Achievements

• Implementation of the first compiler for Algol 60 at Elliott Brothers
• Disaster recovery in the programming of Algol 68 – beyond specifications
• Development of Hoare Logic / Quicksort / Communicating Sequential Processes
• Built the Programming Research Group at Oxford
 

As a member of both the academic as well as the industrial sphere Tony Hoare keeps a balance between scientific theories and practical applications. After his retirement at Oxford he started working at Cambridge for Microsoft Research where he can combine both world’s while promoting his Challenge for computer science.

Quotations

• "I conclude that there are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies."


• “The only sure safeguard against attack is to pursue the ideal of not making the errors in the first place”


• “We should not respect the boundaries established between our disciplines.”


• “Don’t claim that your scientific results are useful.” (both advice to PhD Students)


• “The cost of dependability is the utmost simplicity; most computer organizations find this cost too high to pay.”


• “The scientist knows that only perfection will protect his work from being superseded by later work of other scientists.”


• “In our subject a division of labour would be a novelty”