[plt-scheme] Sad news regarding Peter Landin

Dear All,

FYI just in case you had not heard. He was one of the great pioneers.

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Edmund Robinson <edmundr at DCS.QMUL.AC.UK>
> Date: 4 June 2009 09:10:11 GMT+00:00
> To: cphc-members at JISCMAIL.AC.UK
> Subject: Peter Landin
> Reply-To: Edmund Robinson <edmundr at DCS.QMUL.AC.UK>
>
> I am very sorry to inform you that Peter Landin died yesterday of
> natural causes.
>
> For those members who are several generations away from Peter's
> early contributions, he was one of the major figures in the UK at
> the time that Computer Science was beginning to establish itself as
> a discipline. Some of his papers from 40 years ago are essential
> reading for any serious student of programming languages as still
> the simplest and clearest exposition of ideas that remain
> fundamental. The ideas in his papers were truly original and
> beautiful, but Peter never had a simplistic approach to scientific
> progress, and would scoff at the idea of individual personal
> contribution. Some of his own  greatest contribution to the field
> was as part of a golden nexus of work on programming languages in
> the UK in the late 60's and early 70's, containing Dana Scott and
> Christopher Strachey and others as well as Peter. The ideas they
> developed through their discussions truly lifted the study of
> programming languages to another level, and are now part of the
> bedrock of the subject.
>
> Funeral arrangements are being made by David Bunnett:
> replies at booktracker.net
> , or if you wish to contact me, I will pass on details.
>
> all best wishes
> Edmund Robinson
------- End of forwarded message -------


Marco