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Microsoft's Charles Simonyi to be 1st Nerd in Space

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the flying-high dept.

Richard L. James writes "The BBC are reporting that Hungarian-born Charles Simonyi, a 58-year old Microsoft billionaire software engineer is set to become the first 'nerd in space' on board the Soyuz TMA-10 when the spacecraft launches on Thursday 09th March 2007. Charles oversaw the development of Multiplan, Word, and Excel among many other achievements. He has launched a website detailing the 3 goals he wishes to achieve on the trip: advance civilian spaceflight, assist space station research, and involve kids in space sciences. Jó szerencse pölö Charles!"

18 of 234 comments (clear)

  1. first nerd in space? by motank · · Score: 5, Funny

    yeah, cos everyone that's gone to space so far has been a football jock right?

  2. go nerds by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Nerdy? Well can he quote the Holy Grail and make you ROTFLOL?

  3. His first question to the Russians by edwardpickman · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Okay this'll get me laid, right?"

  4. they read my mind by rifftide · · Score: 5, Funny

    I've often thought, whoever came up with this convention for naming variables ought to be shut in a Russian spacecraft and sent far, far away.

    1. Re:they read my mind by Sqwubbsy · · Score: 5, Funny

      So will this make him a spcExplorer?

      --
      $30 Off All Plans: Use code TRIPLESAWBUCK
  5. Termination by joe_n_bloe · · Score: 5, Funny

    Being fired is one thing ... but being fired into space?

  6. Re:First?! by mastropiero · · Score: 5, Funny

    Exactly, he is as much the first nerd in space as IE7 is the first tabbed browser....

  7. breaking barriers by qw0ntum · · Score: 4, Funny

    I for one am glad we're finally breaking the nerd in space barrier. I mean, it's not like we've ever seen a molecular biologist or astrophysicist go into space. No, they are far too nerdy for something like that.

    --
    'Every story, if continued long enough, ends in death.' --Ernest Hemingway
  8. Re:First nerd??? by 8ball629 · · Score: 3, Funny

    You haven't heard? Nerds can only be billionaire software engineers from Microsoft - the others are geeks. *end sarcasm*

  9. Re:He invented Hungarian Notation by yo_tuco · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Why it's a good idea to embed the type of a variable in its name has forever been lost on me."

    szBeats szMe. szBut szMaybe szHis usHungarian szRoots szHad szSomething szTo szDo szWith szIt?

  10. sz_Hmm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    sz_I p_guess u_congratulations sz_are m_in p_order.

  11. Geek Farm by deathy_epl+ccs · · Score: 5, Funny

    4 eyes good, 2 eyes bad.

  12. Exact translation: by Gorimek · · Score: 5, Funny

    "My hovercraft is full of eels"

  13. Re:Yuri Gagarin by booch · · Score: 5, Funny

    He's a Microsoft engineer. Obviously his delusions of grandeur are not limited to work.

    Nor are unfounded claims of originality.

    --
    Software sucks. Open Source sucks less.
  14. Re:First nerd??? by rblancarte · · Score: 5, Funny

    I would disagree - http://web.vee.net/stuff/geek-vs-nerd.html

    --
    It is human nature to take shortcuts in thinking.
  15. Re:First nerd??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    As always Microsoft coming late and saying they are First.

  16. Re:First nerd??? by AGMW · · Score: 3, Funny
    To all the geeks who will never experience space - *raises glass*

    Hmmm. Raises unbreakable glass substitute.

    --
    Eclectic beats from Leeds, UK
    handmadehands.co.uk
  17. Great. more Hungarian Notation? by Chapter80 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can't wait to see what personSimonyi does to the spacecraftSoyuzTMA-10 conventionNamingConvention.