Brian worked on it with Ken at Bell Labs. Fascinating hour long interview.

featured in #142