For many of us in Computer Science the first we ever hear of Alan Turing is through the very mechanical and abstract Turing Machine, or perhaps the Turing Test. For myself it was actually the Turing Machine back in undergraduate Automata Theory, with that big long tape with 0s and 1s on it clicking back and forth (terrifying me really). Even beyond the Turing Machine and the Turing Test, Alan Turing was instrumental in British successes in breaking Nazi codes during World War II, which very likely shortened the war, or perhaps even changed the outcome.
It was only quite a bit later that I learned more about Alan Turing the man, and his rather tragic life. Turing committed suicide at the very young age of 41 after having endured years of criminal prosecution for being gay. Today the British Prime Minister issued an apology to Turing for the treatment that must have surely led to his suicide. It's really not much of a consolation, and it remains a very depressing and desolate episode in the history of 20th century science, but, perhaps it reminds us to think a little bit more about Alan Turing the man, and how remarkable his accomplishments are given his very short life, and the very difficult circumstances he was forced to endure. Here's a bit of news coverage and the PMs actual statement... http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/11/pm-apology-to-alan-turing http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page20571 Wikipedia seems to do a pretty good job of giving an overview of his life... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing And there's a very fine biography of Turing by Andrew Hodges that does a nice job of telling the story of Turing both as a scientist and a human being. http://www.turing.org.uk/book/ Ted -- Ted Pedersen http://www.d.umn.edu/~tpederse
