Code Idiols - Programmers Read

[Megazoid]

most people have seen the pop idiol's program's on TV? or even when it come's to music, sport's, tv or movie we all have our idiol's. Maybe even just random people from the media (*cough* abi titmuss....)

Anyway alot of people forget about the people who actually make it possible to switch on your TV and watch a broadcast, the people who make the software possible.

Anyway i think some of the most important people in society are the one's that go un-noticed. Their work almost transparent to the average-joe. The humble programmer who will sit for hours working on a perfectly optimized routine so we can all benefit in the long-run.

What do they get back in return? Well hopefully some cash if their program isn't freeware (as many of mine have been...). But their is nothing nicer than awaking one morning to find 300/400 email's from random people worldwide thanking you for your hard work. A lovely feeling infact!

Anyway i can't really say i respect anyone in society unless they show clear skill or "genius" quality's. That's not to say i will dis-respect them, just that i know how underated programmer's are (and 'nerds' in general - as i am myself).

Let's list our top 5 Programmer's of all-time, while i would like to state some effect & synth author's, i can't recall name's at this time (The guy from refx is one though...)

My list (ordered) :

1. Gol (FL Studio)

Hard to find word's for this guy, i love his work, and without studying the code base of flstudio i know he has spent a hell of alot time optimizing flstudio. He's also been helpful with my own project's and a true inspiration driver. He had a vision, he followed through.

I can't remember seeing flstudio crashing due to a host bug. The program features optimized 'controls', fast and optimized graphical painting routines, modular structure and beautiful graphical (skinned) layout.

Gol you are a true programming legend, an insipration to all.

2. Dan Richie (Project DogWaffle)

I've been friend's with Dan for sometime now, he produces the ultra addictive drawing/painting/animation package. Pure gold!

3. Chris Sawyer (Rollercoaster Tycoon)

One of the most optimized game's i have witnessed. Truelly addicative gameplay, 90% coded in x86 with C++ being used for a wrapper (DX).

Also met him and he's a bloody nice chap!

4. John Carmack (Quake, Doom, et).

The ultimate geek(tm). Having watched some video interview's with this guy i can honestly say i haven't witnessed a more talented and skilled individual regarding engine optimization and implamentation.

5. MediaChance guy (arrrrgg forgot his name - he produces the mediachance.com products such as realdraw, etc).

Again a true legend and inspiration to my work project's.

Some mention's to the following :

Kjaerhus Audio
ReFx
Toby (delphi)

Their are ton's more but that's just some who come to mind.

Keep em' coming...

[KrunietZ]

Linus Torvalds

[CskaTorpedo]

Why do you need special props to be a programmer?

What about all the highschool janitors out there, when was last time you sent a highschool janitor a nice email about keeping the schools clean so our children don't have to plow through their own excrement and discarded coke cans to get to class? Which is a more rewarding career? I am guessing you're not going to imply that software engineers are more important than janitors.

The truth is, if you want to be famous you pick a career that lends itself to that. Software engineering hardly seems much more exciting than any other type of office work to an outsider. On top of that there are a several million people who deserve to be recoginzed for doing something good that benefits society as a whole, but that's not the way it works, and being famous is a career in itself, not the end-all-be-all of all professions.

This is a terrible way to preface a "who's your software idol topic" Some more thought should have been put into it.

[mandolarian]

But as my friend says, "Programmers: The janitors of the future"

[lunarhalo]

[Doogle]

Why do you need special props to be a programmer?

What about all the highschool janitors out there

Eh? If you feel that way, then send letters to highschool janitors! It's true that a lot of people in society are under-appreciated. And you could look at how they are rewarded monetarily and see that it's retarded in a lot of ways. Nurses that work 'on the frontline' of hospitals and really support hospitals don't really get the appreciation they deserve, or the salary. Whereas coders can be incredibly well paid.

But I think this is all irrelevant. This is a forum mainly relating to production and engineering on music using computers and related technology. Megazoid wanted to make a point of showing respect for some of the people that make this (and other software) possible. In the context of this forum, that's a Good Thing to Do IMO.

Err.. I'd say (not actually knowing too many coder celebs) (in absolutely no particular order at all)...

Gol, John Carmack, Linus, K&R (we owe them bigtime ), the guys who did the Amiga OS (for nostalgic reasons), Babbage and Ada (can that count?), Turing (well, he was a mathmatician, but some/a lot of his stuff really applies to programming), Richard Stallman (cos of FSF (though some of his ideas now I don't agree with)), Nicholas Wirth (he should be shot for Pascal, but Algorithms and Data Structures really opened my eyes and made me think about programming in a new way when I first read it).

Tbh, theres differences in my respect levels for them, but a lot of respect for all nonetheless.

And less specifically, all coders that release quality OSS for sharing their code and ideas with the community, and for carrying on the information should be free thing in a white-hat kinda way
And also everyone releasing quality VSTs, free or otherwise. (But I especially love Toby's and Bram's stuff)

Sorry for the ramble

Doogle

[HelgeG]

Knuth

[Doogle]

Oops... forgot him. Yeah Donald Knuth as well, definately!