So Long Dennis Ritchie, will C you when we get there

akj123 · 13th October 2011, 21:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by anandpadhye

It's hard to imagine a day in office without C and Unix...

Yes, Unix and C are bread-and-butter for millions out there.

RIP Sir, your contributions to computing will be around for a long long time.

moinakg · 13th October 2011, 21:47

A very sad news indeed. The saddest time for me after Richard Stevens passed away in 1999. C and Unix has been an integral part of my work life and personal life for a long time.

RIP Sir. You created the foundation on which millions tread and will tread for times to come.

Samurai · 14th October 2011, 00:45

Sad to hear this. C is undoubtedly the greatest enabling computer language. While most of the recent languages are used to develop applications, C was/is primarily used of developing platforms and other languages.

I was fortunate enough work in the same company (AT&T Bell Labs) as Dennis Richie in the early 90s. At first it was a thrill to just check the employee directory and find the greats like Brian Kernighan, Dennis Ritchie, Bjarne Stroustrup, Ken Thompson, Douglas McIlroy, David Korn, etc., in the same directory that listed me. That itself was a humbling experience. Alright, alright, they were in a different building, at Murray Hill facility. Aptly enough, employee directory was also an Unix command-line program. The last two guys used to compete in company-wide programming contest (POTM) with rest of us mortals. Of course, the Murray Hill crowd used to win the contest almost every time. At first I didn't realise who Douglas McIlroy was... One day I was looking up Bjarne Stroustrup in the employee directory and was shocked to see McIlroy was his boss. That was one intimidating crowd, by reputation.

I started my love for programming with C back in 1989, I still use it when required in my C++ code. Many of the libraries I use are in C. It is an ageless language, it is likely to remain so for few more decades.

Recently some fresh-of-boat programmer commented to me that C/C++ is a dinosaur, nobody uses it anymore and it should relegated to history books. He was all for Java/C#/Python/Ruby.

I sighed and asked him to Google for popularity statistics on computer languages. He was stunned at the result.

So Long Dennis Ritchie, will C you when we get there-fullscreen-capture-10142011-123248-am.bmp.jpg

Source:TIOBE Software: The Coding Standards Company

Such is the legacy of Dennis Ritchie. The language he invented (C), together with its younger brother (C++ or C with classes) account for 26% of the programmer mind-share even now. That is more than Java & C# put together.

Rest in peace Dennis Ritchie.

extreme_torque · 14th October 2011, 02:20

There nothing which C cannot do.... RIP Sir :(

ravikn · 14th October 2011, 05:34

RIP Sir, you will be remembered as long as computers exists. Being a cpp programmer myself and associated with at&t for few years feel sad to hear this. may ur soul rest in peace

Statement · 14th October 2011, 12:08

RIP Sir, Your legacy is inserted within the "while(1){}" loop

amitbjha · 14th October 2011, 12:57

It has been my professional life line for last 12 years.
RIP sir your invention was amazing.

Ragul · 14th October 2011, 17:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spitfire

To many who may not get it immediately - though that would be blasphemous. These images should bring back memories..

Yup! The book that launched a thousand IT shops decades later.

SJ meant nothing to me, but with Dennis, I feel the loss - reading the book was like developing a personal rapport of sorts, with the authors.

RIP Dennis

--Ragul

2500cc · 14th October 2011, 17:43

Hats Off..!!! to your invention (C). The computing world wouldn't have been what it is today, without C. RIP Sir.

safari_lover · 14th October 2011, 17:44

RIP Sir. Your contribution to the world is unparalleled!

SwiftSD · 14th October 2011, 17:54

May your soul rest in peace.

Your contributions will always be remembered and the legacy will move on. You have enabled others to make an impact. Thank you Sir.

Driving_Nomad · 14th October 2011, 18:09

You have made millions of people, including me, make a livelihood with your invention sir. No matter how many more inventions in the computers have/will come around, you have laid a strong and timeless foundation for us all.
Thankyou sir.

Hats off to you and may your soul rest in peace :(

R2D2 · 14th October 2011, 21:38

RIP Dennis Ritchie. You gave us programming guys a wondrous world.

Regards,

Thad E Ginathom · 15th October 2011, 01:50

This thread is full of amazing, sincere, warm tributes.

How many people, working with any technology, have this sort of feeling for its pioneers?

Somehow, Kerningham, Richie and colleagues seem to have touched people with their technology.

NPV · 15th October 2011, 08:28

I sincerely believe programmers who start with C will go on to become very good developers in other languages like C++ and even C#

Thanks a million - you have made us 'C' the world with your contributions, RIP Dennis Ritchie !

13th October 2011, 21:47	#17
moinakg BHPian Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Bangalore Posts: 49 Thanked: 20 Times	Re: So Long Dennis Ritchie, will C you when we get there A very sad news indeed. The saddest time for me after Richard Stevens passed away in 1999. C and Unix has been an integral part of my work life and personal life for a long time. RIP Sir. You created the foundation on which millions tread and will tread for times to come.
	() Thanks

14th October 2011, 00:45	#18
Samurai Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bangalore/Udupi Posts: 25,831 Thanked: 45,593 Times View My Garage	Re: So Long Dennis Ritchie, will C you when we get there Sad to hear this. C is undoubtedly the greatest enabling computer language. While most of the recent languages are used to develop applications, C was/is primarily used of developing platforms and other languages. I was fortunate enough work in the same company (AT&T Bell Labs) as Dennis Richie in the early 90s. At first it was a thrill to just check the employee directory and find the greats like Brian Kernighan, Dennis Ritchie, Bjarne Stroustrup, Ken Thompson, Douglas McIlroy, David Korn, etc., in the same directory that listed me. That itself was a humbling experience. Alright, alright, they were in a different building, at Murray Hill facility. Aptly enough, employee directory was also an Unix command-line program. The last two guys used to compete in company-wide programming contest (POTM) with rest of us mortals. Of course, the Murray Hill crowd used to win the contest almost every time. At first I didn't realise who Douglas McIlroy was... One day I was looking up Bjarne Stroustrup in the employee directory and was shocked to see McIlroy was his boss. That was one intimidating crowd, by reputation. I started my love for programming with C back in 1989, I still use it when required in my C++ code. Many of the libraries I use are in C. It is an ageless language, it is likely to remain so for few more decades. Recently some fresh-of-boat programmer commented to me that C/C++ is a dinosaur, nobody uses it anymore and it should relegated to history books. He was all for Java/C#/Python/Ruby. I sighed and asked him to Google for popularity statistics on computer languages. He was stunned at the result. Source:TIOBE Software: The Coding Standards Company Such is the legacy of Dennis Ritchie. The language he invented (C), together with its younger brother (C++ or C with classes) account for 26% of the programmer mind-share even now. That is more than Java & C# put together. Rest in peace Dennis Ritchie.
	(1) Thanks

14th October 2011, 02:20	#19
extreme_torque Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Melbourne Posts: 4,377 Thanked: 5,105 Times	Re: So Long Dennis Ritchie, will C you when we get there There nothing which C cannot do.... RIP Sir :(
	() Thanks

14th October 2011, 05:34	#20
ravikn BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 344 Thanked: 25 Times	RIP Sir, you will be remembered as long as computers exists. Being a cpp programmer myself and associated with at&t for few years feel sad to hear this. may ur soul rest in peace
	() Thanks

14th October 2011, 12:08	#21
Statement BHPian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Bangalore Posts: 38 Thanked: 15 Times	Re: So Long Dennis Ritchie, will C you when we get there RIP Sir, Your legacy is inserted within the "while(1){}" loop
	() Thanks

14th October 2011, 12:57	#22
amitbjha BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: NOIDA Posts: 39 Thanked: Once	Re: So Long Dennis Ritchie, will C you when we get there It has been my professional life line for last 12 years. RIP sir your invention was amazing.
	() Thanks

14th October 2011, 17:43	#24
2500cc BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 734 Thanked: 349 Times	Re: So Long Dennis Ritchie, will C you when we get there Hats Off..!!! to your invention (C). The computing world wouldn't have been what it is today, without C. RIP Sir.
	() Thanks

14th October 2011, 17:44	#25
safari_lover Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bengaluru / Bagdal Posts: 1,135 Thanked: 685 Times	Re: So Long Dennis Ritchie, will C you when we get there RIP Sir. Your contribution to the world is unparalleled!
	() Thanks

14th October 2011, 17:54	#26
SwiftSD BHPian Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Kolkata Posts: 108 Thanked: 65 Times	Re: So Long Dennis Ritchie, will C you when we get there May your soul rest in peace. Your contributions will always be remembered and the legacy will move on. You have enabled others to make an impact. Thank you Sir.
	() Thanks

14th October 2011, 18:09	#27
Driving_Nomad BHPian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 206 Thanked: 362 Times	Re: So Long Dennis Ritchie, will C you when we get there You have made millions of people, including me, make a livelihood with your invention sir. No matter how many more inventions in the computers have/will come around, you have laid a strong and timeless foundation for us all. Thankyou sir. Hats off to you and may your soul rest in peace :(
	() Thanks

14th October 2011, 21:38	#28
R2D2 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Pune Posts: 3,231 Thanked: 5,742 Times	Re: So Long Dennis Ritchie, will C you when we get there RIP Dennis Ritchie. You gave us programming guys a wondrous world. Regards,
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15th October 2011, 01:50	#29
Thad E Ginathom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 11,005 Thanked: 26,445 Times	Re: So Long Dennis Ritchie, will C you when we get there This thread is full of amazing, sincere, warm tributes. How many people, working with any technology, have this sort of feeling for its pioneers? Somehow, Kerningham, Richie and colleagues seem to have touched people with their technology.
	() Thanks

15th October 2011, 08:28	#30
NPV Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Namma Bengaluru Posts: 7,220 Thanked: 10,265 Times	Re: So Long Dennis Ritchie, will C you when we get there I sincerely believe programmers who start with C will go on to become very good developers in other languages like C++ and even C# Thanks a million - you have made us 'C' the world with your contributions, RIP Dennis Ritchie !
	() Thanks