Android : built on the shoulders of giants

0lddog · 21-10-2011 8:51pm #1

Seeing as there is a negative S.J. thread going, how about a positive one for Dennis Ritchie?

Would Android exist without the work of people such as the late Dennis Ritchie ?

I think not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Ritchie

AlmightyCushion · 21-10-2011 9:10pm

Well Ritchie came up with C. Android is based on Linux and Linux is written in C and Assembly. So without C, android wouldn't exist. Then again most OS' are written in C or at least partly written in C so that means no OSX, Windows, Linux, iOS etc. Also, most modern programming languages are based to some degree on C so without C they wouldn't exist either. So, without the work Ritchie did the whole software industry would be massively different. It's like asking would we still have the car if the guy who discovered fire and invented the wheel never existed.

leahcim · 21-10-2011 10:28pm

Dennis Ritchie is also one of the co-creaters of UNIX which Linux is a clone of.

partyatmygaff · 21-10-2011 10:32pm

Very little of the software that we know today would exist in their current form if it wasn't for his contributions.

0lddog · 22-10-2011 7:23pm

I'm very glad to see that at least leahcim and partyatmygaff appreciate the immense contribution that Mr Ritchie made.

To bring leahcims post a bit further I'd be inclined to wonder if there would be Google ( or even Android ) if it were not for him.

I was delighted to see that today Irish Times had an obit. :

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/obituaries/2011/1022/1224306286126.html

mrsoundie · 22-10-2011 7:33pm

Will be greatly missed, some impact on modern life. Imagine if he or Tim Berners-Lee never existed?

Love the picture of dmr in the Irish Time! He knew.

seanybiker · 22-10-2011 8:05pm

Is Dennis richie anything to shane richie.

Nyum Nyum · 22-10-2011 8:15pm

Dennis was a better actor.

Android : built on the shoulders of giants

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