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Computer Pioneer Bob Bemer Dies

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the riderless-horse dept.

tpconcannon writes "Bob Bemer, the man who helped introduce the backslash as well as the escape key to computing, has passed away at his home at the age of 78. He also helped develop ASCII during the 60's at IBM. More interesting is that he predicted the Y2K bug all the way back in 1971!"

20 of 348 comments (clear)

  1. So one might say by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    that he's been ALT-F4'ed?

    1. Re:So one might say by rampant+mac · · Score: 5, Funny

      Hmm... Could it be his "server" was \.'ed?

      --
      I like big butts and I cannot lie.
    2. Re:So one might say by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      that he's been ALT-F4'ed?

      / sigh
      Man, its no wonder we have trouble getting a date.

    3. Re:So one might say by FLEB · · Score: 5, Funny

      Gone on to a higher code page?

      --
      Information wants to be free.
      Entertainment wants to be paid.
      You just want to be cheap.
    4. Re:So one might say by Jugalator · · Score: 4, Funny

      that he's been ALT-F4'ed?

      RTFA

      He just escaped. ;-)

      --
      Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
  2. 82 73 80 by Daikiki · · Score: 5, Funny

    82 73 80

    --
    I want the fire back.
  3. Sad News .... Bob Bemer, dead at 84 by orthogonal · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Bob Bemer... passed away at his home at the age of 78.

    The AP reported he was 84, and Wikipedia confirms that he was born in 1920.

    In any case, I'd like to commemorate Mr. Bemer with the traditional Slashdot version of a Viking funeral:

    I just heard some sad news on talk radio - COBOL standardizer/Father of ASCII Bob Bemer was found dead in his Texas home this morning. There weren't any more details. I'm sure everyone in the Slashdot community will miss him - even if you didn't enjoy his character set, there's no denying his contributions to popular culture. Truly an American icon.

    --
    Opinions on the Twiddler2 hand-held keyboard?
    1. Re:Sad News .... Bob Bemer, dead at 84 by awkScooby · · Score: 3, Funny
      there's no denying his contributions to popular culture.

      Making ASCII art pr0n possible?

  4. ahhh "esc" by atarione · · Score: 4, Funny

    I keep pressing it and yet I'm still stuck at my crappy job....sigh

    --
    actually I am happy to see you, however that is in fact a banana in my pocket.
  5. Re:Some cool stuff can be found here by rune2 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Among the more interesting tidbits is that he coined the word COBOL

    Hey well nobody's perfect...

  6. Re:Math is fun by Waffle+Iron · · Score: 4, Funny

    Well, the article got it a lot closer than me. My calculations came up with an age of -16 years.

  7. Y10k bug by sbergman2 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just for the record, I would like to predict that on Jan 1, 10000 much of the software currently in existence will malfunction unless it is modified to handle 5 digit years. Bemer made his prediction 29 years in advance. I'm making mine 7996 years in advance. So there! :-)

  8. It figures by Skapare · · Score: 4, Funny

    It figures that his age across the year 2000 would end up being miscalculated by someone ... or something.

    --
    now we need to go OSS in diesel cars
  9. Re:Math is fun by ari_j · · Score: 5, Funny

    I wonder if his tombstone will read Here lies Bob Bemer 1920-19104

  10. Re:Nice editing of the article... by blair1q · · Score: 3, Funny

    >dies at 78

    The article was written in base 10 and 6/7ths.

  11. Re:He was 84, not 78 by fm6 · · Score: 3, Funny

    We thought you meant Steven King!

  12. Re:He was 84, not 78 by whereiswaldo · · Score: 3, Funny

    And speaking of COBOL....

    what better time for a Real Programmers list? ;)

    http://www.cs.williams.edu/~terescoj/humor/realpro g.html

  13. Well that's depressing... by Thaidog · · Score: 4, Funny

    I mean, if he can't escape death who can?

    --

    ||| I still can't believe Parkay's not butter.

  14. In a related story by Pedrito · · Score: 3, Funny

    One of the most reviled men in computers, the creator of the EBCDIC characterset continues living.

  15. Re:Math is fun by Otter · · Score: 3, Funny

    In keeping with his computer science background, they initially gave his age in base 10.85.

    --
    What I'm listening to now on Pandora...