Tony Hoare, Erfinder von Quicksort & Null, ist verstorben.

Me, tomorrow at the interview:

„Out of respect for the Tony Hoare family, I will not code a quicksort example for you. How about a bubble sort?“

This news fills me with immense sadness. Tony gave some fascinating seminars and included highly articulate criticism of himself and how his own ideas evolved.

“… oh Hoare 1989 thought this but then Hoare 1999 revised and, improved these ideas. However Hoare 2006 realised and improved the mistakes they had made….” (Years are arbitrary, I dont remember verbatim merely the gist.)

A rather humble admission of fallibility but also true to form from – to me – a complete legend whom I’d always found both approachable and generous in their time.

(Edited typo)