The past few weeks has been horrible for deaths, people from the computing industry have been dying left right and center. Its really sad to see but people, go when they’re ready. It could be a long term illness or could just be their time. Either way this is very sad news. Below are some small bits of information in dedication of these industry changing, amazing people.

Sir Maurice Wilkes

Sir Maurice was the designer and creator of Edsac, a computer that ran its first program in May 1949. The Cambridge machine was the first widely-useable stored program machine and was very influential on the nascent British computer industry. It set standards for how computers should be used in academia and business that have lasted until the present day. Following work on developing radar during World War II, Sir Maurice returned to Cambridge to begin designing the machine that would become Edsac.

Dennis Ritchie

Dr Ritchie was one of the creators of the hugely influential Unix operating system and the equally pioneering C programming language. A vast number of modern technologies depend on the work he and fellow programmers did on Unix and C in the early days of the computer revolution. Those paying respects said he was a “titan” of the industry whose influence was largely unknown.

Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs, co-founder and figurehead of Apple, passed away just hours after the technology giant unveiled its latest product – the iPhone 4S. The launch was the first by Apple following Mr Jobs’ resignation as chief executive in August, and hence it offered a glimpse of what to expect from new boss Tim Cook. Expectations ahead of the launch had been high, with many Apple fans hoping for an iPhone 5 that would perform yet another technological leap by the nimble giant. Instead, they were served a phone that was virtually indistinguishable from the previous model, which is already 15-months-old and thus deemed ageing by many in the fast-moving world of smartphone technology.