Alan Turing, father of modern computer science, destroyer of Nazi encoding, has finally been posthumously pardoned, 61 years after he was convicted for being who he was. About damn time.
https://gizmodo.com/how-to-build-turing-s-universal-machine-5891399
It’s been a long time coming; 59 years have passed since Turing’s suicide by cyanide-laced apple in the face of force chemical castration after his conviction of “gross indecency” in 1952. Back in 2009, Prime Minister Gordon Brown apologized about the whole thing, but the pardon never followed. Now, it’s finally here, despite the face that current Prime Minister David Cameron’s administration denied it last year. Apparently having changed his mind, Cameron said the following in a statement:
https://gizmodo.com/its-about-time-britains-prime-minister-apologizes-to-a-5356955
His action saved countless lives. He also left a remarkable national legacy through his substantial scientific achievements, often being referred to as the ‘father of modern computing.’
All true! But you you can’t help but think of how much better off everyone (especially Alan Turing) might have been if things played out with a little more civility, and the fact that it’s been over half a century is more than a little absurd. But better late than never, even if it is embarrassingly late. [The New York Times]
