Dennis Ritchie
Updated: 11/16/2019 by Computer Hope
Name: Dennis MacAlistair Ritchie
Born: September 9, 1941, Bronxville, New York, USA
Death: October 12, 2011 (Age: 70)
Computer-related contributions
- Created the B programming language with Ken Thompson in 1969.
- Created the C programming language with Brian Kernighan in 1972.
- Helped develop the UNIX operating system.
- Helped develop the Multics operating system.
Significant publications
- The C Programming Language (also known as the K&R book), with Brian Kernighan (1978).
Honors and awards
- Japan Prize for Information and Communications, with Ken Thompson (2011).
- National Medal of Technology, with Ken Thompson (1998).
- IEEE Richard W. Hamming Medal (1990).
- Elected to the National Academy of Engineering (1988).
- Turing Award (1983).
Quotes
"UNIX is very simple, it just needs a genius to understand its simplicity."
"C is quirky, flawed, and an enormous success."