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100 year anniversary of Pioneer- Alan Turing.

By Donald Hester

Home Inspector with NCW Home Inspections, LLC

June 23, 2012 01:14 AM

100 year anniversary of Pioneer- Alan Turing. Wenatchee Home Inspections

Today we should celebrate the birth of Alan Turing who was the father of today’s computer sciences. We all may not be reading each other’s blogs if it were not for some of his pioneering work.

Google has put a clever little Google Doodle to celebrate this anniversary. The meaning of the doodle may escape you. It is to spell Google in binary code. (The Turing machine is what the doodle is emulating)

Turing was instrumental in breaking the German famous Enigma Machine during WW II. He also created a test for computer intelligence know as the “Turing Test”.

Here is a video on Turing and some of his achievements.

We all should be celebrating this man today because much of our modern world is now built on his pioneering work.

“Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.”

Pablo Picasso

NCW Home Inspections, LLC is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Orville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…

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Diane Daley

Caron's Gateway Real Estate - Northumberland, NH

Interesting thanks for sharing I hope you have a great weekend

Jun 23, 2012 02:00 AM

Donald Hester

NCW Home Inspections, LLC - Wenatchee, WA

NCW Home Inspections, LLC

Caron, Thank you. I know at times I take all these things fro granted and this is just a good reminder of how far we have come.

Jun 23, 2012 02:07 AM

Dick Greenberg

New Paradigm Partners LLC - Fort Collins, CO

Northern Colorado Residential Real Estate

Hi Donald - Thanks for the heads up on the anniversary and the always clever Google header. I've read a few books about Alan Turing over the years - very interesting stuff, particularly about the Enigma work, which was instrumental in the Allied victory in Europe. And lately I have noticed a lot of interest by steampunk craftsmen to build retro Turing machines.

Jun 23, 2012 02:45 AM

Dick, Thank you. Just a great reminder of some of those early minds that set into motion our modern life. He work on the enigma machine was a huge achievement. You can only wonder what the consequences would have been if they were not able to crack the code.

Jun 23, 2012 02:51 AM

Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED

RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

Thank you so very much for posting this. I read about him today on Wikipedia. When I read what the British government did to him -- after his service during WWII and the lives he saved -- it was very disturbing to me. Alan Turing saved lives and property by his work on the Enimga code. He was a brilliant man with a brilliant mind. He was so badly treated after the war, which caused him to commit suicide at the age of 41. He was a hero and died by his own hand, condemned by prejudice.

I am so sorry he suffered in the manner he did. He should not have been treated that way. Society is cruel. He wasn't Jerry Sandusky for the love of God. He was a brilliant, brilliant man.

I have deep respect for this man Alan Turing and his memory!!

Jun 23, 2012 07:56 AM

Carla, His end is truly a said. Even in his death there is a cloud of mystery whether it was suicide or accident. I think, due the perscution he suffered it is most likely that he commited suicide.

Jun 23, 2012 08:17 AM

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Isn't that amazing, I have heard of Babbage and Zuse, but until now had never heard or Turing! And he broke Enigma? Wow. Was that after they brought one up from the sub?

Jun 23, 2012 08:19 AM

I can't imagine being humiliated in that manner and NOT want to end it all. Someone asked the founders of Apple if their logo was an homage to Alan Turing. They replied "We only wish we had thought of that!" Again, I'm so glad to have read your post today.

Jun 23, 2012 09:02 AM

Jay, From what I have read they enigma machines but that still did not help them to break the codes quick enough because there were several version and always being modified. The German Navy and specially the U-boats had even tougher ciphers. So capturing the U- Boat machine was instrumental in that phase. Turing's Bombe was able to decode many of the messages withing 24 hrs.

Interesting enough was there was other enciphering machines that the British code named the Sturgeon and Tunny machines and the translations where the "FISH" reports.

Carla, Great comment thanks. I did not know that about Apple.

Jun 23, 2012 11:35 AM

James Quarello

JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC - Wallingford, CT

Connecticut Home Inspector

Very interesting, I had never heard of Alan Turing. He must've been incredibly brilliant to break the enigma code.

Jun 23, 2012 10:16 PM

Jim, He was one of those guys that may have not been a household name but had a huge impact on where we are today.

Jun 24, 2012 01:05 AM

100 year anniversary of Pioneer- Alan Turing.

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