mattx Posted September 5, 2009 Posted September 5, 2009 Petition to: apologize for the prosecution of Alan Turing that led to his untimely death. | Number10.gov.uk
john Posted September 5, 2009 Posted September 5, 2009 That somone's made the petition or about what occured with him. Me personally, I think it was disgraceful what happened to him, he was a key person in a lot of areas and to be persecuted because of his love life choices made him take his own life, if that hadn't happened then who knows what else he would have discovered
SC-UK Posted September 5, 2009 Posted September 5, 2009 Me personally, I think it was disgraceful what happened to him, he was a key person in a lot of areas and to be persecuted because of his love life choices made him take his own life, if that hadn't happened then who knows what else he would have discovered Very well said.
tech_guy Posted September 5, 2009 Posted September 5, 2009 I personally think that Turing's fall from grace and untimely demise set the development of computing/computer technology back by around twenty years, and heavens knows what else he would have done. It was very poor form to treat him the way he was treated.
jcollings Posted September 5, 2009 Posted September 5, 2009 If you ever get the chance to see the play "Breaking the code" it's well worth watching. An excellent drama about a true genius.
powdarrmonkey Posted September 5, 2009 Posted September 5, 2009 Good thing that whoever started the petition understands the difference between persecution and prosecution...
DrPerceptron Posted September 6, 2009 Posted September 6, 2009 Umm... didn't he die 55 years ago? or is there a different one now? If it was 55 years ago... what's the significance of an apology? much less how many people would actually know who he was?
ButterflyMoon Posted September 6, 2009 Posted September 6, 2009 I suppose the sigificance was that back then his life choices were illegal. In that respect he was hounded to death. It was and is disgraceful that a so called civilised country behaved in such a way towards it's citizens. Thankfully we have come a long way since, but there are still elements in this country that make the lives of lesbians and gay men horrendous. Our sexuality is only a tiny element of what makes us who we are, it does not determine how I run a network or fix a pc. I for one would have liked to see what Mr Turing could have achieved in his life and what wonders he could have brought to the IT world. 2
PiqueABoo Posted September 6, 2009 Posted September 6, 2009 (edited) For all we know he might have had all his really good ideas already (not uncommmon). And Turing Machine, Turing Test, "father of modern computing". the WWII cryptoanalysis are all firmly embedded in history/science, so it's not like this rescues his name from obscurity. I think peoples energies would be better spent stopping some "persecuction" that's happening to someone right now - it's not like you'd wouldn't be be spoilt for choice. Edited September 6, 2009 by PiqueABoo
beeswax Posted September 6, 2009 Posted September 6, 2009 I suppose the sigificance was that back then his life choices were illegal. In that respect he was hounded to death. It was and is disgraceful that a so called civilised country behaved in such a way towards it's citizens. Thankfully we have come a long way since, but there are still elements in this country that make the lives of lesbians and gay men horrendous. Our sexuality is only a tiny element of what makes us who we are, it does not determine how I run a network or fix a pc. I for one would have liked to see what Mr Turing could have achieved in his life and what wonders he could have brought to the IT world. Well said.
witch Posted September 6, 2009 Posted September 6, 2009 (edited) Whilst what happened to him was appalling and, as has been said, disgraceful, I do not see the point of a government who had no part in writing the laws that were in force at the time apologising. Expressing sorrow for what happened to him, yes, of course, but other than that? There have always been laws in the past that we now consider unfair and inhuman, but that was then and this is now. Becoming an apologist for past history is a bit of a pointless exercise. What about all the other people who perhaps committed suicide when arrested for the 'offence' of being homosexual? Or for committing any other offence which is now not illegal?If you feel that one deserves an apology, then don't they all? Edited September 6, 2009 by witch 1
ButterflyMoon Posted September 6, 2009 Posted September 6, 2009 You are right Witch apologies are useless. Thankfully those in power have seen sense and changed these archiac laws. It is much the same as some local councils etc 'apologising for and pardoning' people hanged and burnt as witches in times gone past. It hasn't changed anything at all for them as the treatment meted out was done and they are gone. Am glad we are living in more enlightened times.
FN-GM Posted September 7, 2009 Posted September 7, 2009 I was told that when apple computers introduced the apple logo with the bite in it was a tribute to Turing. Not sure if its true.
mattx Posted September 7, 2009 Author Posted September 7, 2009 I was told that when apple computers introduced the apple logo with the bite in it was a tribute to Turing. Not sure if its true. I think you will find it's got something to do with Job's love of the Beatles......God knows why, the Stones were much better then. 1
SC-UK Posted September 7, 2009 Posted September 7, 2009 The designer said he put the bite into the logo so that the image would be scaleable without ending up looking like a cherry. Tom
beeswax Posted September 7, 2009 Posted September 7, 2009 I was told that when apple computers introduced the apple logo with the bite in it was a tribute to Turing. Not sure if its true. When the pressure became too much for Turing it was said, though this may be apocryphal, he injected an apple with cyanide and took a bite out of it.
russdev Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 Statement from the PM Treatment of Alan Turing was “appalling” - PM | Number10.gov.uk
apoth0r Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 Good job history has made the world we live in today a much better place to live, a more accepting place. Not sure if an apology is needed because those were the times back then, we moan about laws today which might not neccesarily be around in 50 years but we still abide by them?
PeteM Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 BBC NEWS | Technology | PM apology after Turing petition
glennda Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 Well done that PM. that is a first for Gordon isn't it? him doing something right!
AyatollahPies Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 (edited) that is a first for Gordon isn't it? him doing something right! How is it doing something right? The guy is dead. He won't benefit from the apology. He could apologise to the families of the dead soldiers in Afghanistan instead, Edit: Not having a rant at you tobyglenn. I just fail to see the point in apologising for something you were not responsible for. Edited September 11, 2009 by AyatollahPies
glennda Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 i would like him to do that aswell, my cousin has been out there and lost friends in iraq, but it is right that he has apologised for the wrong doing that was shown to alan turing.
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