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Alan Turing was a fucking hero, and the British legal system drove him to suicide (lemmy.world)

submitted 2 months ago by PugJesus@lemmy.world to c/historymemes@lemmy.world

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[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works 27 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

Can we stop the false notion that he did it on his own? It's just not true. Not even close.

Arne Beurling however DID single-handedly Crack a T52 in 2 weeks with nothing but pen and paper.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arne_Beurling

[–] ReCursing@lemmings.world 13 points 2 months ago (1 children)

He was undeniably brilliant, and was instrumental in both the development of the Bombe (which broke the Enigma code), and the programming of Colossus (which broke... the other code the Germans used of which I can't remember the name). Plus he was instrumental in the first steps of both computer science in general and artifical intelligence in particular. He deserves the plaudits.

But so do a lot of other people who worked at Bletchly park (if you get the chance, go there, it's great) and elsewhere.

[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works 8 points 2 months ago

He sure was brilliant. And what was done to him is from today's standpoint barbaric, but the notion that he alone was responsible for breaking the codes is a terrible falsehood that needs to die.

I think we can celebrate his brilliancy without discrediting everyone else that worked on the project. There's just no need to add lies such as "single handedly".

[–] steeznson@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago

He was singularly brilliant in coming up with the Turing Machine and contributing towards the Church Turing Thesis which are the foundations of all computer science. It is true that he did not crack enigma by himself but his scientific contributions shouldn’t be understated.

[–] KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

without alan turing the modern era would not be the way it is. In the same way that without tesla the modern electrical grid simply would not be the same as it is today.

These people didn't do it alone, nobody does it alone, but without these people things would be substantially different. It's a steve jobs type influence.

[–] Omodi@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I was with you till you said Steve Jobs. Jobs was only good at abusing his employees and marketing.

[–] KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago

regardless, apple did still completely redefine the entire mobile phone space.