I just checked out the Wikipedia entry on him. It looks as if among other things those of us who work in banks can thank him for making check processing what it is today.
"In 1956 he worked for General Electric on ERMA, a computer system that introduced the use of the magnetically-encoded fonts imprinted on the bottom border of checks. This allowed automated check processing via Magnetic Ink Character Recognition." Tom Kelman Commerce Bank of Kansas City (816) 760-7632 > -----Original Message----- > From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of john gilmore > Sent: Saturday, March 15, 2008 9:11 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Joseph Weizenbaum, 1923-2008 > > He was one of the giants; Eliza was and will remain a landmark system. > > Perhaps more importantly, he reminded us, and we need constant reminding, > that computing is an ethically neutral technology, one that lends itself > to radical misuse: > > o It props up conservative, risk-averse bureraucracies; > > o it lends itself to the support of a naif, reductionist world view. > > All this Weizenbaum fought against, and no replacement figure of his > stature is at hand. > > John Gilmore > Ashland, MA 01721-1817 > USA > > _________________________________________________________________ > Connect and share in new ways with Windows Live. > http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_sharelife_012 00 > 8 > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, > send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO > Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html ***************************************************************************** If you wish to communicate securely with Commerce Bank and its affiliates, you must log into your account under Online Services at http://www.commercebank.com or use the Commerce Bank Secure Email Message Center at https://securemail.commercebank.com NOTICE: This electronic mail message and any attached files are confidential. The information is exclusively for the use of the individual or entity intended as the recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, copying, printing, reviewing, retention, disclosure, distribution or forwarding of the message or any attached file is not authorized and is strictly prohibited. If you have received this electronic mail message in error, please advise the sender by reply electronic mail immediately and permanently delete the original transmission, any attachments and any copies of this message from your computer system. ***************************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
