Written by Dennis Shasha and Cathy Lazere Book Report by Phil Dinovo

Steve Wozniak, Bill Gates, Alan Turing, Richard Stallman, John von Neumann– Some of the most recognized computer scientists ever born. Despite their accomplishments, there are countless (less known) others which are just as responsible for the state of computing today. Out of their Minds concentrates on 15 of these lesser known pioneers of computer science. And just because they aren’t household names doesn’t mean they aren’t important ones. Of the fifteen computer scientists in the book, 10 of them are Turing award winners. It concentrates on the ideas and discoveries of the computer scientists as well as their predictions for the future. Steve Wozniak, Bill Gates, Alan Turing, Richard Stallman, John von Neumann– Some of the most recognized computer scientists ever born. Despite their accomplishments, there are countless (less known) others which are just as responsible for the state of computing today. Out of their Minds concentrates on 15 of these lesser known pioneers of computer science. And just because they aren’t household names doesn’t mean they aren’t important ones. Of the fifteen computer scientists in the book, 10 of them are Turing award winners. It concentrates on the ideas and discoveries of the computer scientists as well as their predictions for the future.

Linguists: How should I talk to the machine? Linguists: How should I talk to the machine? Algorithmists: What is a good method for solving a problem fast on my computer? Algorithmists: What is a good method for solving a problem fast on my computer? Architects: Can I build a better computer? Architects: Can I build a better computer? Sculptors of Machine Intelligence: Can a I write a computer program that can find its own solutions? Sculptors of Machine Intelligence: Can a I write a computer program that can find its own solutions?

Linguists : Linguists : John Backus* John Backus* John Backus John Backus John McCarthy* John McCarthy* Alan C Kay* (2003, after publication) Alan C Kay* (2003, after publication) Alan C Kay Alan C Kay Algorithmists : Algorithmists : Edsger W Dijkstra* Edsger W Dijkstra* Michael O. Rabin* Michael O. Rabin* Donald E. Knuth* Donald E. Knuth* Donald E. Knuth Donald E. Knuth Robert E. Tarjan* Robert E. Tarjan* Leslie Lamport Leslie Lamport Stephen Cook* and Leonid Levin Stephen Cook* and Leonid Levin Stephen Cook Stephen Cook Architects:Architects: Fred P. Brooks, Jr* (1999, after publication)Fred P. Brooks, Jr* (1999, after publication)Fred P. BrooksFred P. Brooks Burton J. SmithBurton J. Smith W. Daniel HillisW. Daniel Hillis Sculptors of Machine Intelligence:Sculptors of Machine Intelligence: Ed A. Feigenbaum*Ed A. Feigenbaum* Douglas B. LenatDouglas B. Lenat * Denotes Turing Award Winner

While training to be an medical officer in the Army, he had a brain tumor removed and a plate inserted into his skull. Not happy with the metal plate, he designed his own version and had voluntarily underwent surgery again to put in his version. While training to be an medical officer in the Army, he had a brain tumor removed and a plate inserted into his skull. Not happy with the metal plate, he designed his own version and had voluntarily underwent surgery again to put in his version. After leaving the army, he went on to get a masters degree in mathematics at Columbia and got a job at IBM. Here, he led a team of 9 other programmers to develop the monumental programming language, FORTRAN. The most popular high-level programming language of its time, FORTRAN is still widely used today, especially for benchmarking programs used to determine a computer’s “power”. After leaving the army, he went on to get a masters degree in mathematics at Columbia and got a job at IBM. Here, he led a team of 9 other programmers to develop the monumental programming language, FORTRAN. The most popular high-level programming language of its time, FORTRAN is still widely used today, especially for benchmarking programs used to determine a computer’s “power”. Won the Turing Award in 1977 for his work on FORTRAN in addition to developing a notation for defining programming languages which (after help from Peter Naur, a Danish mathematician) is known as the Backus-Naur Form. Won the Turing Award in 1977 for his work on FORTRAN in addition to developing a notation for defining programming languages which (after help from Peter Naur, a Danish mathematician) is known as the Backus-Naur Form Turing Award Lecture entitled “Can Programming be Liberated from the von Neumann Style?” introduced the idea for programming languages that rather than explaining how they accomplished some task, simply stated what they wanted to happen Turing Award Lecture entitled “Can Programming be Liberated from the von Neumann Style?” introduced the idea for programming languages that rather than explaining how they accomplished some task, simply stated what they wanted to happen.

Before studying at the University of Utah as a computer science major, he worked as a professional musician. Before studying at the University of Utah as a computer science major, he worked as a professional musician. Went on to work for Xerox. It was here that he created the programming language known as SmallTalk, the first ever “object-oriented” programming language. SmallTalk would eventually grow into the Squeak programming language used by Apple Computers. Went on to work for Xerox. It was here that he created the programming language known as SmallTalk, the first ever “object-oriented” programming language. SmallTalk would eventually grow into the Squeak programming language used by Apple Computers. Won the Turing award in 2003 for his contributions to the idea of object-oriented programming. Won the Turing award in 2003 for his contributions to the idea of object-oriented programming.

Entered Case Institute of Technology (now Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH) as a physics major. Entered Case Institute of Technology (now Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH) as a physics major. Graduated with a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Mathematics at the same time because the school simply considered his work to be so good. Graduated with a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Mathematics at the same time because the school simply considered his work to be so good. Turned down an offer from the NSA to teach at Stanford Turned down an offer from the NSA to teach at Stanford While in residence there, wrote “The Art of Computer Programming”, a book which is considered to be one of the most in-depth writings on the subject on computer science. Since the original volume, Knuth has expanded it to 4 volumes with multiple editions and won the Turing award for the comprehensive information it has provided the field. A man of humor, he uses the Turing award bowl for fruit in is home. While in residence there, wrote “The Art of Computer Programming”, a book which is considered to be one of the most in-depth writings on the subject on computer science. Since the original volume, Knuth has expanded it to 4 volumes with multiple editions and won the Turing award for the comprehensive information it has provided the field. A man of humor, he uses the Turing award bowl for fruit in is home.

Presented a group of problems being hard-to-find but easy-to-verify which were classified by Cook as NP-complete problems. An example of such a problem as described by Cook in the book is: Presented a group of problems being hard-to-find but easy-to-verify which were classified by Cook as NP-complete problems. An example of such a problem as described by Cook in the book is: If there are 100 cities you have to evaluate 100 factorial tours. No computer is going to be able to try out 100 factorial tours. It’s hard for people to understand that. If you do some simple calculations, you realize that if you had all the electrons in the solar system working on it at frequencies comparable with their spins, it would still take until the sun burnt out to find it. The basic point to get across is that there are things you just can’t do in practice. If there are 100 cities you have to evaluate 100 factorial tours. No computer is going to be able to try out 100 factorial tours. It’s hard for people to understand that. If you do some simple calculations, you realize that if you had all the electrons in the solar system working on it at frequencies comparable with their spins, it would still take until the sun burnt out to find it. The basic point to get across is that there are things you just can’t do in practice. Although Cook did not prove that all problems in the family are extremely difficult, but he is credited with starting the discussion of such problems. If someone developed an algorithm to solve such problems however, then computer science would change forever. Although Cook did not prove that all problems in the family are extremely difficult, but he is credited with starting the discussion of such problems. If someone developed an algorithm to solve such problems however, then computer science would change forever.

In 1961, Brooks, an employee at IBM, was asked by the company to develop a “single product line that could work across all divisions” of the company. The system he created was called the IBM System/360 and was directly responsible for IBM’s success over the next 30 years. In 1961, Brooks, an employee at IBM, was asked by the company to develop a “single product line that could work across all divisions” of the company. The system he created was called the IBM System/360 and was directly responsible for IBM’s success over the next 30 years. Several years later he would write the 360’s operating system, entitled OS/360 which was a breakthrough OS for the system. Several years later he would write the 360’s operating system, entitled OS/360 which was a breakthrough OS for the system. He wrote the book The Mythincal Man-Month which was a very influential book about the way management of software development can be delayed and hard lessons he learned in his own experiences. He wrote the book The Mythincal Man-Month which was a very influential book about the way management of software development can be delayed and hard lessons he learned in his own experiences.