Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Turing, not redeemed, but to get apology?

Alan Turing, one of the most amazing individuals of the last century, partly responsible for breaking Enigma, inventor of much of the field of computer science, was hounded to death (at best) by an ungrateful British government, hounded because he was homosexual. His contributions to the world of thought, especially his "Turing Test", the concept of "Turing Machines", and his proof of the unsolvability of the "Halting Problem" live on. These topics are joys to teach.

And now, decades after his death, there may be some very small recompense. No, not recompense. An insufficient apology. Insufficient, perhaps, but necessary.

Yours, hoping that the UK government has the courage to do the right thing here,
N.

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