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Alan Turning

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Trevor Wilson

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Jan 2, 2024, 4:50:36 AM1/2/24
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I watched the excellent movie made about Alan Turing, during his
code-breaking in WWII England. It's my second (or third) viewing. Great
stuff. Fascinating guy. It prompted me to do some reading about Turing.
A true genius, with an IQ of around 185. For comparison, Einstein's IQ
was around 160. I just thought is was so sad that he was driven to take
his own life, aged 41. Imagine if:

* The Poms fostered more development of his computer and his thinking,
rather than destroying it all at the end of the war.
* Turing had another 30 ~ 40 years to contribute to the world.

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Mighty Mouse

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Jan 2, 2024, 5:09:34 AM1/2/24
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Trevor Wilson wrote:
> I watched the excellent movie made about Alan Turing, during his
> code-breaking in WWII England. It's my second (or third) viewing.
> Great stuff. Fascinating guy. It prompted me to do some reading about
> Turing. A true genius, with an IQ of around 185. For comparison,
> Einstein's IQ was around 160. I just thought is was so sad that he was
> driven to take his own life, aged 41. Imagine if:
>
> * The Poms fostered more development of his computer and his thinking,
> rather than destroying it all at the end of the war.
> * Turing had another 30 ~ 40 years to contribute to the world.
>

yes a terrible loss. he was forced to endure chemical castration, iirc

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Rod Speed

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Jan 2, 2024, 11:38:01 AM1/2/24
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Trevor Wilson <tre...@rageaudio.com.au> wrote

> I watched the excellent movie made about Alan Turing, during his
> code-breaking in WWII England. It's my second (or third) viewing. Great
> stuff. Fascinating guy. It prompted me to do some reading about Turing.
> A true genius, with an IQ of around 185. For comparison, Einstein's IQ
> was around 160. I just thought is was so sad that he was driven to take
> his own life, aged 41. Imagine if:

> * The Poms fostered more development of his computer and his thinking,
> rather than destroying it all at the end of the war.

That last never happened.

> * Turing had another 30 ~ 40 years to contribute to the world.

Just because he had a high IQ doesnt mean that he would have
contributed anything useful in that time.

Peter Jason

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Jan 2, 2024, 3:31:17 PM1/2/24
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Quite so. Even Einstein was burned out at 30.

Computer Nerd Kev

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Jan 2, 2024, 4:06:15 PM1/2/24
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Rod Speed <rod.sp...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Trevor Wilson <tre...@rageaudio.com.au> wrote
>
>> I watched the excellent movie made about Alan Turing, during his
>> code-breaking in WWII England. It's my second (or third) viewing. Great
>> stuff. Fascinating guy. It prompted me to do some reading about Turing.
>> A true genius, with an IQ of around 185. For comparison, Einstein's IQ
>> was around 160. I just thought is was so sad that he was driven to take
>> his own life, aged 41. Imagine if:
>
>> * The Poms fostered more development of his computer and his thinking,
>> rather than destroying it all at the end of the war.
>
> That last never happened.

Not immediately at the end of the war, but they did later while the
project was still secret. Replica machines were later built. It was
a loss to history, but not to computer development.

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Rod Speed

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Jan 2, 2024, 5:50:24 PM1/2/24
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Computer Nerd Kev <n...@telling.you.invalid> wrote
> Rod Speed <rod.sp...@gmail.com> wrote
>> Trevor Wilson <tre...@rageaudio.com.au> wrote

>>> I watched the excellent movie made about Alan Turing, during his
>>> code-breaking in WWII England. It's my second (or third) viewing. Great
>>> stuff. Fascinating guy. It prompted me to do some reading about Turing.
>>> A true genius, with an IQ of around 185. For comparison, Einstein's IQ
>>> was around 160. I just thought is was so sad that he was driven to take
>>> his own life, aged 41. Imagine if:

>>> * The Poms fostered more development of his computer andhis thinking,
>>> rather than destroying it all at the end of the war.

>> That last never happened.

> Not immediately at the end of the war, but theydid later while the
> project was still secret.

It was never destroyed in the sense of keeping
the technology secret forever, it was actually
just replaced with better technology.

> Replica machines were later built. It was a loss to history,

Only in the sense of no longer being a working machine.

The maintenance effort required was just too much effort.

> but not to computer development.

It was irrelevant to computer development.

keithr0

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Jan 4, 2024, 4:47:29 AM1/4/24
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On 2/01/2024 7:50 pm, Trevor Wilson wrote:
> I watched the excellent movie made about Alan Turing, during his
> code-breaking in WWII England. It's my second (or third) viewing. Great
> stuff. Fascinating guy. It prompted me to do some reading about Turing.
> A true genius, with an IQ of around 185. For comparison, Einstein's IQ
> was around 160. I just thought is was so sad that he was driven to take
> his own life, aged 41. Imagine if:
>
> * The Poms fostered more development of his computer and his thinking,
> rather than destroying it all at the end of the war.
> * Turing had another 30 ~ 40 years to contribute to the world.
>
If you're really interested in the subject, try reading "Alan Turing:
the enigma" by Andrew Hodges, it's the book that the film is based on.
It's an extensive biography from his childhood to his death, and paints
a picture of a brilliant man who couldn't quite come to terms with the
way that the world actually works.

Beware though, it's not an easy read, it's big (664 pages plus notes an
index) and goes into concepts of pure maths which was Turings subject.

Trevor Wilson

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Jan 4, 2024, 3:52:38 PM1/4/24
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**Thanks for the suggestion. Perhaps I will pick up a copy. It does
sound like a tough read.

Petzl

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Jan 4, 2024, 5:51:22 PM1/4/24
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there is a movie verygood one.
"The Imitation Game"
--
Petzl
Arthur (Arthur Stace, Sydney (Eternity graffitist)
described in his own words what he had become
"a petty criminal, a bum and a metho drinker"
He deteriorated so bad and so low that
he went from beer to wine to plonk (i.e. bad wine) to plink
(i.e. bad plonk ).
https://youtu.be/uzYrQrGEwRg?feature=shared

Mighty Mouse

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Jan 4, 2024, 7:18:06 PM1/4/24
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yeah, seen it

keithr0

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Jan 5, 2024, 4:23:16 AM1/5/24
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A reasonable movies, a very much dumbed down version of the book.

Petzl

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Jan 5, 2024, 4:39:50 PM1/5/24
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On Fri, 5 Jan 2024 19:23:14 +1000, keithr0 <us...@account.invalid>
wrote:
Well if you wish to see it YouTube rents it for $2.99 for 24 hours.
My eyesight is pretty well shot, so good movies make good
entertainment.
--
Petzl
Good lawyers know the law
Great lawyers know the judge

justice is open to all; like the Ritz hotel
High Court reveals every current judge is a
member of Qantas’ ‘most exclusive club in Australia’
The High Court has exposed secret members of Qantas’
exclusive Chairman’s Lounge amid a landmark case over
the sacking of 1700 workers.

Ozix

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Jan 6, 2024, 5:54:13 AM1/6/24
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Trevor Wilson wrote:
> I watched the excellent movie made about Alan Turing, during his
> code-breaking in WWII England. It's my second (or third) viewing. Great
> stuff. Fascinating guy. It prompted me to do some reading about Turing.
> A true genius, with an IQ of around 185. For comparison, Einstein's IQ
> was around 160. I just thought is was so sad that he was driven to take
> his own life, aged 41. Imagine if:
>
> * The Poms fostered more development of his computer and his thinking,
> rather than destroying it all at the end of the war.
> * Turing had another 30 ~ 40 years to contribute to the world.
>

Interesting SBS just showed another movie called Enigma, set a year
later in the war when the German navy starting using more secure Enigma
machines.
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