SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Dennis Ritchie, a pioneer in computer programming, has died at age 70, according to his longtime employer.
Ritchie created the popular C programming language and helped create the Unix operating software. He died a month after his birthday, according to his biography on a webpage of Alcatel-Lucent's Bell Labs. Ritchie joined Bell Labs in the late 1960s.
The company confirmed his death to The Associated Press but would not disclose the cause of death or when Ritchie died. A spokeswoman said the company was trying to contact his family.
Ritchie is best known for his contributions to computer programming and software. The C programming language, which Ritchie developed in the early 1970's, is still popular. It has gone through a number of upgrades, and it is commonly used for website development and other computer tasks. The Unix operating software also surged in popularity. It and its offshoots, including the open-source Linux, are widely used today, in corporate servers and even cellphones.
Ritchie's biography on the Bell Labs site says that he was born on Sept. 9, 1941 in Bronxville, N.Y., and studied physics and math at Harvard University.
"My undergraduate experience convinced me that I was not smart enough to be a physicist, and that computers were quite neat," Ritchie wrote. "My graduate school experience convinced me that I was not smart enough to be an expert in the theory of algorithms and also that I liked procedural languages better than functional ones."
Jeong Kim, president of Bell Labs, wrote in a blog post Thursday that Ritchie was "truly an inspiration to all of us, not just for his many accomplishments, but because of who he was as a friend, an inventor, and a humble and gracious man."
Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press
I am nothing but a lowly punk hacker
Looking for the fantastical themes
Find'n it in the world
Which was the product of your life's work
I don't have a god
But you are one I worship
With gratitude
-pedrk.com
skrp freenode#freebsd
May 01, 2016
To Dennis,
You will always be an inspiration to me. Thank you for your immense contributions to computer science, and in particular, to software.
You were a true credit to the human race. One of life's very rare gems.
My sincerest condolences to your loved ones and to your friends and colleagues.
M Gill
March 23, 2014 | London
Thank you, Mr. Ritchie, for all your great work. May you never be forgotten.
Dellroy GM
March 08, 2014 | Dellroy, OH
The C Programming Language, the ever mysterious programming language which teaches the paradigm of how to be more disciplined in life, is the essence of all other Programming Languages. DMR thank you.
Srinidhi
January 10, 2012 | Bangalore, CA
Dear Sir, May your soul rest in peace. Thank you for giving this indian middle class boy a future and more importantly a livelihood. Your efforts at perfection put food on the table for me. The whole world is indebted to you and your colleagues. R.I.P.
venkat venkataswami
November 13, 2011 | Chennai
Dennis Ritchie, I only just heard about all the wonderful things you did. That if it weren't for you, we wouldn't have C and we would probably still be reading in binary. Thank you for everything
Hedwig Doets
November 06, 2011 | Meppel
Thank you Dennis Ritchie, the inventor of the C language; may you rest in peace. C is the building block of many other computer languages, operating systems, the Internet/Wide World Web and many more computer related subjects. The C language jump started my career as a software engineer, helped me raise my 2 boys, assisted in my BSCS degree, and over a decade in my career as a software engineer. Thank you so much Dennis Ritchie.
Gail Winfred
November 01, 2011 | San Diego, CA
Dennis -
You are one of the greatest men that ever lived. Thank you for your time, code, and methods. Your inspiration is uniquely in everything we see and do. You shared like no other.
To the Ritchie family -
Thank you for sharing a truly great person. May you all find everlasting Peace and Grace through these times.
Charles Lafond
October 18, 2011 | Merrimack, NH
Mr.Ritchie , you are one off them, who helped to reshape or planet. Rest In Peace
Harold Molly
October 18, 2011 | Amsterdam
