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Mormons in Technology

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 11:44 am
by McDanielCA
In the next few months we will be publishing a short series called "Mormons in Technology."

I thought it might be fun to ask for your ideas. Does anyone have any suggestions as to who we should feature? The person doesn't have to have lived in any specific time period. The only requirement is that they contributed significantly to the world of technology.

There is a lot that goes into deciding whether or not we will spotlight a certain individual and their contributions, so please be aware that we can't use every suggestion.

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:08 pm
by russellhltn
We'd have to include Philo T. Farnsworth.

On a different note, I remember meeting the guy who invented the FlowBee at a church event. I think he was a member - but he might have been just a investigator. It was a long time ago.

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:14 pm
by jdlessley
The first that comes to mind is President Gordon B. Hinckley. He pushed technology in the Church long before becoming a general authority.

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:19 pm
by McDanielCA
Interesting idea. I hadn't thought of President Hinckley. Thanks for the suggestions!

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:46 pm
by mkmurray
I would say you ought to include Yukihiro Matsumoto, the designer and architect of the Ruby programming language:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yukihiro_Matsumoto
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_(programming_language)

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 3:15 pm
by dmaynes
McDanielCA wrote:I thought it might be fun to ask for your ideas. Does anyone have any suggestions as to who we should feature? The person doesn't have to have lived in any specific time period. The only requirement is that they contributed significantly to the world of technology.
Orson Pratt: The Odometer and the surveying and layout of the Salt Lake Meridian.

Henry Eyring: President Eyring's father

Alan Ashton: Founder of Word Perfect Corporation

Elder Russell M. Nelson: innovations in heart surgery

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 4:31 pm
by mkmurray
mkmurray wrote:I would say you ought to include Yukihiro Matsumoto, the designer and architect of the Ruby programming language:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yukihiro_Matsumoto
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_(programming_language)
Here's a great statement from "Matz" about why he created Ruby, written as a Foreword to an online manual introducting and documenting the langauge:

http://ruby-doc.org/docs/ProgrammingRub ... eword.html

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 4:32 pm
by MorettiDP
I can suggest Nolan Bushnell, creator of Atari. I can't know, but I believe that the music of "Bobby Goes Home" (see in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKm3JIv0iQ8) is his suggestion.

We can find some interesting people (in technology fields too) in http://www.mormonwiki.com/Famous_Mormons.

Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:47 am
by mkmurray
Just as a follow-up, I thought I would post links to the articles that are published in this resultant series: I will keep this list updated as it progresses.

Two Suggestions

Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:23 pm
by heyring
Henry Eyring (Father of President Eyring)
I noticed that he was mentioned above. He was not only one of the most brilliant minds of all time, but an incredible man.

I had the honor of spending the night in his home (slept on the floor in a sleepiong bag) when I was about 11 years. Then spent the entire next day with him teaching me amazing concepts, and then my Father and I went with him to General Priesthood Meeting in the Tabernacle.


My two cents about Harvey Fletcher (credited with being instrumental in the development of Stereo Sound)

I see above that he was featured - but I have a neat little addition.

I also had the pleasure of spending half a day with him as he is also a relative. He would over and over reiterate to me "every action has an equal and opposite reaction". What a simple but eternal principle.


Anyways - Two Great men who I had the opportunity of of gaining a personal knowledge of.