It's hard for anyone who's ever used any digital device to not at least have heard his name. Alan Turing (1912-1954) is widely considered the father of theoretical computing. Plus it's estimated that his work in cracking the German Enigma Machine during World War II may have shortened the war in Europe by 2 years and may have saved 14 million lives. And how was he rewarded for his monumental contributions to humankind? Why, by being convicted for gross indecency and chemically castrated because he was gay, of course. A formal apology and posthumous pardon was issued by the British government about 50 years after his death. (I'm sure that did him a tonne of good)
Comments