Arthur C. Clarke has died at the age of 90 | Hacker News Reader

Arthur C. Clarke has died at the age of 90

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90 pointskf16 comments

This is a sad moment for me. ACC was the first science fiction author I ever read, and it wouldn't be an understatement to say that he changed my life.

His novels stimulated to think in a new way and to break free of the religious shackles I'd been brought up with.

Thanks.

Can't help but thing of this song:

"Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer true; I'm half crazy over the love of you; It won't be a stylish marriage; I can't afford a carriage; But you look sweet, upon the seat; Of a bicycle built for two"

Trivia sidenote -- he called the supercomputer in 2001 HAL because he thought the company IBM would become increasingly dominant in a technical world. HAL's letters each are one below IBM's.

    "Is it true, Dr. Chandra, that you chose the name HAL to be one step ahead of IBM?"

    "Utter nonsense! Half of us come from IBM and we've been trying to stamp out that story for years. I thought that by now every intelligent person knew that H-A-L is derived from Heuristic ALgorithmic."

http://www.visual-memory.co.uk/faq/index.html#slot7

Though Clarke denied that, asserting it simply stood for "Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer" and was just a coincidence. Obviously, the odds are against him...

Another one of his mysteries I suppose... but I DID learn that while watching a TBS 2001/2010 marathon in like 1996. Ted Turner has never steered me wrong before.

I'm really tired of hearing this kind of news. People need to start signing up for cryonics.

The following is a public service announcement: PLEASE STOP DYING

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." - Arthur C. Clarke

Thanks for the magic in your writing that transported me as a teenager to worlds beyond imagination and high school...

Bummer. I was expecting that he would indeed get to teenage centenarian.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/5.01/ffclark.html

Clarke was one of the true masters. He not only wrote great books but brought attention and respect to the entire genre of sci-fi. Before Clarke a government space program wouldn't have been caught dead asking for a sci-fi author's opinion.

"Clarke's most important scientific contribution may be in propagating the idea that geostationary satellites would be ideal telecommunications relays. He described this concept in a paper titled "Extra-Terrestrial Relays — Can Rocket Stations Give Worldwide Radio Coverage?", published in Wireless World in October 1945. The geostationary orbit is now sometimes known as the Clarke Orbit or the Clarke Belt in his honour."

Arthur C Clarke was one of my heroes. I started reading ACC when I was still at school, the impression he left on me has not only helped me cultivate a scientific temperament but also helped me see humanity as one people. The sheer excitement of reading a ACC story playing out on a global or bigger stage was more than enough to lift you up from whatever your current set of mundane problems are and make you feel part of something bigger. Thanks ACC for all the times you made me feel special.

It's a perfect time to celebrate his life, by reading (or re-reading) "Childhood's End", "2001", and "Rendezvous with Rama". All wonderful books that will enlighten and inspire.

It seems to me that Arthur C. Clarke was one very thought stimulating and unique author, in line with Isaac Asimov and the like.

Thank you, Arthur Clarke.

Dammit :-( This guy was a real hero to me :-(

I am thankful that he was so prolific, because he doesn't really have to leave.

Sad, but 90 isn't bad.

RIP Arthur. May you soon learn the nine billion names of God. http://lucis.net/stuff/clarke/9billion_clarke.html

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