Stuart CelarierNov 18, 2022
Steve Bellovin
Sad news from UNC Chapel Hill Computer Science — Fred P. Brooks, the founder and long-time chair of the department (and a major influence on my professional outlook) passed away a few hours ago.
Nov 18, 2022 at 1:28amWeb
Show threadTHIS ACCOUNT HAS MOVEDNov 18, 2022

@SteveBellovin I named my podcast in honor of Fred. Millions of listens.

https://www.garymcgraw.com/technology/silver-bullet-podcast/

Silver Bullet Podcast | Gary McGraw

The Silver Bullet Podcast with Gary McGraw features interviews with security gurus

Show threadDan CornellNov 18, 2022

@SteveBellovin Nooooo! Without his influence how will groups of nine women understand they can't create a baby in a month?

Seriously, though, this sucks. Mythical Man Month was such a tremendous contribution to the field of computer programming. What an impact. Such a loss

Show threadzogginsNov 18, 2022
@SteveBellovin I have repeatedly gotten in trouble over the course of my career for putting copies of The Mythical Man Month on the desks of terrible managers. Sad day.
Show threadMike Taylor 🦕Nov 18, 2022
@SteveBellovin This is Fred Brooks of The Mythical Man Month and No Silver Bullet?
Show threadPhil ReitingerNov 18, 2022
@SteveBellovin thanks Steve. Sad news.
Show threadZorro Notorious MEBNov 18, 2022
@SteveBellovin Oh, man ... I actually worked in the same building as he did for a while when he was at IBM. RIP Fred Brooks.
Show threadMatt BlazeNov 18, 2022
@SteveBellovin wgat a giant (and who produced giants). May is memory be a blessing.
Show threadR. A. DehiNov 18, 2022
@SteveBellovin Oh no. Thank you for letting us know.
Show threadSedat KapanogluNov 18, 2022
@SteveBellovin he was kind enough to respond to me about his quote in my book. such a stellar figure in computer science. his contributions will live forever.
Show threadLeon BambrickNov 18, 2022
@SteveBellovin @ssg ahh Sedat, I love your style.
Show threadJohn DanskinNov 18, 2022
@SteveBellovin RIP Fred Brooks. What a giant.
Show threadPaul LalondeNov 18, 2022
@SteveBellovin so very sad to hear this. I had the pleasure to meet him some 30 years ago when he was doing an academic review of the UBC Computer Science department while I was doing my doctoral studies. A very kind man and a deep thinker. He was so very genuine in his engagement with everyone around him those few days. A man to remember.
Show threadBobGourleyNov 18, 2022
@SteveBellovin Thank you for sharing this very sad news. What an icon. Just a few months ago was reading the 1987 DSB Task Force on Military Software he helped lead. Amazing how relevent it remains. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA188561.pdf
Show threaddarcher 🦋Nov 18, 2022
@SteveBellovin 😢
Show threadJoshua BlochNov 18, 2022
@SteveBellovin Sad news indeed. I had the pleasure of meeting Fred when I considered teaching at UNC Chapel Hill in '89, and I'm forever indebted to him for his support in the fight for the freedom to reimplement APIs. He was giant in our profession, and a wonderful man. The Mythical Man Month is timeless. I think I'll go reread it.
Show threadRudNov 18, 2022

@SteveBellovin posted on death of Fred Brooks. Click his link.
@gdinwiddie

@cowgirlcoder

Of Mythical Man Month

Show threadmistymadonna ☻Nov 18, 2022
@SteveBellovin we were penpals 💔
Show threadMartin FowlerNov 18, 2022

@SteveBellovin

Sad to hear of the passing of Fred Brooks. His book, "The Mythical Man Month", distilled the lessons he learned from managing the development of the IBM 360 series. It was hugely influential on so many of us. Also his paper "No Silver Bullet" would be on most people's shortlist of most influential papers.

Show threadJohan PaulNov 18, 2022

@mfowler This is so true! Hardly are there many papers or books in software engineering that stand the test of time so well as the ones you mentioned. I have some very fond memories of reading both in university. Both were eye opening for my SW engineering career.

RIP Fred Brooks

Show threadStephen Battista (he/him)Nov 18, 2022
@mfowler @SteveBellovin
Show threadPhilip SchwarzNov 18, 2022
@mfowler @SteveBellovin related: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-1X3duvryA
https://www.infoq.com/articles/No-Silver-Bullet-Summary/
OOPSLA 2007 Painel (There is no silver bullet)

YouTube
Show threadRuss OlsenNov 18, 2022
@SteveBellovin The Mythical Man Month a career changing experience for me.
Show threadEoin WoodsNov 18, 2022
@SteveBellovin thank you for passing this on. Very sad news but a long life that appeared to be very well lived. A small number of publications but each one hugely influential. A lesson for modern researchers. I had the privilege of meeting him and his wife Nancy some years ago. I reviewed The Design of Design and he was kind enough to buy me lunch when he visited London to say thank you. It was a an experience I will remember forever.