Computer programmer John Graham-Cumming keeps geek history alive by raising awareness for its heroes and their inventions.

Why you should listen

John Graham-Cumming received his Ph.D. in computer security from Oxford University. A peripatetic programmer, he has worked in Silicon Valley, New York, the UK, Germany and France. In 2004, his open source POPFile program won a Jolt Productivity Award. He has authored two books: The Geek Atlas, a travel companion for math and science history enthusiasts; and GNU Make Unleashed, a guide for programmers. In 2009, he spearheaded a successful petition to the British Government demanding an apology for its persecution of Alan Turing for his homosexuality. His personal blog was rated among the "top 30 science blogs" by The Times in February 2010. And in October, 2010, he founded an organization dedicated to build Charles Babbage's famous analytical engine.

 

John Graham-Cumming’s TED talk