Hacker News with Generative AI: Obituary

Thomas E. Kurtz, a Creator of Basic Computer Language, Dies at 96 (nytimes.com)
Thomas E. Kurtz, a pioneering mathematician at Dartmouth and an inventor of the simplified computer programming language known as BASIC, which allowed students to easily operate early computers and eventually propelled generations into the world of personal computing, died on Tuesday in Lebanon, N.H. He was 96.

Computer Programming, History, Obituary, Technology

20 points by stonlyb 5 days ago | 1 comments

Thomas E. Kurtz has died (computerhistory.org)
With deep sadness, we say goodbye to computer pioneer Thomas Kurtz.

Obituary, Computer Science, History

613 points by 1986 7 days ago | 147 comments

Thomas Kurtz, Co-Creator of Basic, Has Passed (legacy.com)
Hanover, NH - Thomas Eugene Kurtz died peacefully at the Jack Byrne Center in Lebanon, NH, November 12, 2024, at the age of 96.

Obituary, Programming Languages, History

10 points by vertnerd 7 days ago | 1 comments

Steven Rudich (1961-2024) (computationalcomplexity.org)
Complexity theorist Steven Rudich passed away on October 29 at the age of 63.

Computer Science, Obituary, Complexity Theory

8 points by ColinWright 10 days ago | 1 comments

Celebrating the Life of Aaron Swartz: Aaron Swartz Day 2024 (eff.org)
Aaron Swartz was a digital rights champion who believed deeply in keeping the internet open. His life was cut short in 2013, after federal prosecutors charged him under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) for systematically downloading academic journal articles from the online database JSTOR. Facing the prospect of a long and unjust sentence, Aaron died by suicide at the age of 26. EFF was proud to call Aaron a friend and ally.

Digital Rights, Activism, Law, Technology, Obituary

27 points by hn_acker 12 days ago | 1 comments

Elwood Edwards, voice of AOL's 'you've got mail' alert, has died (nytimes.com)
Elwood Edwards, an announcer who voiced the ubiquitous AOL email alert “You’ve got mail!” at a time when many Americans were just beginning to learn how to navigate the internet, died on Tuesday at his home in New Bern, N.C. He was 74.

Technology, Obituary, Internet Culture

165 points by tysone 13 days ago | 32 comments

Elwood Edwards, Voice of AOL's 'You've Got Mail ' Alert, Dies at 74 (nytimes.com)
Elwood Edwards, an announcer who voiced the ubiquitous AOL email alert “You’ve got mail!” at a time when many Americans were just beginning to learn how to navigate the internet, died on Tuesday at his home in New Bern, N.C. He was 74.

Obituary, Internet, History, Technology, Media

7 points by damethos 13 days ago | 3 comments

Man behind AOL's "You've Got Mail" voice dead at 74 (cnn.com)

Obituary, Voice Acting, Internet History

29 points by gaws 14 days ago | 2 comments

Elwood Edwards, Voice of AOL's 'You've Got Mail' Alert, Dies at 74 (gizmodo.com)
Millennials, pour one out. TMZ reports that Elwood Edwards, the voice behind AOL’s iconic “You’ve Got Mail” audio message, has died at age 74.

Obituary, Technology, Music, Internet, Nostalgia

12 points by Krontab 14 days ago | 8 comments

Richard A. Cash, who saved millions from dehydration, has died (nytimes.com)
Richard A. Cash, who as a young public-health researcher in South Asia in the late 1960s showed that a simple cocktail of salt, sugar and clean water could check the ravages of cholera and other diarrhea-inducing diseases, an innovation that has saved an estimated 50 million lives, died on Oct. 22 at his home in Cambridge, Mass. He was 83.

Public Health, Medicine, Cholera, Disease Treatment, Obituary

198 points by impish9208 14 days ago | 53 comments

Once Linux's Biggest Enemy: Darl McBride Dies and Nobody Notices (fossforce.com)
The man who, as president and CEO of SCO, attempted to sue Linux out of existence died a month and a half ago with little notice by the Linux and open source communities.

Linux, Open Source, History, Legal Battles, Obituary

38 points by marcodiego 17 days ago | 36 comments

'An incurable romantic': The boy who lived a secret life in World of Warcraft (bbc.com)
When Mats Steen died at the age of 25 in 2014 from a degenerative muscular disease, his parents, Robert and Trude Steen, were surprised to be contacted at their home in Norway by people from all over Europe, mourning his loss.

Video Games, Obituary, Disability, Online Communities

26 points by ColinWright 22 days ago | 14 comments

Phil Lesh, Bassist Who Anchored the Grateful Dead, Dies at 84 (nytimes.com)
Phil Lesh, whose expansive approach to the bass as a charter member of the Grateful Dead made him one of the first performers on that instrument in a rock band to play a lead role rather than a supporting one, died on Friday.

Music, Obituary, Grateful Dead

30 points by arittr 27 days ago | 7 comments

Philip Zimbardo, psychologist behind the 'Stanford Prison Experiment' dies at 91 (news.stanford.edu)
Philip G. Zimbardo, one of the world’s most renowned psychologists, died Oct. 14 in his home in San Francisco. He was 91.

Psychology, Stanford University, Obituary, Social Science

29 points by Jerry2 31 days ago | 16 comments

One of the Last Navajo Code Talkers from World War II Dies at 107 (apnews.com)

History, Native Americans, Obituary

45 points by thunderbong 31 days ago | 1 comments

Ward Christensen, BBS inventor and architect of our online age, dies at age 78 (arstechnica.com)
Ward Christensen, co-inventor of the computer bulletin board system (BBS), has died at age 78 in Rolling Meadows, Illinois.

Obituary, History, Technology, Internet

30 points by colinprince 37 days ago | 3 comments

Sammy Basso, longest progeria survivor, dies at 28 (cbc.ca)
Sammy Basso, a scientist and advocate who was the longest known survivor of progeria, has died at the age of 28.

Health, Science, Obituary, Progeria

7 points by bookofjoe 39 days ago | 0 comments

Ratan Tata Passed Away (thehindu.com)
Veteran industrialist Ratan Tata died at a Mumbai hospital late on Wednesday (October 9, 2024), a top police official told PTI.

Obituary, Business, India

30 points by anubhav200 42 days ago | 2 comments

Robert Dennard, DRAM Pioneer, has died (ieee.org)

Obituary, Technology, Electronics, Memory, Semiconductors

349 points by jnord 49 days ago | 29 comments

Dikembe Mutombo has died (nytimes.com)
Dikembe Mutombo, who arrived at Georgetown University as an international student with aspirations of being a doctor but who instead became a towering presence in professional basketball and a dedicated humanitarian in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo, died on Monday in Atlanta. He was 58.

Sports, Basketball, Obituary, Humanitarianism, Congo

46 points by chirau 52 days ago | 24 comments

Kris Kristofferson has died (rollingstone.com)

Obituary, Music, Country Music

244 points by coloneltcb 53 days ago | 57 comments

Roy Clay, a Silicon Valley pioneer who knocked down racial barriers, dies at 95 (usatoday.com)
Roy Clay Sr., a Black pioneer in the technology industry whose influence spanned nearly five decades in Silicon Valley, died Sunday. He was 95.

Technology, Silicon Valley, Race Relations, Obituary, History

7 points by rconti 57 days ago | 2 comments

Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori dies at age 86 (latintimes.com)
Alberto Fujimori, the former president of Peru who led the country from 1990 to 2000, died on Wednesday at the age of 86, said his family on social media.

Politics, Peru, Obituary, Latin America

31 points by seo-speedwagon 70 days ago | 5 comments

Steve Silberman, writer on the Grateful Dead and autism, dies at 66 (sfstandard.com)

Obituary, Music, Autism

13 points by bookofjoe 79 days ago | 1 comments

Michel Siffre Has Died (wikipedia.org)

Obituary, Science, Exploration, Spelunking, Human Interest

7 points by jmague 87 days ago | 0 comments

Michael Sperberg-McQueen has died (wikipedia.org)

Obituary, Technology, History

8 points by jmague 95 days ago | 1 comments

Alain Delon has died (theguardian.com)

Obituary, Celebrities, Film

107 points by xnhbx 95 days ago | 32 comments

In Memory of Jake (bessstillman.substack.com)

Obituary, Personal, Loss

24 points by ddanieltan 100 days ago | 1 comments

Ex-YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki Dies Just Months After Son Died of Overdose (thedailybeast.com)